Canine coat colors and patterns explained
Ever wonder what goes into canine coat color?
What gives a dog their coat color? Well, the long answer is that it’s a complicated genetic puzzle (though it could be argued that those are the best kind). Here at Dog O’Day, we’ll try our best to summarize it in an easily-understood way, however.
But first, let’s start with a very basic scientific explanation and then break down what each color actually looks like.
The color is based on the dogs’ pigment presence in the dogs’ epidermis (outer layer of skin). This pigmentation can only come in two different varieties, eumelanin (black) and phaeomelanin (red or yellow). Every different color that is produced is a result of modifiers, mutations, and genetic factors.
The most important genes are pigment, color and density, while the common mutations are dilute coloration and piebald spotting factor.
Common solid colors:
- Black: solid black all the way to the roots. Examples of this black coat can be seen in Miniature Schnauzers, Black Russian Terriers, and Scottish Terriers.
- White: solid white all the way to the roots. White can be seen in: West Highland white terriers, Great Pyrenees, and the Chinese Crested.
- Red: no eumelanin (black) pigments in the hair. Some examples red can be seen in: Vizslas, Irish Setters, and the Dogue de Bordeaux.
- Blue: silvery-grey in color often with a bit of an icy sheen. Blue can be seen in dogs like Weimaraners (most famous of this color), Italian Greyhounds and Kerry Blue Terriers.
- Brown: a diluted version of eumelanin (black) pigments. This color can be seen in dogs like Labrador Retrievers, Havanese, and Cocker Spaniels. This is sometimes also called “chocolate” or “liver”, depending on the breed, and can show up in Dalmatian spots as well.
- Fawn: light tan with more phaeomelanin (red or yellow) pigments. Fawn can be seen in: Pugs, American Staffordshire Terriers (one of the pit bull types), and Mastiffs.
Common patterns:
- Brindle: Appearing almost as a tiger stripe pattern, it is caused by dark stripes on a light coat. Brindle can be seen occurring in Greyhounds, Boxers, and French Bulldogs.
- Piebald: Unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, the skin underneath is pigmented. Piebald can be seen in Boerboels, Finnish Lapphunds, and Dachshunds, just to name a few.
- Merle: Mottled patches of color in a solid or piebald coat. This merle pattern can sometimes be seen in the herding breeds like the Australian Shepherds, Cardigan Welsh Corgis or Border Collies.
- Harlequin: White base color and scattered patches of black all over their bodies. Only two breeds have this pattern, the rather large breeds of the Great Danes and Beaucerons.
Next. Breeds 101: Meet the Chinese Crested. dark
While this is only a short list of colors and patterns that can be found in the vast gene pool of dogs, it hopefully provides a small insight into what these mean.