Combination coat colors in dogs

Combination coat colors in dogs

This combined test brings together several essential genetic markers that help you understand your dog’s coat colour, pattern inheritance, and key pigmentation traits. Each locus provides valuable insights into how your dog’s appearance is formed and what traits they may pass on to future litters.

1. Locus D (canine, allele d1)
This locus influences colour dilution. The presence of the d1 allele can lighten black, brown, or red pigment, leading to colours such as blue, lilac, or Isabella. Testing this locus helps identify carriers and dogs that may express dilution-related colours.

2. Locus E
The E locus affects whether a dog can produce dark pigment (eumelanin). Variants at this locus determine patterns like black masks or recessive red, which can override other colour genes. Knowing the E locus helps predict overall pigment expression.

3. Locus I
The I locus is linked to intensity and shading of red, cream, fawn, or apricot coats. It can explain why dogs with similar genetics still show different shades of the same colour. This test clarifies carriers of strong or diluted intensity patterns.

4. Locus K (KB allele only)
The K locus is a major pattern controller. The KB allele produces a dominant black coat and can mask patterns from other loci. Testing for KB helps breeders understand whether a dog can produce patterned puppies or only solid-coloured ones.

5. Locus A (Alleles Ay, aw, at, a)
The A locus is responsible for key coat patterns like fawn/sable (Ay), wolf grey (aw), tan points (at), and recessive black (a). These alleles play a major role in defining a dog’s coat pattern and are crucial for accurate breeding predictions.

6. Locus B (canine)
The B locus determines the brown vs black pigment base. Variants at this locus can produce chocolate, liver, or brown coats and affect nose and paw pad pigmentation. Testing it helps identify whether a dog carries or expresses brown-based colouring.