Cocker Specific Discussion > Genetics & Breeding

Genetics & colours

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FionaM:
Thanks Jane

I'm off to have a look at that Swedish site now  :)

Fiona                    

Jane S:

--- Quote from: Gill on October 14, 2002, 02:57:04 PM ---how do you know what colours a dog carries? Is it just a case of mating and seeing what is produced or is there a test that can be done? I got talking to one lady about her new pup(blue roan) who she was going to put with her bitch(orange roan). I asked what colours the litter were likely to be and she said the pup carries a lot of colours so is it a case of seeing what colours his ancestors have produced? I'm making no sense so will be quiet now ::)


PS Is there a book on this subject as I think Iw ould find it quite interesting.

--- End quote ---

Often you cannot tell exactly what colours a particular mating will produce until the pups have been born & it will be a matter of guesswork based on what colours have been produced in the past by dogs of that breeding. Often with well-known stud dogs, breeders know that they carry particular colours because of what they have produced in other litters & other times, they know they only produce one colour eg our older stud dog sires only blue roan & carries no other colours at all. We know this because he has been mated to a number of different bitches including orange roan & liver & white & has only ever produced blue pups (though his children from those bitches will all be carriers of the orange or liver gene so could produce these colours themselves in the future)

I'm sure in the future a DNA test will be developed to identify which colours a Cocker carries (as is the case in some breeds already) but I think this will make breeding less interesting. I quite like not always knowing what colours will come through :)

There aren't any books specifically available on Cocker coat colour inheritance but there are a few general books on canine genetics which cover the subject, though some are out of print now. My favourite book is Malcolm Willis' "Genetics of The Dog" which is sadly out of print but may be reprinted soon (sometimes you can pick up second hand copies if you're lucky) Other than that, there is Roy Robertson's "Genetics For Dog Breeders" which has just been reprinted & has a long section on colour inheritance.

Jane                    

Pammy:
My older boys dad only produced blue roans and yet Jasper produces blue and blue and tan!! Don't know if he'll produce Orange Roan but it was one of the exciting parts of waiting for his puppies to be born - knowing firstly that they were strong and healthy and then what colours.

I remember doing colour genetics at school in biology too and foundit fascinating then.                    

Jen:
what an interesting "conversation" this has been :o                    

Shell:
Thanks Jane for your insight into this - I find it really fascinating !  It must be exciting anticipating the colours of a new littler.  

I would love to breed cockers - it must be extremely rewarding, but I guess you really have to know your stuff like Jane does!

Thanks again for your insight Jane.                    

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