Genetics

RED...........................

ee: masks black and agouti genes, causing recessive red
E* = non-red, allows black and agouti to show
E^m causes a melanistic (darker, or black) mask to occur. The color of the mask is affected by genes such as dilution and brown, hence the term “melanistic” rather than simply “black.”

DOMINANT BLACK..........

No K/k-gene are visible without E or E^m. Recessive red (ee) masks this gene.

K – indicates a genetically black dog
k^br - brindle, which is dominant over fawn. Brindle stripes are turned to gray/silver with the presence of dilution.
k^y - expresses clear agouti genes, without brindle

BROWN.......................

B* - not brown
bb – brown
This also affects the coloration of mucus membranes, noses, nails, and paw pads.

AGOUTI.......................

A – non-agouti
a^y - fawn or sable, which is dominant to all other genes*
a^w - wild-type, or wolf, a sable
a^t - tan-points
a^s - saddle
a – recessive black

*can produce clear red, which is the only way to get a red dog with a melanistic mask Also produces tipped sable, such as in tervuren, and shaded sable, such as in shelties

DILUTION.....................

D – not diluted
dd – diluted (turns black to blue/gray, and brown to isabella)

G – graying occurs, causing silvering, or silver-brindle
gg – no graying
- only effects black/brown

II – lightest coloration, lowest intensity (turns tan cream)
Ii – medium intensity (tan stays as normal)
ii – highest intensity (turns tan red)
Intensity does NOT effect solid black or white

WHITE MARKINGS.............

S – solid color
sⁱ - irish spotting, co-dominant to other genes
s^p - piebald, dominant to extreme white
s^w - extreme white/piebald

T - heavily ticked (roan)
Tt - moderate ticking
tt – not-ticked

H - harlequin
hh – not harlequin
- Effects red as well as black/brown, requires merle to show

ALBINO..........................

C – normal coloration
c^ch - chinchilla, turns colors silver or very light, such as in yellow (or cream) labradors and golden retrievers. Also effects tan points, turning them silver or white. Also causes “wolf-gray” in huskies, keeshonds, ect., where red is lightened to cream, also salt-and-pepper in schnauzers
c^e - extreme dilution, white or nearly white. Causes wolf-gray, where red is lightened to white.
c^p - platinum/ivory. Causes wolf-gray, where red is lightened to white.
c^u - urajiro (SPECULATED)
c - albino

MERLE............................

MM – double merle
Mm – merle
mm – non-merle
• Merle occurs within masks. Merle will be covered by the a^y gene, causing a fawn dog with merle mask.
• Brindle will show in broken stripes (random dilution) in merle
• Brindle tan and merle is quite possible
• Ticking or roan will occur in the white markings (if any) of a merle dog
• Recessive red does NOT produce merle
• Diluted merles are possible, but is very difficult to distinguish from a non-merle dilute