Selection of the finest articles from the [PWD-L]
Portuguese Water Dog Coat Color
by Joan C. Bendure
The Portuguese Water Dog coat colors are black, various shades of brown and
white. Of course the color black (B) is dominant over brown. Brown (b) is
inherited as a simple autosomal recessive. Some of the black and brown dogs
may have white/grey hairs mixed with the black or brown and this appears to
increase with age. Other color variations that are not mentioned in the
standards, but have ocurred in the breed are grey; and black and with tan
markings similar to a Doberman; and ticking which produces small dark spots
that can only be seen in the white areas of the coat.
The black and brown Portuguese Water Dog may also have white markings which
are not color genes, but patterning genes. These genes are the Loci S and T.
Then we have the interesting play of plus and minus Modifying Factors just
to make this all very interesting and confusing.
Here are the patterning genes we are working with in our breed:
S--self, or completely pigmented body surface; (Black or Brown)
si--(that i should be smaller and raised up higher than the s but my computer
does not do that) the si-- Irish spotting, with few and definately located
white areas;
sp--(p should be placed like i) piebald spotting;
sw--(w same as above) extreme-white piebald.
The order in which the genes are written above is also the order of
dominance. That is S is dominant over all those listed below it; si is
dominant over sp and sw and so forth.
Modifying factors will work on all the above white spotting or pigment
distribution characteristics. Modifying factors cause the amount of white or
pigmented areas to vary. The modifiers that produce a lot of pigment are
called plus modifiers, those that allow less pigment are minus modifiers.
Keep in mind that these modifiers work on all the patterns and the solid
colored dogs above, that is what makes breeding dogs so interesting or
disappointing.
In the si, irish spotting gene, you can have white in one or more of the
following areas muzzle, forehead blaze or spot, chest, stomach or underside,
one or more feet and the tip of the tail, throat and neck. Now remember the
modifying factors, they can cause the white to go further up the leg or allow
it only to be on the toes. White can also be in the form of spots or streaks.
White can also extend or fuse together creating a half or even full collar.
Basenjis are a good example of si.
The sp gene is responsible for piebald spotting. The dogs with piebald
spotting can range from dogs that look similar to the Irish spotted dogs, to
dogs that have only 15 to 20% of their coat pigmented. They can have more
pigment than 15 to 20%. but if they have less they could be an
extreme-piebald. There is a difference between genotype (the genetic makeup)
and phenotype (external appearance). Unfortunately what you see is not always
what you get.
The sw gene is the extreme-piebald spotting gene. These are the dogs that
have only small amounts of pigment which is generally found on the ear,
around the eye or near the base of the tail. I have also seen some of these
have one small pigmented patch on the body. sw dogs are the Pyrs,
Sealyhams,Bull terriers. And yes there are Portuguese Water Dogs that are
all white with dark pigment on the nose, lips and eye rims.
It comes to a point in the markings of our dogs where unless you know the
genes these dogs are actually carrying, it could be difficult for you to
determine just by looking at the dog what his/her genetic makeup really is.
There is a very fine line as to whether some dogs are genetically si or sp,
or an sp or sw, that is because of the modifying factors.
T gene- this is the gene that produces ticking. Those small pigmented spots
seen that are seen only in the white areas. Solid Black or brown dogs could
also be dominant for the ticking gene, but you would not be able see the
ticking in a solid colored dog.
Breeds of dogs that are believed to exhibit this color are the Dalmatian and
some of the sporting and hound breeds. The Dal in all probability would be
an sw with Ticking.
The piebald (sp) and extreme white pieblad (sw) dogs with the heavy amounts
of ticking are the dogs that some people erronously refer to as *silver fox
or tweed*???? Refering to the the above color as Silver fox or tweed is not
genetically correct terminology. Those terms were coined by Portuguese Water
Dog breeders/owners.
Or there is the possibility that we may also have the R gene (roan gene) in
addition to the ticking (T) gene? In the roan gene the spots of pigment are
made up of a mixture of colored and white hairs, which resembles more of
silvering than a definite solid colored spot as in the ticking. I personally
have never examined any of these dogs closely, so maybe owners of dogs with
the ticking or roan markings would let me know what the color the ticking or
spots really are. Has there been puppies that were grey at birth? I would
also be interested in knowing if there are colors other than the ones listed
above.
Joan C. Bendure
[ HOME ]
[ NEWS ]
[ RINGSIDE ]
[ GALLERY ]
[ ESSENTIALS ]
[ CREDITS ]
[ HELP ]
[ LINKS ]
[ GLOSSARY ]
Please send commentaries and suggestions to
info@octante.net
© Octante.net