Why are liver coloured staffys unacceptable???

I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer too. I have what is called a liver coloured staff and since owning him I've discovered that Liver's and black and tan's are deemed unacceptable colourings and I would like to know why?? It makes no difference to me the answer as i'm just curious?? I choose him because i wanted a healthy puppy with sound temperment, for a family pet, I'm not going to show or breed so its purely out of curiosity that I ask. Thank you

what i was told i dont know if it right or wrong a breeders breed a staffy with a manchester terrier for the colour that why they unacceptable

I believe the coloring can happen naturally, but can be due to questionable lineage as they are not usual colorings. Usually a sign of weak genetics at best (really white and blue as well). Doesn't affect health necessarily and for a family pet, probably isn't going to be any more trouble than a white or blue. White may be the worst though with sensitive skin. I guess I am a glutton for rescuing the white ones as nobody here seems to want them.

Hmm Thanks for the answers guys Rolo's father was a blue and his mother a brown brindle... Guess we got the brown with out the brindle, with a sheen of blue in certain light.

Sounds lovely! He sure looks nice in your avatar.

They are both dominant and if let to breed they would take over and every stafford would come out black and tan or liver no matter what colour the other dog was. I don't think it's a bad thing theyre undesirable, theyre not the most flattering colours on a stafford.

I don't know where the liver came from (has to be either a dilute or an outcross), but rumour has it that the black & tan came from crossing with a hound breed. So black & tan is considered to not be pure. Also, as Hayley says, both colours are dominant & would reproduce their own colour when mated - gone would be the beautiful brindles & reds that we see at the moment.

Also, when the staff was first registered there were no livers or black & tans. This means that there were almost certainly crosses with other breeds at some point!

I always wondered this too, but I really like the liver colour I think its nice!

also isn't fawn undesirable as well? is that the same reasoning?

Well these reasons all make sense,The point about the fawn too? That's a colour that has been on the increase, is that one brought in allowed by breeders or is that a sign of a cross somewhere?? I hadn't noticed till we bought him that i'd never seen a liver coloured staff before.... we've been calling him chocolate because for the last few weeks most people on the streets mistake him for a chocolate labrador pup.... although now he really is getting his staffy looks it'll be interesting to see what colour shade he does finally take... as some days he looks lighter than others? Thanks Everyone:)

It's really difficult to get a real deep red in a breeding programme. A lot of reds will produce fawn, and I'm guessing that it's a dilute. A bit like blue resulting from a black to black mating.

Liver is undesireable because it gives the dog a light coloured nose. Its the same colour gene as chocolate labs have. I personally love the liver colour and wish it would be encouraged. I think the kc rules about nose colour should be changed, it would benifit blue dogs as well. Blues don't do well in the show ring as for one thing its not possible to get a blue with a deep, black nose, the darkest it will be will be slate coloured. I believe the nose should be judged in relation to coat colour.
Black and tan is undesirable because its a very dominant gene and if bred from would take over all other colours-look at rottweilers for example. Personally I love black & tan but I would discourage it in staffies. The colour is reputed to have come from the Manchester terrier.
If I don't get another red or a white i'd love a liver staffy. Fawn isn't undesireable, its a dilute of red, like blue is a dilute of black-brindle.
EDIT: Just read some of the other answers. Genetically Liver isn't a dominant colour gene, only B&T.

Have a look at the topic started by Carly about colour genetics. It's a good read.

Learning lot from this... having examined Rolo's nose it's definatly black and not a lighter shade? But i shall go and read the thread about colour genetics with interest now. Thanks for all your help

Your dog is not liver, it just looks that way because of the mix of blue and brindle. The only way you would get a liver is if one parent were liver and you said they were not?

As said, liver is described by light nose, so you def don't have a liver staff.

I had a liver staff. She have a red nose and was a beautiful reddy brown colour. She lived till she was 12 years old (RIP) she was an amazing staffy. I never had any medical problems with her,not even skin problems ( my girl now has skin allergies) and she was very well behaved. Everyone used to admire her and say they had never seen a staff that colour before! Although she was classed as 'undesirable' by the standard I was very proud to own her.
Looking at your avatar pic I would say that Rolo doesn't look liver coloured at all, his nose would look pinky red in colour. I know some photos can be deceptive could you post a few more perhaps?

kelpie wrote:Learning lot from this... having examined Rolo's nose it's definatly black and not a lighter shade?

Looking at your avatar I would say that his nose is a dark charcoal grey, not black.

Rolo looks like a blue to me, a lot of blues look more brown then grey. What colour were his parents out of interest? Of course he could be liver but from that picture he doesn't look it. He has the dark grey (but not black) nose of a blue.

You may find this link helpful:

http://abnormality.purpleflowers.net/genetics/dilutes.htm

the avatar look like your dog is red/brownie brindle

Oh blimey now i'm confused again!!! Right, Thank you Jade for that link... and Jules, that's clarified that he is not liver... and he definatly has a black nose... the whole family has verified that my eye sight isn't completely gone! I think for now i shall stick to calling him chocolate, as he doesn't appear to have the brindle markings on top.... I'll take some more pics over the next few days outside in daylight and see if that makes things a bit clearer. Mother was a Dark brown brindle, Dad was Blue.... Result... Rolo

Well claire whatever colour he turns out to be he sure is beautiful!!

It must be very confusing for you! He does look brown I agree, but I think its either a very dark blue or hes a brown brindle whose pattern hasn't come out yet. Puppies coats change as they get older.
My boy Romeo used to have a dark black ring round his tail and noticable black through his back stripe. All the black on his coat grew out by six months, his legs got lighter and the stripe on his back got a lot redder. He also changes colour depending on the light which sounds obvious but is really noticeable. In the early morning he looks orange. In snow he looks really deep red and in the afternoon he looks a lot lighter, almost fawn. Also he has snow nose so his usual black nose goes a bit grey in winter!
Post some more pics of Rolo and we'll all do a vote!

Lol, good idea Jade, I will do that in a couple of weeks time, Rolo's coat changes all the time... the picture in the male pup competition looks different again from the avatar one... but then now, he looks nothing like that!! Although I can see the suggestion of the red/brown brindle possibly being a good bet??? Time will tell... and I'll try and find time to sort some more pics

i dont care about all the breeders and KC things all i know is your pup is adorable it doesnt matter what colour