A Genetics Question - Page 1

From my understanding Sable is a dominant gene. Is it possible to get a bicolor or black a red dog from two sable parents?

I'm only going to say maybe -- if they have enough puppies -- It's a odds thing - so if there are only 4 pups -- the odds are not in your favor -- but if there are 16 pups -- it increases your chances. You might get a black if they carry ressive for black and you might get a very dark bi color - but count on sables - 99.9% You would most likely not get any black/brown combinations. When I bred my very dark bi-color to a sable stud - I got 8 sables and 1 dark black/bi color -- only tan on him was around his pasterns -- and a tiny patch on his chest.

Sable is dominant over all other colors. Every dog carries two color genes - if the dog is sable, then you know at least one of those two genes is sable. The other gene could be sable, black/tan (black/red), black, or bicolor. Every puppy receives one color gene from each parent. If the pup receives a sable gene from either parent, then that pup is sable. But, if both parents carry a black/tan, black or bicolor recessive and give one of those to the puppy and NOT a sable gene, then the pup could be black/tan or bicolor (or black if both parents give the pup a black gene each - black is always recessive and black dogs have two black genes and no other) - so in other words, the answer is "yes" it is possible to get bicolor or black/tan(red) puppies from two sable parents. It is NOT possible to get sable puppies from two non-sable parents.

Well said Molly ;-)

Yes, it is possible. In our "A" litter there were 3 bicolors and 5 sables. Both parents are sable.