Fawn + Fawn = ???

calimomma · #1 08-08-2007, 10:21 AM

I'm not sure this is the right forum to post this question, but I'm taking a shot:

Is it possible for two fawns to produce a litter of all brindle? Considering that the father of the father was brindle?

Thanks!

Biff · #2 08-08-2007, 11:08 AM

No, it's not possible - two fawns can only produce fawn pups - check out here:

http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/vie...oat-colour.htm

**gmacleod** · #3 08-08-2007, 12:28 PM

It is an absolute genetic impossibility. To produce brindle puppies, one of the parents *must* have been brindle.

Brindle is the dominant gene - if a dog carries the gene, then it WILL itself be brindle. If the dog is fawn (without a single brindle stripe), it cannot possibly carry the gene for brindle. And if it doesn't carry that gene, then it cannot possibly pass what it doesn't possess to offspring.

Thus, if neither one of the supposed parents has any brindle striping (a single stripe still makes a brindle!), then one of those animals is not the parent of those puppies. There is no possible doubt about it.

It is certainly possible for a brindle dog, or two brindle dogs, to produce fawns. Just not the other way around. However, it is worth examining the dog that is supposed to be the sire of the litter - if his own sire was brindle, it's possible that maybe he is too. A single stripe is all it takes, so perhaps there's one or two not very obvious. But if there are indeed none, then you're back at the certainty that one of the supposed parents is actually not.

billbgh · #4 08-11-2007, 08:35 PM

Rocky is brindle, his mom is fawn, his dad is white except a patch on his eye, it is brindle.

Erin
Apollo & Rocky's mom

**gmacleod** · #5 08-12-2007, 02:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billbgh

...his dad is white except a patch on his eye, it is brindle.

Genetically speaking, then, this dog is brindle. White is not a colour, per se, it is lack of pigment. "Beneath" the white is a fawn or brindle dog waiting to get out - and if you've a patch of colour, you may be able to tell which. Since the dog in question has a brindle patch, you know without shadow of doubt that he's genetically brindle (specifically, his genetic makeup will be either Bb or BB (plus swsw limiting the development of pigment)).

calimomma · #6 08-13-2007, 11:20 AM

Thanks for the responses! I was worried that our breeder had duped us because it didn't look like the momma was brindle at all. We've since seen other pictures of her and she's got little stripes on her head and legs.