What are the standard color genetics?
B – Black gene b – Red gene BB – Black dog (not red factored) Bb – Black dog (red factored) bb – Red dog The black/red gene is a simple dominant/recessive trait. Two BB (black) dogs will produce all BB (black) dogs. Two bb (red) dogs will produce all bb (red) dogs. One BB (black) dog bred to one bb (red) dog will produce all Bb (black) dogs. The merle gene is completely separate from the color gene. The merle gene is an incomplete dominant gene. It is NOT straight dominant/recessive like black & red. M – Merle gene m – Solid gene MM – Excessive white dog (aka double-merle, lethal-white, lethal-merle) Mm – Merle dog mm – Solid dog As you can see from the charts below, two solids bred together will produce all solids. One solid dog bred to one merle dog will produce 50% merles and 50% solids. Two merles bred together will produce 25% solids, 50% merles, and 25% lethal-white. Which brings us to the next question in the FAQ below.
