AGOUTI

Genotype for Agouti is: [ay, at, a. aw]

Overview: Black Bulldogs are the most common of the 4 Rare Colors in AKC English Bulldogs. The black should be shiny & look black against black objects or in the sun unless the seal gene is involved which can show a different color undertone to the black coat. These dogs may or may not have a fawn undercoat when the hair is rubbed backwards. The nose, footpads, & eyeliner are always a true black.

As in all the Tri Colors (3 colors on the dog one of which is always the tan points), the tan points are typically on the eyebrows, cheeks, front shoulders (right above the chest area between the legs), around the tail, and partial on both front & back legs. Tan points will not show up if the dog is white where the points would normally be. Tan points can also be hidden by other genes, such as the SEAL gene, as it is higher on the hierarchy of genes. Tan points can bleed through on some dogs when only one [at] is present. It normally takes a double [atat] dog to show tan points. As of this writing, the geneticists do not know why this happens on some dogs with the same dna & not others.

It is my thinking that Sable EB's that show tan points &/or have dark etching, DO carry one [at] & are ayat in their dna. A TRUE Fawn (red based dog) will not show sable hairs, tan points, or dark etching & will be ayay in their DNA. To back this up, we conducted a private study to back up our thinking.

Agouti

ay, at, a, aw

Agouti aka ASIP gene interacts with the MC1R gene to control red and black pigment switching in most dogs.

Dog coat color is further complicated when other genes restrict agouti expression for example the dominant black gene-K. There are 4 known alleles of agouti. They are listed in order of Dominance:

1. ay- fawn or sable which expresses in shades of yellow to red with some dorsal black tipped hairs.

2. aw-Wild Sable expressing as banded hairs of yellow and black.

3. at-Black and Tan black expressing as dorsal hairs with tan hair on cheeks, eyebrows and undersides.

4. a-Recessive Black expressing as all black

The agouti test can help determine the color of dogs that have white patterns that may obscure the distribution of the colored pigment.

RESULTS (UCDavis)

ay / ay 2 copies of fawn

ay / aw Dog is fawn and carries 1 copy of wild sable

ay / at Dog is fawn and carries 1 copy black and tan

ay / a Dog is fawn and carries 1 copy of recessive black

aw/ aw 2 copies of wild sable

aw/ at Dog is wild sable and carries 1 copy of black and tan

aw/ a Dog is wild sable and carries 1 copy of recessive black

at/ at 2 copies of for black and tan

at/ a Dog is black and tan and carries 1 copy of recessive black

a/a 2 copies of recessive black

THE BLACK CONTROVERSY

By Alesia Dixon

This is sometimes a hot topic for discussion, especially among Bulldoggers(show breeders). This reading is to give you my honest, experienced dealings with these Rare Bulldogs and also the show world, which I was a part of for over 5 years as a member of the BCA.

Contrary to popular opinion, Black Bulldogs are NOT inferior or of less quality than any other well-bred bulldog, they just don't meet the BCA standard for Bulldogs as far as color goes. The color DOES NOT affect their health, skin, or structure as many would have you believe, and unless you are wanting to show your dogs in competition, this is insignificant (actually, black bulldogs can be entered in shows). I have been breeding "to breed standard" bullys for years now & have found that you get more health issues with the so-called "well-bred" bloodlines than you do with the less desired bloodlines. I have for the past 3 years been bringing back some of my older bloodlines for this very reason and I saw a marked difference after only 18 months & now at the 3 year mark, I can honestly say that I have virtually eliminated 99% of the major difficulties in whelping & raising litters.

Just because a pedigree is stacked with Champions does NOT mean you will get healthier bullys, as I now know, most of times it is the opposite. One reason is because show dogs are closely bred with the same lines of ancestors in them in order to bring out the best. The only problem with that is that you also bring out the worst. It really is all trial and error no matter how educated you are, and there are some great Lines of Champion bullys out there, no doubt. NO ONE can breed a perfect bulldog!

I have been breeding dogs for over 35 years & am very experienced with this issue of health. I would never knowingly breed inferior, unhealthy dogs, I LOVE my bullys! I have people(mostly show breeders) accuse me of being in it for the money. If this were the case, then I would actually HAVE some money! I put literally 90% of my incoming BACK into the care, feeding, comfort, & upkeep of my babies. As my vet put it the first time she did a farm call for me, " Man, these guys have it made!". Most show breeders will ALWAYS put down other breeders whether they are breeding rare colors or not...this is just the way it is in the Show World, only ONE of the many reasons I resigned from the BCA.

NOW REMEMBER, I AM SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE as one of them formerly. I am not trying to bash anyone, I am just simply telling the TRUTH. Were it not for the BASHING of me & every other breeder out there who does not show, this would not even need to be said, but I am a GOOD breeder, as are MANY others who do not show, so I have to take up for us!!

Where did these Rare Colors come from, you might ask. Well, guess what!! They all started with Show Lines! Yes, the first Black Tri Bulldog that can be traced in the US came from a Show Breeder's Champion Stud. She sold the dog for twice what she normally would for her Champion Sired pups, and on top of that sold the dog with breeding rights. Yes, these dogs that, according to show breeders are inferior came directly from their own Champion Lines!! How do I know?? From firsthand experience, as I bought a son of this first black dog when I started looking at the Beautiful Rare Colors. Right there under his Dad's name is the name of the person who bred him...a famous show kennel owner, who by the way was one of the bashers of Rare Colors! Yes, she came after me relentlessly posting ugly things about me until I brought to her attention that I did not think she would want me to let others know what I found out about her lines producing this black dog and then her selling him with full rights. She stopped immediately and I never told her show friends to this day what she did or who she is and don’t intend to.

The reason myself & many others call these Black Beauties "Rare" is because there are few born every year. And as I said before, the color is undesirable according to the BCA breed standards & therefore Show breeders try NOT to produce black bulldogs. There are beginning to be several educated, experienced Black bulldog breeders in the States and Canada now, that will produce VERY NICE Black Bulldogs, so maybe in several years we may not be able to call the Rare anymore.

This is an excerpt from the BCA Bulldog Standard: Color of Coat The color of coat should be uniform, pure of its kind and brilliant. The various colors found in the breed are to be preferred in the following order: (1) red brindle, (2) all other brindles, (3) solid white, (4) solid red, fawn or fallow, (5) piebald, (6) inferior qualities of all the foregoing. Note: A perfect piebald is preferable to a muddy brindle or defective solid color. Solid black is very undesirable, but not so objectionable if occurring to a moderate degree in piebald patches. The brindles to be perfect should have a fine, even and equal distribution of the composite colors. In brindles and solid colors a small white patch on the chest is not considered detrimental. In piebalds the color patches should be well defined, of pure color and symmetrically distributed.

This was authored & written by Alesia Dixon of Rare Bulldogs

AGOUTI

Genotype for Agouti is: [ay, at, a. aw]

THE BLACK CONTROVERSY

EXTREME Z PRODUCES THE WORLD'S FIRST ALL BLACK TRI LITTER!

ExtremeZ now a verified Full Black Base Lilac

Meet Some of Rare Bulldogs Black Productions