The sandy is probably the most common variety in the US and perhaps elsewhere as well. It is arguably the most developed, and "perfected" variety of Flemish Giants today (similar to castor vs other varieties of Mini Rex). They are very similar to, but not quite the same as, chestnuts in other breeds (such as lops). Unlike a chestnut agouti, the sandy requires a lighter ring coloring of the intermediate and top rings. Occasionally, you'll find "chestnut" sandies, which are commonly disqualified at shows.
A good sandy will be as evenly colored as possible. Sandy is an agouti color, meaning it has three main bands of coloration, plus black tipped guard hairs. The undercolor should be slate blue, the intermediate color a straw/orange color, and the top color a red/orange or rusty color lightly tipped with black. The black tipping, like all agoutis, should be even throughout the coat. Harlequin markings, blotchiness, or banding of the black is highly undesireable. (I find that this commonly comes when crossed into faulty lines, and into selfs like black). The belly, underside of the nose and chin, inside of ear, around the eye, belly and underside of tail are to be cream or white. Although it's very difficult to avoid or get rid of if you have them, shadow bars are also undesireable.
Being that sandies are the most common variety in most places, they are the easiest to find a quality line from a top of the line name. Many very nice sandies come from Germany (buy second hand, German Flemish can cost up to $1500 a piece!!), but I hear that with them come an interesting temperment as well. Sandies are one of the more "docile" varieties. (Blacks, blues, and steels are known to be a touch more aggressive in nature). But all (MOST) Flemish are very competitively sweet and friendly.
GENETICS OF A SANDY:
A- B- C- D- E- en en ww
Sandies are almost the most dominant color of the spectrum but certainly are the most dominant of Flemish. With the exception of the wideband and solid gene (en en) it carries all the dominant genes of the spectrum other than steel. It is genetically the same as a chestnut agouti with the wideband gene being it's only difference. Sandies should have brighter and wider intermediate bands than its chestnut counterparts and is faulted heavily for appearing as a chestnut (even disqualified). Sandies are generally not bred to anything but fawns and can be hiding a great deal of colors due to the dominance of the genes dictating sandy. In most cases if you breed to sandy, regardless the color, you're bound to get at least SOME sandy if not all. It all depends on what's in the sandy you can't see! It is not recommended to breed them to anything else but fawns and sandies.
