 Dachshund Genetics
We have gathered this information from many different sources
... books, articles, web sites, dachshund organizations, breeders ...
and have simply compiled the information provided by other people.
As with anything, there are rules of nature that can't be broken,
at least not usually. There are always exceptions...
mutations of genes, and genes that have yet to be identified.
The information we have compiled here is simply
the generally accepted set of rules regarding the inheritance of
color, pattern, and coat in the dachshund breed.
If you have bred dachshunds and have seen a specific case of
color/pattern/coat inheritance that is contrary to something
you read here, please let us know. We are always looking for
more information on this subject, and welcome any input from you.
Before you begin to try and make sense of the genetic information given here,
there are some basic things you should understand.
* * * * * * * * * *
What determines my puppy's color, pattern, & coat ?
There are several gene series that determine the
color, pattern, and coat of your dachshund puppy.
Each gene series is divided into a group of alleles.
For example, the 'A' (Agouti) gene series helps determine a puppy's basic coat color.
There are three alleles in the 'A' series:
ay, aw, at ... each resulting in a different color.
Every dachshund has TWO alleles from each gene series:
one inherited from their sire and one inherited from their dam.
The combination of alleles that a puppy inherits from their parents
determines their color, pattern, and coat.
Just like humans, this is what makes every puppy unique.
Some alleles are dominant,
which means that allele will overpower a recessive allele.
A dominant allele will be visible on the puppy.
That means the puppy will 'show' the allele's trait.
Dominant alleles cannot be 'carried'.
If a puppy has even one allele for any dominant trait,
the trait will show on the puppy.
If a puppy doesn't show a dominant trait,
they don't have it, and cannot carry it recessively.
Some alleles are recessive,
which means that allele's trait will only be visible
if the puppy inherits TWO of that recessive allele.
A recessive allele that is overpowered by a dominant allele
will not be visible on the puppy.
That means the puppy will 'carry' for the allele's trait.
If a puppy carries a recessive trait, they can produce
offspring who show that recessive trait if bred to
another dog who also carries or shows the recessive trait.
Some alleles are incompletely dominant,
which means that allele's trait can be effected
by a recessive allele, but not overpowered.
Some alleles are incompletely recessive,
which means that allele's trait can effect
a dominant or other recessive allele, but not overpower it.
A puppy only has two alleles for each gene series.
They inherit one allele from their sire & one allele from their dam.
The traits a puppy shows and carries for each gene series
is determined by the two alleles they inherited.
A purebred puppy can't have 3/4 (75%) of any trait.
They either have 0/2 (0%, none of it), 1/2 (50%, half of it), or 2/2 (100%, all of it).
A dachshund won't be 3/4 piebald, or 3/4 chocolate... recessive traits...
If they show any recessive trait,
they must have two alleles (100%) for that trait.
If they don't show a recessive trait,
they could carry (50%) the trait, or may have none (0%) of it.
A dachshund won't be 3/4 dapple, or 3/4 wirehair... dominant traits...
If they show any dominant trait,
they have two alleles (100%) for that trait, or may have only one allele (50%) for it.
If they don't show a dominant trait,
they don't have the trait at all (0%), and do not carry it.
For a dominant trait to show,
a puppy only needs one allele for that trait,
passed either from the sire or the dam.
For a recessive trait to show,
a puppy must have two alleles for that trait,
passed from both the sire and the dam.
There are many gene series in the canine genome.
Not all of the known canine gene series are addressed here.
Some of them do not appear to effect the dachshund breed,
possibly because a certain allele of some gene series
has been bred into the dachshund for centuries, and so,
other alleles for that gene series no longer occur in the dachshund.
An example of this is a purebred BLACK ANGUS cow & bull.
You won't see them have a TEXAS LONGHORN calf, even though
there are alleles in the bovine genome that cause Texas longhorns.
There are 10 different gene series that we'll address.
Each series has multiple alleles... from 2 up to 4 each.
In total, we'll address 25 different alleles from these 10 gene series.
Of the 10 gene series we'll discuss, every dachshund
will have 10 pairs of alleles... two alleles for each gene series.
Further on, we will list these gene series and their alleles for you,
and describe each one in as much detail as possible.
* * * * * * * * * *
How do I figure out what traits
a sire & dam can pass to a puppy ?
Before we get into the chart, we'll give you a small example of
how two dogs pass their alleles to their puppies.
(We'll number each parent's alleles only to make this easier.)
Let's suppose the sire is red (ay), but carries for tan points (at), black (B), & chocolate (b).
Two of his 10 allele pairs would look like this:
(1)ay(2)at (3)B(4)b
Let's suppose the dam is black & tan (atat B), but carries for chocolate (b).
Two of her 10 allele pairs would look like this:
(5)at(6)at (7)B(8)b
From the sire, a puppy must inherit either (1)ay or (2)at.
From the dam, a puppy must inherit either (5)at or (6)at.
So for the first allele pair, the 'A' (Agouti) gene series, a puppy could inherit:
(1)ay(5)at
(1)ay(6)at
(2)at(5)at
(2)at(6)at
From the sire, a puppy must inherit either (3)B or (4)b.
From the dam, a puppy must inherit either (7)B or (8)b.
So for the second allele pair, the 'B' (Brown) gene series, a puppy could inherit:
(3)B(7)B
(3)B(8)b
(4)b(7)B
(4)b(8)b
There are 16 different combinations of alleles that
a puppy could inherit in this instance:
(1)ay(5)at (3)B(7)B
(1)ay(5)at (3)B(8)b
(1)ay(5)at (4)b(7)B
(1)ay(5)at (4)b(8)b
(1)ay(6)at (3)B(7)B
(1)ay(6)at (3)B(8)b
(1)ay(6)at (4)b(7)B
(1)ay(6)at (4)b(8)b
(2)at(5)at (3)B(7)B
(2)at(5)at (3)B(8)b
(2)at(5)at (4)b(7)B
(2)at(5)at (4)b(8)b
(2)at(6)at (3)B(7)B
(2)at(6)at (3)B(8)b
(2)at(6)at (4)b(7)B
(2)at(6)at (4)b(8)b
A lot of these possible combinations are duplicates.
That's because we're only using two allele possibilities
for each gene series. There are more alleles than this in some
series. Using more alleles, each combination could be different.
Also, by using more gene series, the number of possible combinations
increases exponentially... using 3 gene series, there are 64 possibilities;
using 4 gene series, there are 256; 5 gene series, there are 1,024;
6 gene series, 4,096; 7 gene series, 16,384; 8 gene series, 65,536;
9 gene series, 262,144; and if you use all 10 gene series,
there are 1,048,576 possible combinations !
Thankfully, you don't have to do all 10 gene series
at once to get to the information you're looking for.
By this using this method, two or three series at a time, you can see not only
what traits a puppy could inherit, but you can also see
the likelyhood of a puppy inheriting a certain trait.
Here's how our example of 16 possible combinations pans out:
Our sire is red, carrying tan points, black, & chocolate... ayat Bb
Our dam is black & tan, carrying chocolate... atat Bb
ayat BB occurs 2 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 12.5% chance of being red, carrying tan points & black.
|
ayat Bb occurs 4 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 25% chance of being red, carrying tan points, black, & chocolate.
|
ayat bb occurs 2 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 12.5% chance of being red, carrying tan points & chocolate.
|
atat BB occurs 2 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 12.5% chance of being black & tan, carrying nothing else.
|
atat Bb occurs 4 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 25% chance of being black & tan, carrying chocolate.
|
atat bb occurs 2 out of 16 times
This means a puppy has a 12.5% chance of being chocolate & tan, carrying nothing else.
|
As far as outward (showing) color, litters from these two parents would produce:
50% red puppies, all carrying tan points, carrying black and/or chocolate
37.5% black & tan puppies, possibly carrying chocolate
12.5% chocolate & tan puppies
In other words, a litter of 8 puppies from these two parents would hypothetically be:
1 RED puppy ... who carries tan points & black (no chocolate)
2 RED puppies ... who carry tan points, black, & chocolate
1 RED puppy ... who carries tan points & chocolate (no black)
1 BLACK & TAN puppy ... who carries nothing else (no chocolate)
2 BLACK & TAN puppies ... who carry chocolate
1 CHOCOLATE & TAN puppy ... who carries nothing else (no black)
In this hypothetical litter, you would have
4 RED puppies, 3 BLACK & TAN puppies, & 1 CHOCOLATE & TAN puppy.
If you were breeding for chocolate & tan puppies,
this wouldn't be the ideal set of parents to choose.
Your chance of getting chocolate & tan puppies is very low.
You must remember that these percentages work on the law of averages.
Take a pair of dice and roll them 3 times in a row.
Did you roll any double fives? Maybe... maybe not.
Now, roll them 10 times in a row.
Your chance of rolling double fives increases, but it's not guaranteed.
However, there's a very tiny chance you could roll double fives every time!
Now, if one of the dice had a "five" on all 6 sides, your chances get better.
The same reasoning is true of a litter of puppies.
If you bred our hypothetical parents, depending on the size of the litter,
you could get all red puppies, or
only red puppies and black & tan puppies, or
all chocolate & tan puppies.
* * * * * * * * * *
What colors, patterns, & coats can a dachshund have ?
In the dachshund breed, there are only four base coat colors:
red, black, chocolate, and wild boar/sable.
All other colors are only varying shades of one of these four colors,
which have been effected by dilution, patterns, or graying.
A blue & tan (sometimes called gray & tan) is a diluted black & tan.
An isabella & tan (sometimes called fawn & tan) is a diluted chocolate & tan.
A cream is a diluted red, although a different type of dilution from blue & isabella.
Any coat color can be solid or patterned, and can appear on any coat type.
Dominant red (ay) is dominant to every other color.
Wild boar/sable (aw) is dominant to every other color except dominant red.
Tan-pointed colors (at) are recessive to dominant red and wild boar/sable.
Recessive red (atat ee), also called clear red, is the most dominant tan-pointed color.
While the e allele is recessive to all other "E" (Extension) series alleles,
two recessive red alleles (ee) will be dominant over every other tan-pointed color.
Black & tan (atat BB , atat Bb) is dominant to every other tan-pointed color except recessive red.
Chocolate & tan (atat bb) is recessive to every other color.
The DCA & AKC recognize wild boar as a color.
However, they classify sable as a marking.
Wild boar dogs have individual hair strands that are banded
with three or more different colors... cream, red, gray, black.
Wild boar dogs often appear to have dark 'saddles' on their backs.
The wild boar coloration appears primarily in wirehair, but has been seen on smooth coats.
Sable dogs have individual hair strands that are two different colors...
a base color (usually red) at the root progressing to black at the tip.
Red sable dogs will appear black or black & tan at a distance.
A sable dog with red roots would be registered as a "red sable", with
red being the color and sable being the marking.
The sable coloration has only been seen in longhair.
A true longhair sable dog can have any base color,
just like a brindle, dapple, or piebald.
We have personally only seen 'red sables', but that doesn't mean
there aren't 'chocolate sables' or 'cream sables'.
If you have a sable dog who has a base color other than red
we'd love to hear from you, so send us a message and a picture if you can.
There are solid colored dachshunds, with or without tan points,
but there are also different patterns.
In the dachshund breed, there are only three base patterns:
brindle, dapple, and piebald.
The piebald pattern can occur, with or without ticking,
in conjunction with brindling or dappling.
Brindle (ebr) & dapple (M) are dominant traits.
One allele for brindle will cause a dog to show brindle,
regardless of the other "E" (Extension) series allele (E or e).
One allele for dapple will cause a dog to show dapple,
even if the other "M" (Merle) series allele is for no dappling (m).
Two alleles for dapple (MM) will cause a double dapple.
Piebald (si , sp , sw) is a recessive trait.
Two alleles for piebald are required to show piebald.
In piebalds, ticking (T) is a dominant trait.
Solid red occurs without tan points. This includes the creams.
Wild boar/sable can occur with or without tan points.
All other solid colors occur with tan points.
Any pattern can occur with or without tan points, depending on the base coat color.
Some breeders believe that a dog without tan points is some shade of red.
They believe chocolates, dark chocolates, blacks, blues, isabellas, & creams,
who do not show tan points, are really red dogs whose shade of red has been
altered by some form of dilution or some unidentified gene/allele.
Other breeders believe there is an unidentified gene/allele that actually
prevents the tan points from showing on a genetically tan-pointed dog.
Still others believe that some gene/allele causes the tan points to be
rendered as some shade of the base coat color, not as tan, and that sometimes
the points are so close in color to the base color that they can't be seen.
We can't find a definite genetic answer for this phenomenon.
Let us know your thoughts on the subject. Your input is welcome.
There are solids ... solids with tan points ...
brindles ... dapples ... double dapples ... piebalds ... ticked piebalds ...
brindled piebalds ... dappled piebalds ... double dappled piebalds ...
ticked brindled piebalds ... ticked dappled piebalds ... & ticked double dappled piebalds.
Any pattern can appear on any coat color or coat type.
In the dachshund breed, there are only three coat types:
wirehair, smooth, and longhair.
Any coat type can be solid or patterned, and can appear in any coat color.
Wirehair (xW) is dominant to every other coat.
Smooth (xS) is recessive to wirehair, but dominant to longhair.
Longhair (xL) is recessive to wirehair and smooth.
With four base colors, solids with or without tan points, three base patterns,
three coat types, various forms of color dilution and pattern combination,
the dachshund has one of the greatest varieties of color/pattern/coat
of any canine breed. It seems as if they come in every color under the
sun, in almost any pattern. In any case, dachshunds are beautiful!
* * * * * * * * * *
Some examples to ponder...
All that information may sound very confusing,
but it's really not that bad once you get the hang of it.
First, we'll give you some examples to think about...
You have a smooth red dachshund.
His genetic profile might look like this:
ayay BB CC DD EE gg mm SS tt xSxL
In this profile, the puppy is:
dominant red (ayay),
carries black (BB),
full color (CC),
full pigmentation (DD),
normal extension (EE),
no graying (gg),
no dappling (mm),
solid color (SS),
no ticking (tt),
shows smooth coat, carries longhair (xSxL)
This puppy could produce offspring
who show any of the following traits,
depending on the mate:
red
solid, dappled, brindled
wirehaired, smooth, longhaired
|
You have a longhaired black & tan dachshund.
His genetic profile might look like this:
atat Bb CC Dd EE gg mm SS tt xLxL
In this profile, the puppy is:
tan-pointed (atat),
shows black, carries chocolate (Bb),
full color (CC),
shows full pigmentation, carries blue dilution (Dd),
normal extension (EE),
no graying (gg),
no dappling (mm),
solid color (SS),
no ticking (tt),
longhaired coat (xLxL)
This puppy could produce offspring
who show any of the following traits,
depending on the mate:
red, wild boar/sable (w/wo tan pts)
black & tan, chocolate & tan
dilute red, blue & tan, isabella & tan
solid, dappled, brindled
wirehaired, smooth, longhaired
|
You have a smooth chocolate & tan dappled dachshund.
His genetic profile might look like this:
atat bb CC DD Ee gg Mm SS tt xSxS
In this profile, the puppy is:
tan-pointed (atat),
chocolate (bb),
full color (CC),
full pigmentation (DD),
shows normal extension, carries recessive red (Ee),
no graying (gg),
dappled (Mm),
solid color (SS),
no ticking (tt),
smooth coat (xSxS)
This puppy could produce offspring
who show any of the following traits,
depending on the mate:
red, wild boar (w/wo tan pts)
black & tan, chocolate & tan, clear red
solid, dappled, double dappled, brindled
wirehaired, smooth
|
You have a longhaired red ticked piebald dachshund.
His genetic profile might look like this:
ayat Bb CC DD EE gg mm spsp Tt xLxL
In this profile, the puppy is:
shows dominant red, carries tan points (ayat),
carries black & chocolate (Bb),
full color (CC),
full pigmentation (DD),
normal extension (EE),
no graying (gg),
no dappling (mm),
piebald spotting (spsp),
ticking (Tt),
longhaired coat (xLxL)
This puppy could produce offspring
who show any of the following traits,
depending on the mate:
red, wild boar/sable (w/wo tan pts)
black & tan, chocolate & tan
solid, dappled, brindled, piebald
dappled piebald, brindled piebald, ticked piebald
ticked dappled piebald, ticked brindled piebald
wirehaired, smooth, longhaired
|
Later on, we hope you'll be able to come back to these examples
and figure out for yourself what traits a mate would have to have
for each of these dogs to be able to produce puppies
with the different colors, patterns, & coats we've listed...
and why some of these dogs can never produce puppies who show
certain colors, patterns, or coats.
* * * * * * * * * *
How do I know what recessive traits my puppy carries ?
Of course, the list of recessive alleles that two dogs may pass
to their offspring is seemingly endless. Since most of these
recessive alleles will not be visible on a puppy, you must do
a little research into your puppy's background to determine
what recessives they definitely carry, and which ones they might possibly carry.
For some recessive alleles, you can determine what recessives your puppy carries by
looking at the parents. If one parent is chocolate & tan (atat bb), then the puppy
will either show or carry for tan points (at) & chocolate (b). If one parent is
longhaired (xLxL), then the puppy will either show or carry for longhair (xL).
If a parent shows a recessive trait, they must have two alleles for that trait.
So, that's the only thing they can pass to their puppies.
For other recessive alleles, the parents may not show the recessive trait.
They may only carry the trait. In this case, you can't know for sure that the
recessive trait was passed to the puppy unless it shows.
If you have to go back to the puppy's grandparents to find a trait,
it's not a certainty that the allele was passed
to your puppy's parents or to your puppy.
Even if you know for sure that a puppy's parents carry
a certain recessive trait, it's not a sure thing that the
trait was passed to your puppy, unless the puppy shows the trait,
or has offspring who show the trait.
An example is our Marbles, a longhaired chocolate & tan dapple.
His dam is also a longhaired chocolate & tan dapple.
His grandsire (dam's sire) is a smooth isabella & tan.
Marbles' grandsire definitely passed blue dilution (d) to Marbles' dam.
Being isabella, he has to have double blue dilution (dd), so
the only thing he can pass to his puppies is blue dilution.
Marbles' dam doesn't show blue dilution... she's chocolate, not isabella.
This means she only has one blue dilution allele, passed from her sire.
The other half of her "D" gene series is for full pigmentation (D),
passed to her from her dam. Marbles' dam only carries blue dilution (Dd).
We don't know if she passed D or d to Marbles. There's a 50% chance either way.
We can't know for sure if Marbles carries the blue dilution allele,
necessary to produce blue & tan, isabella & tan, & dilute red,
until he sires a litter with a female who shows or carries blue dilution.
If Marbles sires blue & tan, isabella & tan, or dilute red puppies,
then we can say for sure that he carries the blue dilution allele.
* * * * * * * * * *
Before we're through here, we hope you can say you know more
about color/pattern/coat inheritance than you did before.
If someone tells you that a smooth puppy from two smooth parents
carries for longhair because his grandsire was longhaired...
...or tells you that a solid puppy from two solid parents
carries for piebald because his dam carries for piebald...
...or tells you that a black & tan puppy from two black & tan parents
carries for chocolate because his granddam was chocolate...
you'll know that it is only a possibilty, not a certainty.
If someone tells you that a smooth puppy from a wirehaired parent
carries for wirehair because his parent is wirehaired...
...or someone tells you that a solid puppy from a dappled parent
carries for dappling because his parent is dappled...
...or someone tells you that a solid puppy from a brindled parent
carries for brinding because his parent is brindled...
you'll know that it's just not possible.
OK... now for the chart showing the gene series
and the alleles associated with each series.
* * * * * * * * * *
A (Agouti) series - COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
ay |
DOMINANT RED
COMPLETELY DOMINANT to all series, cannot be carried as recessive |
ayay , ayaw , ayat |
|
aw |
WILD BOAR, SABLE
RECESSIVE to ay
INCOMPLETELY DOMINANT to at, on awat tan points will show
Wild boar is multiple colors on one hair strand,
varying shades of cream to red to gray to black,
most commonly seen in wirehair, has been rarely seen in smooth.
Sable is two colors on one hair strand,
a base color root progressing to a black (dark) tip,
has only been seen in longhair.
|
awaw , awat |
|
at |
TAN POINTS
RECESSIVE to ay, ee
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to aw, on awat tan points will show
on atat coat color is determined by A, B, or E series
|
atat |
A dog cannot carry for dominant red. If one ay is present, the dog is red & has no tan points.
A wild boar/sable dog cannot carry for tan points. If at is present, tan points will show.
A black/chocolate & tan dog cannot carry for dominant red or wild boar/sable.
* The DCA & AKC recognize wild boar as a color.
In a wild boar colored dog, each individual hair strand is
banded with varying shades of color, from cream to red to gray to black.
This is not red hair, mixed with cream hair, gray hair, and black hair.
Each hair strand actually shows three or more different colors.
This coloration is most common in wirehair, but has been seen on smooth coats.
* The DCA & AKC recognize sable as a pattern.
In a sable dog, each individual hair strand is a base color
(usually red) at the root, progressing to black at the tip.
A true longhaired red sable will appear to be black & tan from a distance,
but when you brush through the hair, the red roots will obviously show.
True longhair sables are very rare.
Although contrary to the generally accepted dominance of ay dominant red,
many breeders say that one parent must be sable to produce
sable offspring, and that sable cannot be carried recessively.
However, it seems two parents who are both ayaw dominant red
could produce awaw wild boar/sable puppies.
If one parent is ayaw dominant red, and the other parent is ayat dominant red,
couldn't they produce awat tan-pointed wild boar/sable puppies?
A lot of people call red puppies with black hair intermingled (overlayed)
on their ears, backs, & tails "red sables", but these are not true sables.
One breeder who had bred & shown dachshunds for 19 years said she had only
seen three true longhair sables in her entire career, 2 standard & 1 miniature.
Another reputable breeder said that a true longhair sable may be 6-months-old
before the sable-patterned hair can be identified.
* The DCA & AKC recognize wheaten as a color.
I personally do NOT believe wheaten is a result of the aw allele.
If it is, some other gene series would have to be the determining factor
as to whether an awaw or awat dog was wild boar or wheaten.
In a wheaten colored dog, the hair is the color of wheat straw,
a creamy yellowish golden color. I believe that a wheaten wirehair is actually the English cream coloration on a wirehaired dachsie. The coloration called "wheaten" has only been seen in wirehair.
The wheaten coloration is seldom seen.
If you have ever bred wheaten colored dachshunds,
please send us your input on this coloration.
The information we've been able to find on the wheaten color is very vague.
B (Brown) series - COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
B |
BLACK
DOMINANT
cannot be carried as recessive except to:
dominant red (ay), wild boar/sable (aw), clear red (ee) |
BB , Bb |
|
b |
CHOCOLATE
RECESSIVE to B |
bb |
Determines coat color if dog is tan-pointed (atat).
A chocolate & tan dog cannot carry for black. If one B is present, dog will be black.
Some breeders say a dog must have tan points to be a true chocolate,
and a 'chocolate' dog without tan points is really only some shade of ay or ee red.
C (Albino) series - COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
C |
FULL COLOR
INCOMPLETELY DOMINANT to cch,
Ccch results in partial chinchilla dilution |
CC , Ccch |
|
cch |
CHINCHILLA DILUTION
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to C,
Ccch results in partial chinchilla dilution
has no effect on black or chocolate pigment
effects dominant(ay) & clear (ee) red,
tan points (at)
source of:
true English cream
(black nose & nails, can have black on coat), these are
dominant red (ayay ... ayaw ... ayat), double chinchilla dilution (cchcch)
clear cream
(black nose & nails, no black on coat), this is
recessive red (atat ee), double chinchilla dilution (cchcch)
black & cream
(black nose & nails, only tan points effected), this is
black & tan (atat BB ... atat Bb), double chinchilla dilution (cchcch)
chocolate & cream
(liver nose & nails, only tan points effected), this is
chocolate & tan (atat bb), double chinchilla dilution (cchcch)
wheaten (wirehair ONLY)
(black nose & nails, can have black on coat), these are
dominant red (ayay ... ayaw ... ayat), or recessive red (atat ee), double chinchilla dilution (cchcch) |
cchcch |
Chinchilla dilution can effect tan points & any base color except black & chocolate.
This is why a black or chocolate dog can have cream points.
This is why a true longhair English cream can have black hairs
mixed with the cream, usually on the ears, back, or tail.
These are called "shaded creams". True longhair English creams are
very dark in color when born, but get lighter in shade as they get older.
A true cream dog resulting from chinchilla dilution will not have
any hint of red on their coat, and will always have a black nose & nails.
The color of a chinchilla diluted dog will get LIGHTER over time.
Click here to read more about the differences
between "English" and "American" cream.
D (Blue Dilution) series - COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
D |
FULL PIGMENTATION
DOMINANT, cannot be carried as recessive |
DD , Dd |
|
d |
DILUTED PIGMENTATION
RECESSIVE to D
has no effect on tan points
effects dominant (ay) & clear (ee) red,
black (B), chocolate (b)
source of:
blue & tan (diluted black, atat BB dd ... atat Bb dd)
isabella & tan (diluted chocolate, atat bb dd),
dilute red (ayay dd ... ayaw dd ... ayat dd)
clear dilute red (atat dd ee)
A blue & tan dog, whether solid or patterned,
will not have any black hair on their body.
An isabella & tan dog, whether solid or patterned,
will not have any chocolate hair on their body.
|
dd |
Blue dilution can effect any base color, although we can't find
a picture of a wildboar/sable dog with blue dilution.
Blue dilution does not effect tan points, like chinchilla dilution does.
This is why blue and isabella dogs have normal colored tan points.
Dilute red & clear dilute red are sometimes mistaken for cream in puppies,
but will turn a reddish shade as puppies get older.
These puppies should be registered as red, not cream.
The blue dilution allele effects black and chocolate pigment,
so the nose & nails of these puppies are blue or liver colored.
True creams always have a black nose & nails, so it's unlikely
that blue dilution plays a part in producing a true cream.
The color of a blue diluted dog will get DARKER over time.
Click here to read more about the differences
between "English" and "American" cream.
E (Extension) series - PATTERN/COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
ebr |
BRINDLE
DOMINANT, cannot be carried as recessive
can act with piebald and/or dappling on the same dog
*UPDATE*
Healthgene in Canada claims to have proven that the allele responsible for brindle is NOT on the "E"xtension gene series. Could there be a "K" (Dominant Black) gene series, as some geneticists theorize, where the brindle allele is located? |
ebrebr , ebrE , ebre |
|
E |
NORMAL EXTENSION
RECESSIVE to ebr
DOMINANT to e |
EE , Ee |
|
e |
RECESSIVE RED
RECESSIVE to ebr & E
DOMINANT to atat BB ... atat Bb ... atat bb
has no effect on dominant red (ay)
source of:
clear red (no black on coat, atat ee) |
ee |
A dog cannot carry for brindle. If one ebr is present, the dog is brindled.
Sometimes a puppy from a brindled parent may appear solid colored,
when in fact there is brindling present that goes unnoticed.
That puppy can produce brindled offspring, even though he may be
mistakenly registered as a solid colored dog.
While a brindled parent can produce solid colored offspring,
be very careful when evaluating their solid colored puppies.
A black & tan dog will show brindling only in the tan points.
A brindled piebald will show brindling in the colored areas, not the white areas.
G (Graying) series - COLOR
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
G |
REPLACEMENT OF COLORED BY UNCOLORED HAIR OVER TIME
INCOMPLETELY DOMINANT to g, Gg results in partial graying |
GG , Gg |
|
g |
NO REPLACEMENT OF COLORED HAIR
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to G, Gg results in partial graying |
gg |
Determines if coat color fades as dog gets older.
M (Merle) series - PATTERN
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
M |
DAPPLE
DOMINANT, cannot be carried as recessive
can act with piebald and/or brindling on the same dog
can have two dark eyes, one dark eye & one blue eye, or two blue eyes
dark eyes can have blue spots (dappled eyes)
only dappled dogs can have blue or dappled eyes
source of:
dapple (Mm) and double dapple (MM) |
MM , Mm |
|
m |
NO DAPPLING
RECESSIVE to M |
mm |
A dog cannot carry for dappling. If one M is present, the dog is dappled.
Sometimes a puppy from a dappled parent may appear solid colored,
when in fact there is a tiny spot of dappling present that goes unnoticed.
That puppy can produce dappled offspring, even though he may be
mistakenly registered as a solid colored dog.
While a dappled parent can produce solid colored offspring,
be very careful when evaluating their solid colored puppies.
If a puppy has blue or dappled eyes (one or both), they are dappled.
A dappled dog who has some white on their chest, toes, or tail
is not necessarily a double dapple.
It is generally accepted that a double dapple
has at least 25% white showing on their coat.
A double dapple can only be produced by two dappled parents,
and can be born blind and/or deaf.
A double dappled dog can only produce dappled or double dappled puppies.
A dappled piebald will show dappling in the colored areas, not the white areas.
S (White Spotting) series - PATTERN
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
S |
SOLID COLOR
DOMINANT, cannot be carried as recessive
can express only very minor white markings on toes, chest, & tail tip |
SS , Ssi , Ssp , Ssw |
|
si |
IRISH SPOTTING PIEBALD
RECESSIVE to S
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to all other S series alleles
obvious white confined to neck, collar, chest, underbody, legs, & tail tip
no white crosses the back between the withers & tail |
sisi |
|
sp |
PIEBALD
RECESSIVE to S
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to all other S series alleles
more than 50% white that often crosses the back
looks like large spots on a white background |
spsp |
|
sw |
EXTREME WHITE PIEBALD
RECESSIVE to S
INCOMPLETELY RECESSIVE to all other S series alleles
color only on head, possibly very few small spots on body & near tail
|
swsw |
To be considered piebald, a dog must show white on their
neck, chest, all four legs, underbody, and tail tip.
A dog with less white than this is not piebald, and should not be registered as such.
A dog who carries even one solid color allele (S) is not piebald, however,
the amount of white on the dog may depend on which other S allele he carries.
The generally accepted dominance of white markings, ranked less white to more white, is:
SOLIDS: SS Ssi Ssp Ssw
PIEBALDS: sisi sisp ( sisw spsp ) spsw swsw
A dappled piebald will show dappling in the colored areas, not the white areas.
A brindled piebald will show brindling in the colored areas, not the white areas.
A black & tan brindled piebald will show brindling only in the tan points, not the white areas.
A ticked piebald will show ticking in the white areas, not the colored areas.
T (Ticking) series - PATTERN
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
T |
TICKING
DOMINANT in piebalds, cannot be carried as recessive
tiny spots of color intermingled with the white areas
acts only on piebald (probably because it only effects white areas)
some say a dog who carries two alleles for ticking (TT)
will show more intense ticking than a dog who carries
only one allele for ticking (Tt) |
TT , Tt |
|
t |
NO TICKING
RECESSIVE to T |
tt |
A piebald dog cannot carry for ticking. If one T is present, the dog is ticked.
Ticked piebalds are sometimes mistaken for dapples or double dapples.
If neither parent is dappled, you have a ticked piebald, not a dapple.
A dappled piebald will show dappling in the colored areas, not the white areas.
A ticked piebald will show ticking in the white areas, not the colored areas.
X (Coat Type) series - COAT
|
ALLELE |
DESCRIPTION |
ALLELE PAIRS THAT WILL SHOW THE TRAIT |
|
xW |
WIREHAIR
DOMINANT, cannot be carried as recessive |
xWxW , xWxS , xWxL |
|
xS |
SMOOTH
RECESSIVE to xW
DOMINANT to xL |
xSxS , xSxL |
|
xL |
LONGHAIR
RECESSIVE to xW & xS |
xLxL |
A dog cannot carry for wirehair. If one xW is present, the dog is wirehaired.
A longhaired dog cannot carry for wirehair or smooth.
*** NOTE: We couldn't find a reference to the letters used
to identify the "Coat Type" gene series, or for the alleles,
so we just used the letter "x" for the gene series, and
added either "W", "S", or "L" for the alleles.
* * * * * * * * * *
What traits can a dachshund NOT carry ?
Here is a recap of the dominant alleles
that absolutely cannot be carried
as a recessive allele:
dominant red (Agouti series, ay)
full pigmentation (Blue Dilution series, D)
brindle (Extension series, ebr)
dapple (Merle series, M)
solid color (White Spotting series, S)
ticking in piebalds (Ticking series, T)
wirehair (Coat series, xW)
If a dog has ONE of any of these alleles,
the dog will visibly show the trait.
The dominant allele for black (Brown series, B)
in tan-pointed dogs usually cannot
be carried a recessive allele.
One exception is in the case of dominant red,
in which the ay allele is dominant to the at allele.
Another exception is in the case of wild boar/sable,
in which the aw allele is incompletely dominant to the at allele.
The final exception is in the case of recessive red,
in which the ee allele pair is dominant to the atat allele pair.
In all other instances, one B allele will cause a dog to show black.
The incompletely dominant alleles cannot be carried,
as they will always show, but their trait's appearance
may be effected to some degree by a recessive allele.
An example might be solid color (C) vs chinchilla dilution (cch).
A dominant red (ayay ... ayaw ... ayat) dog
who carries one allele for chinchilla dilution (Ccch)
may be a lighter shade of red than a dog
who doesn't carry any chinchilla dilution (CC).
However, this dog will be obviously red,
not the cream color of the double chinchilla diluted (cchcch) dogs.
A black & tan (atat BB ... atat Bb) dog
who carries one allele for chinchilla dilution (Ccch)
may have tan points in a lighter shade of tan than a dog
who doesn't carry any chinchilla dilution (CC).
However, this dog will be obviously tan-pointed,
not having the cream color points of the double chinchilla diluted (cchcch) dogs.
* * * * * * * * * *
Where do they come from ?
Now... a question for which we can't find a definite answer:
Where do solid black dachshunds come from ?
There are some relevant theories out there.
1. Solid black dachshunds actually have tan points
that have been effected by some unidentified gene or combination of genes
which render the tan points in a color that appears very much like the base color.
2. The As allele in the canine "A" (agouti) series, called dominant black,
which renders solid black without points in some breeds
(Labrador Retrievers, for example),
also still occurs in the dachshund breed.
The 'dominant black' (As) allele is dominant over red in other breeds.
3. There is an allele in an unidentified gene series that actually
prevents the tan points from showing in a genetically tan-pointed dog.
Could this be the same gene that causes the solid blue, solid isabella,
and solid chocolate doxies we've seen and/or heard about?
4. There is another allele in the "A" (Agouti) gene series
which is a recessive black (a), and is recessive to all other "A" series alleles.
Do you agree or disagree with the theories stated here?
Do you have a different theory?
Do you have a solid black dachshund you can tell us about?
We'd love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
Just send us a message with your opinion on solid black dachshunds.
* * * * * *
UPDATE! --- More info on solid black dachshunds.
We have seen one solid black dachshund up close.
This dachshund looks solid black for all intents & purposes.
However, up close in bright sunlight, you can actually see
a hint of points, in a very deep, dark, mahogany shade of chocolate,
in the usual places a black & tan dachshund would show tan points.
When bred to a black & tan stud, this black dam had the following litter:
3 black puppies (no tan points),
2 black & tan puppies
Since we know the sire passed one at allele for tan points,
the dam obviously passed the other at allele
to the black & tan puppies (atat).
Is she (Asat), or possibly (ata)?
What other "A" series allele did she pass to the black puppies?
Was it As dominant black, or
was it a recessive black (which must also be passed from the sire)?
Wouldn't the dam have to be aa to show recessive black?
Is there some other gene series at work here?
Our thanks to Robbin McMullan of Gatekeeper Kennels for allowing us
to use her dam, Sheeba, and Sheeba's recent litter with Rustie in this example.
* * * * * *
UPDATE! --- More info on solid black dachshunds.
We've had a report of a red piebald bred to a chocolate & tan with a solid black background
that produced some solid black puppies.
Obviously, something is being carried recessively in order
for two non-black parents to produce black puppies.
Is there some other gene combination that can dominate the As allele, and render it recessive?
* * * * * *
UPDATE! --- More info on solid black dachshunds.
We've seen a solid black dam and a black & tan silver dapple sire
who were bred and produced the following litter:
2 black puppies (no tan points),
1 black silver dapple puppy (no tan points),
1 red puppy (dominant red),
1 red dapple puppy (dominant red)
The black dam is called a 'dark chocolate' because her
coat has a definite dark mahogany sheen that can be seen
in the light, unlike the blue sheen seen on black & tans.
This dark chocolate sheen covers her whole body,
not just the 'tan-pointed' places.
She's not as 'black' as a black & tan, but from
a distance, she certainly looks solid black.
In any case, she is extremely dark in color & has no visible points.
The gene that is responsible for her coloration is obviously
dominant to the ay dominant red gene.
We say this because the sire is black & tan, atat.
He couldn't have passed ay red to the two red puppies.
The ay allele had to have come from the dam, meaning that
she has at least one ay red allele in her "A" (Agouti) gene series.
She passed ay red to the 2 red puppies, and the sire passed at.
Those 2 puppies are obviously ayat dominant red.
We know that the 3 black puppies (no tan points) have at least one at allele, from their sire.
What other "A" allele did the dam pass to them?
Could it be As dominant black?
If that's true, then As black would have to be dominant
over both ay red and at tan points.
The dam would have to be Asay.
The 3 black puppies would have to be Asat.
This seems to make a strong case for the existance of the As allele in dachshunds.
Could it be that both parents carry recessive black (aya and ata)?
If this is the case, why is the dam black instead of dominant red?
Wouldn't she have to be aa for recessive black to show?
Remember to consider the case of the red piebald
bred to the chocolate & tan mentioned earlier.
The chocolate & tan has a solid black background.
They produced solid black puppies.
If the As allele is responsible,
then how could either if these two parents carry it recessively?
There has to be some other gene series at work here, but which one?
Is it really As causing the black coloration?
Could the dam be ayay, ayaw, or ayat dominant red,
and some other gene series is dominating the "A" series completetly?
Is there some other gene combination that can dominate the As allele, and render it recessive?
This happens with black & tan dachshunds (atat BB , atat Bb)
and with chocolate & tan dachshunds (atat bb)
who have the ee allele pair in their "E" gene series.
These dogs come out to be recessive (clear) red with no tan points.
The ee allele pair renders the at tan points, B black, & b chocolate alleles as recessive.
Is something similar at work in solid black dachshunds?
Our thanks to Janelle McCallie of Barking Dog Kennels for allowing us
to use her dam Pizazze, and Pizazze's recent litter with Roper in this example.
* * * * * *
Now... another question:
Can a dachshund be brindled and dappled?
We've seen brindled dachshunds. We've seen dappled & double dappled dachshunds.
However, we've never seen nor heard of a dachshund who was both.
We don't know which is more dominant, brindle or dapple,
or if both patterns can show on the same dog.
If you have a doxie who shows both brindle & dapple,
please drop us a note. Send us a picture if you can.
If you've ever bred a brindled dachshund to a dappled dachshund,
we would be very interested to know about the litter.
Were the pups all brindle, all dapple, or some of each?
We would be especially interested if you've bred
a brindle to a double dapple.
* * * * * *
UPDATE! --- More info on 'dappled brindle' dachshunds.
We've had a report of a blue-eyed, red dappled brindle! We're waiting on a picture...
Our thanks to Suzie Frost for allowing us
to use her dachsie, 'Frost's Jungle Man Tarzan' in this example.
UPDATE! --- More info on 'dappled brindle' dachshunds.
We've talked to a breeder who bred her brindle dam to a dapple stud.
The litter contained 2 dapples & 1 brindle.
Apparently, the double pattern doesn't happen every time.
Our thanks to Claudia Johnston of Distinctive Dachshunds for allowing us
to use her recent litter from Carlene & Stretch in this example.
UPDATE! --- More info on 'dappled brindle' dachshunds.
We've been told of a breeder who has a dappled brindle.
The breeder is Des-Ro Kennels in Canada.
Our thanks to Jan Carr of Palakore Miniature Dachshunds for this info.
* * * * * * * * * *
Is your doxie's registered color & pattern correct ?
While the AKC will not change a dog's registered name, they will
change the color & pattern of a dog that was incorrectly registered as a puppy.
All you have to do is contact them by phone or e-mail for instructions.
Call the AKC at (919)233-9767, send them a message, or
visit the American Kennel Club website for more contact information.
If you have a dachshund whose color and/or pattern is incorrectly registered,
please have it corrected for posterity.
Someone researching a pedigree somewhere down the road will thank you for it.
* * * * * * * * * *
Reference Material Sources
An excellent source of information is the book,
The Inheritance of Coat Color in Dogs, by Dr. Clarence Cook Little.
A few web sites of interest are:
ANIMAL GENETICS
CANINE COLOR GENETICS
GENETICS OF COAT COLOR IN DOGS
CANINE COLOR GENETICS LINKS
THE KEY TO THOSE GORGEOUS CREAMS
COLOR & PATTERN BREEDING IN DACHSHUNDS, article #8
WHAT COLOR IS IT ANYWAY?, article #114
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY, DOG GENOME PROJECT
FHCRC DOG GENOME PROJECT
This lab in Canada can test for the presence of the alleles
"B" (black), "b" (chocolate), "E" (no recessive red), & "e" (recessive red).
HEALTHGENE CORPORATION
* * * * * * * * * *
We hope you have enjoyed this page.
It is intended to be informative, not authoritative.
If you have any other information on color/coat/pattern genetics
we would appreciate your sharing it with us.
We will add new information as it becomes available to us.
If you would like us to help figure out what your dachshund's
genetic profile might be, send us their description and pedigree.
We'll try to help if we can. If your dachshund has ever produced
any puppies, a description & pedigree of the mate, and a description
of the puppies would be very helpful.
If you have a web site, and would like to link to this page,
please feel free to do so.
If you need help in doing this, just contact us.
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