Anatolian Shepherd Colors

PER THE AKC BREED STANDARD, ANATOLIAN SHEPHERDS CAN COME IN A VARIETY OF COLORS AS WELL AS SHORT OR ROUGH COATS.

Anatolian Shepherds carry the color genetics for a variety of colors and patterns. Black masked fawns and brindles are the most common colors, but that is simply due to the dominant nature of these genes. Recessive colors known to exist in Anatolian Shepherds include wolf sable, tan points, recessive red (white), irish/dutch markings, piebald (pinto), blue, liver, isabella, and any combination of the above. Below is an outline of the genes known to or suspected to exist in the breed.

- Under Construction-

K Locus

The K locus has three known alleles, in order of dominance: KB (dominant black), KBr (brindle), and Ky which allows the A and E loci to dictate the color of the dog. Dominant black does not exist in purebred Anatolian Shepherds, which is why brindle and variations of fawn/sable dogs are the most common colors in Anatolian Shepherds. Unfortunately, brindle is not reliably testable on any assay currently and will always test as KBky regardless of whether they have one or two copies of brindle.

Brindle

KBrKBr, KBrKy

Brindle tests as KBKy regardless of whether the dog is heterozygous or homozygous for the brindle allele. Brindle can express variably, from larger, darker stripes that appear nearly solid black to very small, light stripes that appear nearly fawn.

Fawn/Other

KyKy

Shown as fawn due to high prevalence in the breed, most dogs that test as KyKy will be a variation of fawn, but may be other colors. KyKy allows other loci (typically A or E) to dictate the color of the dog.

A Locus

The A locus (ASIP, or agouti-signaling protein) is also known as the agouti locus and determines the distribution of eumelanin, or black pigment, over the dog’s body. When ASIP is present in a cell, it indicates to the cell to produce pheomelanin, or yellow-red pigment, rather than eumelanin. The A locus can only express if a dog is KBrKBr, KBrKy, and KyKy. In brindle dogs, the A locus expresses on the non-black portion of their brindle coat pattern. All Anatolian Shepherds fall under one of these three K variations since dominant black does not occur in the breed, therefore the A locus is the main locus that controls the expression of color in Anatolian Shepherds. There are four genes that express on the A locus, listed in order of dominance: Ay (fawn/sable), Aw (wolf/wild sable), At (tan points), and a (recessive black).

Fawn/Sable

AyAy, AyAw, AyAt, Aya

Fawn, or sable, is the most common coat color in Anatolian Shepherds. This is partially due to selecting away from brindle and other colors in their country of origin, and partially due to fawn being the dominant color on the A locus. The intensity locus further controls their individual shading of fawn. Fawn dogs can have minimal to heavy shading of the back, neck, ruff, and head.

Wolf/Wild Sable

AwAw, AwAt, Awa

Wolf sable is recessive to fawn/sable, but dominant to tan points and recessive black. It appears as a variation of heavier shading than fawn dogs and some wolf sable dogs appear to have less well defined tan points. It can be distinguished from tan points due to the banding of the hairs; tan point dogs will have solid black hair over the majority of the body and wolf sables will have banded hairs over the majority of the body.

Tan Points

AtAt, Ata

Tan points are recessive to both fawn and wolf sable, making it a less common color in the breed. Tan pointed dogs will have solid black hair on most of their body except over their points. Points can also be combined with brindle to produce brindle pointed dogs. The eumelanin (black pigment) can also be affected by the D, B, and E loci to produce other colors such as blue and tan points, liver and tan points, isabella and tan points, and grizzle.

Recessive Black

aa

Recessive black is the most recessive gene on the A locus. It is not currently confirmed to exist in Anatolians, but suspected to exist due to reports of black dogs being produced from fawn parents. These dogs would be solid black, and could be impacted by the B, D, and E loci.

E Locus

The E locus (MC1R, or melanocortin 1 receptor), also known as the extension locus, is responsible for most eumelanin and phaeomelanin patterns not controlled by the A locus. These genes often add onto other color genes to create new colors or modify existing color patterns. There are 4 known genes on the E locus, Em (mask), E (non-masked), Eg (grizzle), and e (recessive red). Grizzle is discussed separately due to the complexity of this gene’s implication on other genes in the breed.

Mask

EmEm, EmE, EmEg, Eme

Masks are very common in Anatolians and can be minimal to very dark. Some very heavy, dark masks also cause shading on the chest, toes, or tail. Masking can cover up other patterns, such as the points of a tan point dog on the face.

Non-Masked

EE, EEg, Ee

The E gene does not add additional patterns beyond the patterns created on the K or A loci.

Recessive Red

ee

Recessive red covers up all eumelanin on the dog, creating dogs that only express phaeomelanin. Recessive red can be very light white to very dark red, and white spotting can be hard to distinguish on very light white dogs. These dogs also will not have any masking, shading, or black whiskers but will retain a black nose unless the dog is also blue, liver, or isabella.

E Locus - Grizzle

The Eg gene is unique in that it modifies the pattern of eumelanin over the base color it occurs on. These dogs cannot have masks, so any dog that has even a small mask cannot express the following colors. This results in a variety of unique and interesting alternative colors within the limited number of breeds that this gene occurs in. It is known to exist in a variety of sighthound breeds, and a similar gene (Ed) occurs in Huskys, but has come up in some Anatolians that have been tested. However, it is a very uncommon gene in the breed and does not currently report correctly when carried by dogs who have one copy of the Em gene on Embark. All dogs testing as EmEg are currently reported as EmE and can only be read as EmEg by visiting the subloci results.

Cream

EgEg, Ege + AyAy, AyAw, AyAt, Aya

No eumelanin shading/tipping will appear on these dogs and their coat may be lighter. This can be visibly identical to recessive red and impossible to distinguish, but cream due to the grizzle gene typically has a lighter chest, belly, and limbs whereas recessive red tends to be a more solid color.

Grizzle

EgEg, Ege + AtAt, Ata

The grizzle gene reduces the amount of black that occurs over a tan pointed dog. The portion of the dog that is black also can have a varying amount of banding on the individual hairs. These dogs will also have a characteristic “widdow’s peak” on the forehead. If these dogs also have the brindle gene, their “points” will be brindle rather than tan resulting in a grizzle brindle.

Silver Brindle

EgEg, Ege + KBrKBr, KBrKy

Silver brindles will appear very similar to blue (dd) brindles and have a variably colored silver to blue appearance of the brindle stripes. However, silver brindles will retain a black nose where as blue brindles will have blue nose leather.

Silver

EgEg, Ege + aa

Breeds that commonly have grizzle do not have recessive black, but do have dominant black. Since recessive black is an uncommon gene, as is grizzle, this combination has likely not occurred in Anatolians to date. However, it is theoretically possible.

D and B Loci

The D and B loci change the base color of the dog. All of the above mentioned loci are based upon a black based dog. The D and B loci alter that base color to blue, liver, or isabella. This also changes their nose leather color. These loci can also affect the eye color of the dog, lightening it to an amber color. Dogs that are blue (dd) may be affected by color dilution alopecia, or CDA, but this is not common in Anatolians and most are not affected by CDA. There is no other impact of the D or B locus on health or longevity, and no negative impact from breeding blue, liver, or isabella dogs to each other. These loci are shown below on fawns (Ky- + Ay- ) with masking (Em-) as this is the most common pattern in Anatolians, but can appear in combination with any of the above genes and will change all black (eumelanin) parts of the dog.

Blue

dd

Dogs that are dd will have lightened eumelanin, giving their masks or other otherwise black markings a blue or silver hue. It also changes the nose leather of the dog to blue.

Liver

bb

Dogs that are bb will have liver or brown masks or other markings instead of a base of black. The nose leather of these dogs will be liver.

Isabella

dd + bb

These dogs are a combination of the blue gene and the liver gene, resulting in a lightened brown pigment known as isabella or lilac. The nose leather will be changed to a diluted liver color as well.

S Locus

The S locus (MITF, or microphthalmia-associated transcription factor) is associated with one or more white patterns in a variety of dog breeds including Anatolian Shepherds. There are two testable genes on this locus, S (solid) and sp (piebald). A third gene, Si (irish) is suspected to exist on the S locus or on another locus resulting in dogs that breed true for a specific white pattern but do not regularly produce piebalds. Heterozygous Ssp can resemble Si, but when bred together will produce dogs that are piebald, or spsp. Lastly, residual white does not appear to have a genetic component to it but may still be heritable.

Solid

SS, SSi, Ssp

Two copies of the S gene will result in dogs that do not have white, unless it is residual white. One copy of the S gene can result is no, minimal, or some white on the feet and chest. This is generally much smaller than white caused by the Si or sp genes.

Irish Marked

SiSi, Sisp

The Si gene, though not currently testable, appears to cause consistent collars of white as well as white on the face, feet, belly, and tail. The appearance of these dogs can be very similar to carriers of one copy of sp, but when these dogs are bred together they will consistently not produce piebald offspring. Some dogs with larger spreads of white such as the one shown will also test as SS. The Si gene may not be located on the S locus at all.

Piebald

spsp

Piebald, or pinto as it is known in Anatolians, is the most recessive gene on the S locus. It can result in varying patches of color on a predominantly white body. Typically the color patches occur on the head, neck, back, and tail.

Residual White

This does not have a known or suspected genetic cause, but despite this appears to be heritable. Dogs will have minimal white on the feet, legs, and chest, but test as SS.

T Locus

The T locus is responsible for ticking and is currently not testable. It may be related to the recently discovered USH2A which is responsible for roan color patterns but does not appear to be the same gene as dogs with heavy, overt ticking do not always test as carriers of the USH2A gene. It appears to be a dominant gene, with only one copy needed to express ticking. Ticking can come in a range of intensity from light ticking to heavy ticking, but it is only visible on any white (MITF, not light recessive red or cream due to grizzle) portions of the dog.

Light Ticking

TT or Tt

Light ticking shown over an irish marked, known as dutch marked in Anatolians, dog. Ticking is only visible on the white portions of the dog.

Heavy Ticking

TT or Tt

Heavier ticking shown over a piebald, known as pinto in Anatolians, dog. Ticking is only visible on the white portions of the dog.

Saddle Tan

The saddle tan gene (RALY)

Saddle

NN, NI + AtAt, Ata

Dogs that are tan pointed can have this modification to their tan point pattern which results in a blanket pattern or “creeping tan” pattern in which the tan points seem to expand beyond their normal points.