In a sable, just the tip of each hair is colored. Their almond-shaped eyes are medium to dark brown, and they have a black nose. Double-coated shepherds have a soft wooly undercoat and an outer coat of longer, harsher guard hairs. Shepherds can be coated normally or can be long coated or open coated. Long coats have about the same coat as a Belgian Tervuren.
Open coats have no undercoat and usually have softer guard hairs.
Even with the double coated German Shepherds, it is recommended that they reside indoors as a family member. To prevent dry skin and itchiness, shepherds should be bathed no more than every 4-6 weeks. Although one or both ears on some adult shepherds don't stand, their large ears usually stand naturally-not cropped. Their ears hang down when they are born and begin to go up at approximately 2-4 months. The tail should hang down to the ground when they dog is at rest and should be carried in a slight upward curve when the dog is in motion.