A melanistic mask (also referred to as a mask or masking) is a dog coat pattern that gives the appearance of a mask on the dog's face. The hairs on the muzzle, and sometimes entire face or ears, are colored by eumelanin instead of pheomelanin pigment.
What does melanistic mean in dogs?
The melanistic mask seen in some breeds of dog is inherited in an Autosomal Dominant manner meaning that dogs only need to inherit one copy of Em to have the characteristic mask. Dogs with an Em/Em genotype will have a melanistic mask and will only produce puppies with masks.
What does black mask mean in dogs?
Black mask is a characteristic pattern in which red, yellow, tan, fawn, or brindle dogs exhibit a melanistic muzzle which may extend up onto the ears. Melanistic mask is inherited in several breeds as an autosomal dominant trait, and appears to be a fixed trait in a few breeds of dogs.
What is the melanistic mask allele?
Melanistic Mask – EM Locus The dominant Em allele of MC1R is responsible for the localized distribution of eumelanin on the muzzle that resembles a darkened mask in a pheomelanic (ay) background. The melanistic mask caused by one copy of this allele is only visible on dogs that are fawn or brindle.
What is E Locus French Bulldog?
The E-Locus is a region of your dog's DNA which controls whether your dog will only express the yellow pigment or whether they can express any of the other coat colours.
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