Purebred dogs come in many colors. Some are allowed by the official breed standard and some are not. For example, the only currently allowed colors for the Boston Terrier are black, seal (black with a tinge of red in the sun) and brindle (tan or brown with black stripes or black with tan stripes). All must have black noses, dark eyes and white markings on the face and chest. A white collar and white paws or legs are desirable.
Colored Boston Terriers
However, Bostons carry the genes for other colors. They can have a partially white or all white head (clown faced) or be white with colored patches (splash marked), or be brown, red or tan with a brown or pink nose, fawn with black on the face and a black nose, or even pale versions of these colors, all with white markings.
These colors came from the Boston’s bulldog, French Bulldog and terrier ancestors, and most are not rare at all. These Bostons are purebred and can be registered with the Canadian and American Kennel Clubs, but they cannot be shown in conformation at this time because of their color.
These colors have always been a part of the breed; in fact, white was considered desirable under the original breed standard. Those who breed quality Bostons in different colors are currently lobbying for the recognition of additional Boston Terrier coat colors and patterns.
Silver Labrador Retrievers
The original color of the Labrador in the 1800s was solid black and black with small white spots (“hailstone”). Yellow, varying from nearly white to red, was introduced in the early 1900s. Chocolate appeared early in the Labrador’s development. When the first Breed Standard was created, the hailstone color was not included and disappeared. But at no time in the breed’s history were there ever grey Labradors until after 1940.
Was the grey gene introduced by crossing to another breed such as the Weimaraner? That is one theory. Representatives at the AKC and from the Labrador Retriever Club of America examined registered “silver” Labs and concluded that the so-called silvers were actually “sedge” or light (dilute) chocolate. The AKC decided that they should be registered as chocolate, but the Labrador club still objects to that, since these dogs are not true chocolates, but chocolate dilutes.
The physical color (phenotype) indicates that some silver Labs are actually blue, a dilute of black, and others are indeed a dilute of chocolate like the Weimaraner. Both colors are considered highly undesirable by most breeders, and silver Labs cannot be shown. The same is true of other "off-color" Labs such as black and tans.
Merle Chihuahuas
Merle is a gene that creates a splotched effect of light and dark patches on the dog's coat. The color never existed in the Chihuahua until the 1990s.
Dr. Malcom B. Willis is an expert in color genetics in dogs and has described the merle color in the Chihuahua as clear evidence of crossbreeding.
“Recently a number of Chihuahuas that carry merle have appeared in USA and are gaining some credence as 'fashion accessories' and the like,” Dr. Willis stated in an article in the English publication Our Dogs. “Most reputable breeders are against the gene and it would be fair to say that it must have come in through a crossing... probably with Dachshunds. Since the AKC would not register crossbreeds as Chihuahuas, one has to conclude that somewhere Dachshunds have appeared in pedigrees as Chihuahuas... with false names.”
Because the gene that causes merle is dominant, it cannot be carried as a hidden gene. If the dog has the merle gene, it is merle. Two non-merles can never produce a merle, so the only way to get it would be to cross a Chihuahua with a merle of another breed.
Merle is a difficult color to work with because it is closely associated with blindness and deafness, and a double dose can be fatal.
“The Kennel Club (England) should ban merle as a color in Chihuahuas and not register any merles on the grounds that it is a serious defect but also because any merle Chihuahuas may have false pedigrees,” Dr. Willis stated.
Since merle color indicates impure breeding in Chihuahuas, people should not be fooled into paying higher prices for these dogs in the belief that they are getting a purebred. Since the standard allows all colors, merles are not disqualified, but educated judges are aware that merle is probably a sign of impure breeding.
White Dobermans
Dobermans come in four recognized colors: black, blue, red (brown) and fawn (Isabella), all with rust markings. The first known white Doberman was a mutation born in 1976, and all later white Dobermans are descended from her.
This color is inherited as a simple recessive, which means a dog can carry one copy of the gene and still be a normal Doberman color, but it can pass on the white gene, so it is called white-factored.
A dog that inherits two copies of the gene (one from each parent) will be light golden tan or cream-colored, and the usual rust markings that characterize the Doberman will be white. The eyes will be blue and the skin will be pink. All registered white and white-factored Dobermans have an X as part of their AKC registration number so breeders know the dog could produce white pups.
Besides being a disallowed color, a white Doberman is prone to sunburn and skin cancer and its eyes are sensitive to bright light, which is detrimental in a working breed. Therefore, the color is considered extremely undesirable.
There are unusual colors in many breeds. Some are recognized colors (for example, wheaten Scottish Terriers, biscuit Samoyeds, spotted Dachshunds). Some are considered undesirable (white Boxers, buff Tollers), and some indicate impure breeding. A few colors, like white Schnauzers and spotted Poodles, are recognized by some registries such as the UKC and Europe's FCI but not by the AKC.
A dedicated breeder will make sure the parents of every litter, regardless of color, are of correct breed type and have had all their health clearances before being bred. Buyers should investigate and know exactly what they are getting before they pay a lot of money for a “rare” colored dog of any breed.
Sources:
Davol, Pamela A. “Labrador Coat Color Controversy”, 2001, on the Wing N Wave Labradors website. This site has a tremendous amount of information about various coat colors in dogs, and in Labradors in particular.
DobermanHub: The Ultimate Doberman Pinscher Resource.
Doberman Pinscher Club of America.
Willis, Dr. Malcom B. “ Merle Chihuahuas- Time to Call a Halt.” Our Dogs magazine (England), February 17, 2005.
A lot of information, both pro and con, about colored Boston Terriers is available via any on-line search.
Terry McNamee - As a community newspaper reporter for nearly 30 years, Terry McNamee won many regional, provincial and national awards for her writing.
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