>From:    Karri Knutson <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: *a few more questions*
>Ok, i have a few questions.  The first one is about color.  I'm a little
>confused w/ black sable.  My sable is dark right now (darker than in the
>pics at my homepage), but she still has whats left of her winter coat.  But
>in the summer she turns almost black, no mask, w/ the exception of little
>white "eyebrows".  Thats only in the summer though.  So would she be
>considered a black sable, or just dark sable?
 
Black Sable is very confusing.  The AFA definition differs from the LIFE
definition.
 
By LIFE standards the mask shape is utmost importance.  The hood shaped mask
is the determining feature.
 
In the AFA standard black sable is a color not a pattern.  Black sable is
the same real dark brown to (brownish) black of a sable in the guard hair.
But the undercoat has a cool grey or white look not the warm beige to
yellow.
 
Personally I don't like either definition but I only judge them not write
the standards.  The AFA might decide to do something about the definition
because there is an incompleteness in that chocolate and champagne can also
be warm or cool but don't have a different name.  It came up at one of the
judge's conferences but didn't get resolved.
 
bill and diane killian
zen and the art of ferrets
http://www.zenferret.com/
mailto:[log in to unmask]
[Posted in FML issue 1883]