Coat Colors & Patterns:
Coats:
Used by permission from Nancy Anderson at Run-N-Ridge Kennels
There are 3 Main Coat Colours in dogs being Black, Red and Brown.
All other colors are dilutions or modifications to these 3 colors.
1. Black - Recessive - Found on the K and A Series
2. Red - Found on the A Series (*often referred to as Sable)
3. Brown - Recessive found on the B Series
Some of the Diluted or Modified Colours of these 3 are:
1. Blue - Dilution of Black - Recessive - Found on the D Series
2. Fawn - Dilution of Brown - Recessive - Found on the D Series
3. Tan - - Recessive
4. Blue/Fawn - Recessive
Patterns:
Brindle - Kbr - A Striped Coat - Found on the K Series - Can be in dominant or recessive gene form depending on the breed which it is associated with. In the Rat Terrier and Harlequin Pinscher however the brindle gene has only be known to be dominant in nature meaning AT LEAST ONE parent must be brindle to get brindle offspring.
Progressive Greying - Where the coat turns from a black to a blue as seen in Yorkshire Terriers. Found on the G Series.
Merle - Gene modifies the coat to a lighter colour, leaving patches of the original coat colour. Merle effects only eumelanin thus Black, Brown, Blue and Fawn coats are noticeably merle in pattern. Red is Phaeomelanin and often times the Merle gene is not easily noticed on a Red coat.
Merle Modifiers (*Harlequin & Tweed):
Merle is a dominant gene in all breeds therefore AT LEAST ONE parent must be merle in order to get Merle offspring.
TWEED: - A merle gene modifier when inherited along with the merle gene causes a varying shade of patches on the coat.
If the merle gene is not present the merle modifiers will go unnoticed.
It is believed Merle Modifiers are located on their own locii.
HARLEQUIN: - Modifier which turns areas between the dark patches on a merle to pure white including Reds.
It is a dominant gene and is inherited separately to merle. The Harlequin Gene requires the presence of the Merle gene in order to work.
Found on the H Series.
DOUBLE MERLE: - The expression of merle combined with the extreme modification causing patches of white.
The ACR/HPA does not condone the breeding of merle to merle or double merles therefore have taken the stand of not registering litters or animals of Double Merle Status.
White Spotting - Found on the S Series - Can express itself in varying degrees from:
Tri: - Small amount of white usually on toes, chest, chin and forehead. Sometimes these markings are caused by pigment migration interruption during embryo development but if the markings are found to be predisposed to markings then it most likely is the lowest form of the Piebald gene being TRI.
Tuxedo: Also known as Irish Spotting - Where there is a white pattern on feet, chest and a partial to full collar. A tuxedo patterned dog looks to be wearing a Tuxedo when stood on its hind legs.
PIEBALD: - A white base coat with patches of unconnected colour. A dog with a spotted coat.
Extreme white Piebald as seen in some breeds, such as the White Bull Terrier & Boxer, may cause deafness due to lack of pigment in the inner ear.
Ticking: also known as Roan - The inheritance of very small dots of colour throughout the coat. Ticking can be from black to grey to red.