Benbo30,
Black Roan Drahthaars are not common, but common enough in German registered DD's in this country. For the last seven or eight years the production of that color phase has been about 20% of all German Registered dogs born in the USA. The average # of pups born in this country has increased somewhat from when I got my first DD in 2001. Then there were 400 some pups born here. Now it averages about 600 some pups a year. (I would bet that many labs are born in the Seattle Metro area alone in a year.) There are actually three other color phases, the most common being the brown or liver roan, then even rarer than the black roan, the braun or brown with a white spot on its chest, and even rarer the solid brown. The looks of the dog you pictured may have some thinking it is tri-colored, but it is common for a black roan dog to have reddish hair in his beard, more than likely that hair is dead and would come out with a good tight comb.
High country alluded to the fact that all of the dogs in a DD's pedigree are hunters and are tested. This is true. They all go through at least two test where their natural ability is tested, as well as some trained aspects (mostly retrieves, upland, waterfowl, and rabbits or hares.) Only then after having their coat and conformation judged can they be certified to breed. Hips are to be clear, and an extra tooth or incorrect bite will take a dog out of the breeding pool. Even the dogs disposition can eliminate them from breeding. Once a breeder takes a dog through these tests, he is then free to breed as he or she see fit, with other dogs that have also passed the same tests. So each dog on the 30 dog pedigree that is given to the new owner of a pup has passed these tests: the VJP and the HZP. AKC just requires that you have two dogs who are registered with them to breed.
There are probably more internet arguments on dog sites regarding the difference in a DD and an AKC wirehair. It is ironic that some alway choose the breeder whose site was mentioned above, as he used to be a DD breeder a long time ago and went against the grain of the above requirements and was, (and I want to state this politely as I don't know him from Adam) booted out. I started with an AKC wire hair, and she was a great dog; but she HATED the water. When I got my first DD, I knew that every one of his relatives had to demonstrate a love of the water. That is another way a dog can get pulled from the breeding pool, all they have to do is refuse a water retrieve at a test and they are marked forbidden to breed.
The test of tests for a DD is the VGP, which is a two day test where the dog is tested in at least 26 different aspects of hunting. For instance they have to follow a 3-5 hour aged 400 meter blood track, retrieve a dragged fox, (again dragged 400 meters), show that they will independently search a swamp for a duck, be steady to wing and shot, etc. This is a test that many of these dogs pass before they are three years old, and some even pass it at 18 months old.
These dogs are tremendously versatile. As such they make an ideal companion for someone who likes to hunt a variety of game. I spend a lot of time going out for chukars, but I also use them for rabbits, and ducks. All of mine have been trained to track blood trails, but I have never used one to recover a lost deer, as it is not legal in this state to do so. (Which doesn't make sense, as recovering game should be held high above everything else, and if you could use a leashed dog (30 meter lead) to recover a lost animal nothing is lost!)
Just a little information about a great breed of dog, obviously I am enamored of the breed. Lee
