Colour Genes
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Dominant Black
'KK', 'KB', or 'Kk' is also known as 'solid black'. A canine carrying this gene will always visibly show black pigment, and will always pass on the dominant gene 'K'.
This colour's appearance can be affected by dilution to create blue or lilac, and may be masked by other genes.
A canine with this gene will never visibly show any 'A-Locus' genes (even if they are still present), and so can only be either solid black or black with white markings.
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Recessive Black
'kk', 'ky', 'aa' or 'recessive black' gives black pigment a red or coppery tone as it allows red pigment to be produced in the coat as well as standard black, and so is often referred to as 'non-black'. This means canines carrying this gene can visually show 'A-Locus' genes.
The colour's appearance can be affected by dilution to create blue or lilac, and may be masked by other genes.
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SEal
'KS' or 'seal', is believed to be a faulty dominant black gene in which the coat appears a dark shade of brown with a darker dorsal stripe along the spine.
The gene is- for the most part- solid, and so can only be affected by masking genes such as white spotting/piebalding and ticking or roaning.
Seal genes cannot be diluted due to their unstable structure.
Seal is the only 'dominant black' gene known to allow the expression of 'A-Locus' genes, and is believed to allow a coat to produce 'ghost tan' (barely visible tan points on an otherwise solid black canine).
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Recessive Red
'ee' , known as 'recessive red' makes a canine appear red in colour as opposed to black. The gene only affects the coat colour, not the skin colour (so features such as the nose, lips, paw pads etc will remain black/blue if there are black alleles (like 'KK') present).
The colour's appearance can be affected by dilution to create liver or isabella, and may be masked by other genes.
Even though it is described as a 'recessive gene' (also known as a 'throwback gene'), the colour is highly dominant over almost all other genes, and is indistinguishable from 'sable' ('ay/ay').
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Liver
'bb' also called 'liver' requires two copies of the 'b' gene to produce the pigment. It colours skin as well as the coat, so features such as nose, eye rims, paw pads etc will be coloured a pinkish brown as opposed to black.
'BB' will produce a black coat with black features.
'Bb' will produce a red coat with black features.
'bB' will produce a 'dudley' canine (red coat with liver features).
The gene may be diluted to produce isabella and may be masked by other genes.
A canine carrying the 'liver' gene will have no black pigment on the coat whatsoever, even if they carry 'dominant black' genes.
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White
'CeCe', 'tt', or 'II', known as 'solid spotting' or 'extreme intensity' is responsible for the white pigmentation in canines. It effectively 'dilutes' any underlying pigment to such an extent that the fur is unable to produce either the black or red colouration.
The colour's appearance can only be affected by masking genes such as merle and piebald.
The gene only affects the coat colour, features such as the nose, lips, paw pads etc will remain unaffected.
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Albinism
'cc' or 'albino' gives a canine total lack of pigment, it often turns the eyes a shade of blue, red or pink, while the eye rims, lips, paw pads, claws, and skin will always be a shade of pink. The coat may appear totally white in colour or 'dilute' dark markings (see below).
Albinism is not without its health risks (sensitivity to sunlight or other harsh, bright light, skin prone to sunburn, and visual impairment).
The gene cannot be diluted, but may be masked by other genes.
Other Genes
'SS' or Solid Spotting/Non-White. Canines with this gene with not physically show any white colouration. Any piebalding will either be black or red based.
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'BB' or Normal Pigment. This gene is responsible for black features on a black, white or red coat.
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'EE' or Normal Extension, allows only either black or white colouration to be expressed.
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'kbr' - Brindle. Black or red striping on the reverse colour's coat. (i.e Black striping on a red coat, or red striping on a black coat).
A Brief rundown
-A canine will only ever be 'dominant black' or 'recessive black'.
-When building a genotype, the colour of the canine is always written first.
-A canine can be both Dominant Black AND Recessive Red/White/Liver/Albino, but can never be both Dominant Black and Recessive Black (or Seal and Recessive Black).
Examples!
'KK-ee-BB' = 'Dominant Black'-'Red Coat'-'Non-Liver', which means, in essence, our canine will be; Red Coated with Black features.
'KK-EE-BB' = Solid Black
''KK-EE (or 'ee')-bb' = Solid Liver
'KK-EE-bb-SS' = 'Dominant Black'-'Non-Red Coat-'Liver'-'White Pigment', which means our canine will be White Coated with Brown features. If the allele at the 'B Locus' were to be 'BB', we would get the same resulting White Coat but with Black features.
Alternatively; if our canine's genotype were to be any of the Recessive Black alleles (such as 'ky'); we would achieve the exact same results as above with the exception that the canine could now visually show Agouti or Tan Points depending on what genes are in the mix.
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