Why does some Black Schnauzer loos their colors

Hi I have a question I have 2 black schanuzers and one black Riesenschnauzer and they are really black, but I have seen alot of black schnauzer in all sizes that have alot of brown or grey in their coat. My question is why do some dogs seems to loose their black color. Is it anyone that have an idee about this? it really makes me curious!
Looking forward to hear your ideas or opinions.
BR
Anneli

It is generally genetics, although some foods and too much sunlight can turn some black coats a bit red. Here we have lost a lot of our intense black coloring from crossing the blacks with the salt and peppers, many of whom had lighter undercoats. Once that great coloring is lost, it is very hard to get back.

MsBritmor wrote:It is generally genetics, although some foods and too much sunlight can turn some black coats a bit red. Here we have lost a lot of our intense black coloring from crossing the blacks with the salt and peppers, many of whom had lighter undercoats. Once that great coloring is lost, it is very hard to get back.

Hi
Thank you for your answere my dogs are really black and I have gotten alot of questions regarding their color and I have never really been able to answere people when they ask me why their dogs have alot of brown or grey. I have been into your website and I love you dogs they are really beutiful and I love the description you have on how to take care of the coat I have picked up allot of usefull information there.

I don't know if it's true, but I've also heard that too much of caroteen in the food makes the black colour turn orange

Randi's Ushabti wrote:I don't know if it's true, but I've also heard that too much of caroteen in the food makes the black colour turn orange

I have also heard that said about the orange stains in beards/feet etc. I don't believe it though!

We should also remember that not all dog are stripped. When the dog has clipped coat it will be lighter. Also at it was mentioned: the sun, the water. Some dogs have got problems with their eyes or they have something in their drool what makes the beard and the moustache brown. And genes...

I try to say this in english.
Black minischnauzer is not the same as black Coccerspaniel. Minies aren't usually solid black. In Finland we call it fading-gene. Dog has grey undercoat and same color in legs. And these parts where you are using machineclipper (ears, tail, throat, behind) or using sissords (legs), coat is grayish.
Aldo, we have solid black dogs and it Doesn't matter how often you are clipping them, they allways stay black.
So, we have black minies and then we have BLACK minies.

Yes, it is mostly genetic, but also some health problems can cause grey coat. It can be liver, or something gormonal.

About carotin, I can tell about own experiense. One our male (Raven's Tot Midnight Bolero) LOVES carrot, javascript:emoticonp it is best thing he can get, and he gets it quite often, every day. He is black, a bit brownish furnishing is easy to make better by combing. So, I think that there is a lot of carrotine in carrots....

As it was teached to me, there are 2 different problems, grey and brown. If dog has brown, you can comb it, strip it and get better color, when borwnish undercoat is taken away.
If you have grey dog..... You can do nothing.

I have one dog with fading gene. She was so perfectly black all over till she became 2 years old. After this she became grey. I striped furnishing away three times, no improvments. She is grey, and now, when I clip her, she's grey also on her body.

My other dogs, who sometimes have a bit brownish furnishing, was much blacker after just combing their coat through with Mars 330 for example.