Dogs are either black or brown ---- other alleles (genes) act upon each other to create different colors or different shades of colors. It is theorized that all breeds of dogs have all of the alleles for different colors. Some dogs have been selectively bred over many years to be dominant for a certain color or colors. A few examples would be the Kelpie, Australian Cattle Dog, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Weimaraner, Lab etc...When you are looking at coat color, it is best to look at the entire picture. The entire picture being all the alleles that encode for color.

Coolies come in every color, except brindle. Some are under the impression that the Coolie is an all merle coloration breed and that any solid colored Coolie is substandard or inferior. This is not correct, because dogs are either genetically black or brown and the merle color is a pattern not a color. This is why there is not a breed of dog that is exclusively the merle color pattern.

To view color names, place cursor over picture.

SOLID COLORS

MERLE PATTERN

The M Locus controls the dilution of the dog's coat in a patchy pattern of dilute and normal color. It is an intermixed or patchy pattern of various dark and light areas of color on the coat. Merle does not affect the tan points. Under the influence of the merle gene, a black coat becomes gray patched with black and a brown coat becomes dilute red patched with brown. In adult dogs it is difficult to distinguish sable merles from non-merle sables. The Merle pattern is clearly visible at birth but fades with age.

Dogs DO NOT carry the merle gene -- they are either merle or they aren't; they don't carry it. Dr. LeighAnne Clark, Texas A&M University (Bryan-College Station, Texas), Canine Genetics Laboratory, through the use of sample collection, genotyping, linkage analysis and sequencing identified the location of the merle locus. DNA testing for the merle gene is now available.

The nose, eye rims and lips of a genetically black dog will always be black.

Genetically Black

Sable is a color pattern. This results in an essentially red/yellow phenotype, but the hair tips are black (eumelanin). The extent of the eumelanin tip varies considerably from lighter sables (where just the ear tips are black, called "Clear Sables") to darker sables (where much of the body is dark, called "Shaded Sables").


Sometimes (at birth) the merle pattern can only be found on the ears, as on this puppy. Some breeders would
have thought this pup was a homozygous or double merle and put her to sleep for fear she'd have vision and/or
hearing problems or both. The merle pattern is slighty visible on her ears, loins and hips. This pup has blue eyes.


The merling color pattern is not visible at birth. Some breeders would have thought this pup was a homozygous
or double merle and put her to sleep for fear she'd have vision and/or hearing problems or both. The merle
pattern started showing around 4 weeks of age. Both of her eyes are blue in color.


The merling color pattern is found in only three spots and could very easily be missed. Some breeders might
have put this pup to sleep fearing he was a homozygous or double merle and could be hearing or visually
impaired. He is a regular merle with the pie bald spotting. Both of his eyes are blue in color.

Genetically Diluted Black

The dilution gene also dilutes the nose, eye rims and lip color to gray. The iris is also affected and can be diluted
to a lighter color. The easiest way to tell if a dog is a diluted black, is to look at his nose. A diluted black will always
have a gray colored nose.

Genetically Brown

The nose, eye rims and lips of a brown dog, will always be brown in color, and will never be black.
The brown gene also causes the iris to be lightened. All of these dogs are chocolate merles.

Genetically Brown

This female is genetically brown in color, with the merle pattern, irish spotting and
sable pattern. The only merling can be found above her left eye on her forehead.
She also has green eyes. Some may have mistaken her as a solid chocolate color.
Both pictures are the same dog. She could be considered a "cryptic merle" -- meaning
she still has the merle pattern, but it's not really visible. Her correct color label would
be "chocolate sable and white merle".

Genetically Dilute Brown

This dog is genetically a diluted brown, with the merle pattern and irish spotting pattern.
The nose, eye rims and lips will always be a rosey-brown, or pinkish color, and are never
black. When the brown color is diluted, the iris is also lightened.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Basic Coat Color Genetics of the Coolie