Coat Genetics

  Embark to School: Border Collie Coat Colors Follow along in this video as we decode the DNA results of an Embark-tested Border Collie to discover Jazz’s coat color.  Learn more about Coat Color Genetics and Embark for Breeders DNA Kits.    

A number of genes are known to affect coat color in dogs. It is important to note that in some cases a dog’s  genetic and environmental factors may also influence color and pattern. Research on coat color and its modifiers is ongoing. In reference to the infographic above, take a look at four coat color...

Embark for Breeders Dog DNA test includes a variant in the HPS3 gene that causes a coat color referred to as “cocoa.” What Does Cocoa Look Like Phenotypically? This variant causes dogs that would otherwise produce black pigment to produce dark brown pigment in their skin and hair. Dogs must have two copies of the...

Embark offers the coat color trait test for red pigment intensity. Red pigment intensity is the concentration of red pigment (pheomelanin) in a dog’s hair, which produces colors ranging from light cream (like a West Highland Terrier) to deep red (like an Irish Setter). About the Red Pigment Intensity Test Intensity is not controlled by...

The “A locus” is the name for the DNA sequence that makes up the agouti-signaling protein (ASIP) gene, which is located on chromosome 24 in the dog genome. This gene contains instructions to make a protein (ASIP) that acts as a molecular switch: when ASIP is present, it tells hair cells to produce the red/yellow...

At Embark, we strive to provide the most comprehensive testing service available, continually conducting research and collaborating with leaders in the field to add new health conditions and traits tests to our Embark for Breeders suite of products. This process includes adding new probes to the research-grade microarray we use to test each dog’s DNA...

Coat color genetics can be fun and interesting at the same time. This is because there seems to be an exception to every rule, and the veterinary genetics community still has much to discover about coat color. Learning about the inheritance of coat colors can be incredibly rewarding, as it allows one to see the...

Merle coat pattern testing is included in the Embark for Breeders DNA Kits by testing for the M Locus. Merle coat pattern is common to several dog breeds, including the Australian Shepherd, Catahoula Leopard Dog, and Shetland Sheepdog, among many others. In Dachshunds, this color pattern is known as “dapple.” A tricolor merle Australian Shepherd....