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Leonca — Dog Colors Guide- Black

Published: 2011-04-05 16:23:17 +0000 UTC; Views: 14781; Favourites: 177; Downloads: 227
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Description Another nerdy personal project, but one I hope will help others as well. I have learned a lot about the genetic rules governing color and pattern in dogs, and this is a visual summery to help remind myself. More detailed explanations and photographs can be found in References. If you have suggestions for improvement or see any errors feel free to comment with them.

Written explanation of theoretical genetics to accompany visual examples [link]

Photo references

Dog Color Feature: Chocolate, Blue, Isabella, GrayThis is a supplement to my Theoretical Dog Genetics guide . I am using thumbnails from dA so that artists will get the credit that would be harder to give taking pictures from other online sources. The goal is to educate anyone who is curious, as well as to provide artists with references that will improve the realism of their work. I am still learning, and guessing the correct color can sometimes be difficult even with an ideal photo or the dog itself to examine. If you spot any mistakes let me know. If you see your picture here and don't want it to be let me know and I'll take it down. If you would like to contribute a picture for reference send me a link. Photographs need to be clear, in good lighting, and show enough of the dog to provide a good reference for markings. I will be going back and adding to this whenever I find new references. My personal goal is to improve the quality of my art and educate myself because I like to know more about the patients I me



Black (dominant black, chocolate, blue, Isabella, progressive graying)
Red (recessive red, deep red to silver)

Brindle

Merle

Agouti (sable, grizzle, tan points, recessive black)

White spotting (Irish, piebald, extreme piebald, ticking, roaning, Dalmatian spots)

Addendum (husky pattern, grizzle/domino, white trim, Boxer white, split face, lozenge) [link]
Some possible color examples
:thumb206444557:

Genotype: the genes an animal carries, including those not expressed.
Phenotype: the physical expression of the dominant and recessive interactions of genes.
Locus: a part on a strand of DNA where 2 alleles are held, though the possible available number may be higher.
Alleles: different genes on the same locus which allow for the expression of different traits.
A _ after a gene means that genes equal in dominance or recessive to the gene do not affect the phenotype. Example- B_ could be BB (black) or Bb (black carrying chocolate).

References: [link] [link] [link] [link]

Related content
Comments: 14

CourageousSam [2013-04-05 08:42:54 +0000 UTC]

Oh my Gosh.... you helped me so much with this as i'm writing a book about a black crossbreed with blue eyes and I had no clue which breeds crossed for this beautiful dog Now I know he could propably be an
Aussie-Flat Coated retriever Mix
(Very Big (maybe Hovawart) very long, dark, black fur with a white spot on his breast and striking blue eyes )

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Leonca In reply to CourageousSam [2013-04-06 03:27:25 +0000 UTC]

Glad to help.

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CourageousSam In reply to Leonca [2013-04-06 10:14:40 +0000 UTC]

I have a question I hope it's okay if I ask you this as my dog is a purebred English Cocker Spaniel and his fur is of a very darkish brown colour and also his nose is dark brown. But his father was a black and Tan and his mother was a black one and we can't tell how he got this colour.

[link]

he had only one Brother who was also coloured like this. His eyes are hazelnut-brown and when his fur grows it gets slightly lighter like the sun bleached it
he also does have curls and very fluffy fur on the back which can't be trimmed so he looks like the cocker he actually is XD

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Leonca In reply to CourageousSam [2013-04-06 20:30:50 +0000 UTC]

The brown color is a recessive trait, so it can show up unexpectedly. He inherited the solid black color from his mother, and a copy of the gene that modifies black to chocolate from each parent.

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CourageousSam In reply to Leonca [2013-04-06 22:22:38 +0000 UTC]

Gosh! Thanks that was fast I didn't expect an answer coming so soon Thank you
We first thought of a gene defect because of his strange fluffy, curly fur but this sounds very logical. I don't know what his brother looks like now but i could bet he has the same "problem". Miro also has a very long body what isn't typical for his breed either and he is very small
Some people even thought he was a POODLE!!!!! How dare they
I like poodles but Miro....really?

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Leonca In reply to CourageousSam [2013-04-06 22:26:37 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome.

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Xenothere [2012-01-22 03:16:01 +0000 UTC]

I wonder, with blue-eyed black dogs, maybe some of them are very light merles or cryptic merles, and the blue eyes are due to the presence of a merle gene.

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Leonca In reply to Xenothere [2012-01-22 03:51:54 +0000 UTC]

Could be possible. Many light merles with no merle around the eyes will have brown eyes though.

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Its-Wolfeh [2011-05-25 16:12:50 +0000 UTC]

Interesting, I learned something new.

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Leonca In reply to Its-Wolfeh [2011-05-25 18:47:07 +0000 UTC]

Yay.

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novablue [2011-04-06 05:19:47 +0000 UTC]

Dunder could fit into that super dark chocolate People sometimes mistake him for black, especially when his coat is wet...
[link] - in direct sunlight
[link] - when wet
(can't miss an opportunity to show off my dog, heh)

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Leonca In reply to novablue [2011-04-06 06:06:40 +0000 UTC]

Weird. I wonder why water makes it look darker.

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SammyBlot [2011-04-05 21:44:26 +0000 UTC]

omg .. you are a god / king / queen / da boss / just fab!!

(pick whichever u like!)

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Leonca In reply to SammyBlot [2011-04-05 23:30:48 +0000 UTC]

Thanks.

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