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Coat colours in dogs
What are 'coat colours'?
DNA tests for coat colours
Breeds that can be tested
Breeding policy
The constant threat for every breed is overselection. If too many breeders choose breeding
animals from the same lines, the diversity of the breed's gene pool will decrease in the next
generation. As a consequence the level of inbreeding of the breed increases. On the short term
this may cause outbreaks of genetic disorders. On the longer term it causes a decreased vitality
of the breed. The only way to preserve a breed's gene pool is to make sure that a sufficiently
large random sample of the genetic material of the breed is taken from one generation to the
next, every generation again.
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In times of changing popularity of certain coat colours, many breeders start selecting in favour
of the popular coat colour alleles. When the frequencies of these favoured alleles are low, there
is a real risk that too many breeders choose their sires from only a few lines known to carry
these alleles. As a consequence other parts of the gene pool of the breed will be lost.
With the availability of DNA tests like the ones for the E-locus and for the B-locus
breeders can realize their short term 'colour goals' quite efficiently which increases the risk
for long term problems because of overselection.
Each dog, also the ones with the less favoured colour alleles, has many good and
important genes that may be worthwhile to preserve in the population. Selection
programmes should be carried out slowly and carefully, taking a sufficient number
of generations to prevent overselection. That is where the breeders' organizations
should take their responsibility towards their breeds. With the availability of
DNA tests like the ones for coat colour alleles selection programmes can be extended
to the number of generations needed to make sure that no harm is done to the breed's
gene pool.
Testing for coat colours
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