Sable terms explained

The pattern sable has already been explained on its own page, but there are also plenty of terms to describe different shades of sable. Here you will be able to find some of them. If you are looking for a certain term, try using your browser's search function and search for the phrase, to see if it crops up under any of the listed terms.

Remember, even though sable with black eumelanin is the most common, sable can have any of the four eumelanin pigment types.

Describing the shades

Cream sable
A light cream sable, usually with little shading
Other names: Fawn, light fawn, cream fawn

Golden sable
A golden sable with shading to different amounts.
Other names: Fawn, golden fawn

Red sable
A red sable with shading to different amounts.
Other names: Mahogany sable, chestnut sable

Gray sable
A dog with a very greyish base colour, with shading to different amounts.
N.B This term is very often incorrectly used on a dog that is actually a grizzle!
Other names: grey sable

Describing the amount of shading

Clear sable
A dog with no or very little visible shading.
Other names: Fawn

Shaded sable
A dog with a clearly visible, sometimes very heavy, amount of shading.
Other names: Heavy sable, buckskin (lighter shaded sables), smutty