Re: [pyrnet] Black Pyrenees, White Newf...

[Kshoffman@aol.com]

Chiming in late on this discussion ;-)

Most geneticists believe Pyrs are BOTH extreme white spotted AND single or 
double coded for chinchilla.  The chinchilla gene is an albinism gene, but 
the word 'albinism' in this context does not connote extreme complete 
albinism.  The most common mutations of the chinchilla (albino) gene in dogs 
merely "fade" or reduce red pigment to tan, beige, pale-yellow, or cream -- 
some refer to it as the "yellowing" gene.  These types of albino mutations 
don't affect skin color or eye color or do so only minimally. Other mutations 
of the chinchilla gene also "fade" black hair pigment to silver or gray while 
not affecting eye or skin color.

My personal opinion is the chinchilla gene most certainly does exist in Great 
Pyrs and that the majority of Pyrs are double coded for a chinchilla mutation 
that pales red pigment to beige, tan, pale yellow or cream.  It's the red 
heads that are most likely non-chinchillated, but most of them probably carry 
a recessive copy of it. (Chinchillated is recessive to full depth of color or 
non-chinchillated.)

In Belgian Shepherds (where much writing has been done on coat color 
genetics) the "gray" phase of the Tervuren variety is caused by a double 
chinchilla mutation.  I live with three "gray" Terveren, and I can say the 
base color of these dogs (not including the characteristic overlay) is nearly 
identical to what I'd call badger in Pyrs, they just don't have the extreme 
white spotting "erasing" the color on most of the body.

Kelley Hoffman
kshoffman@aol.com