UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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Overview: New Shade Isabella French Bulldogs start out black, then diluted not once, but three times. First by the 2 Chocolate Genes, then by the Blue gene. The [bb] dilutes black to brown, [coco] dilutes black to darker brown, and the [dd] dilutes the black to blue. Thus the, "New Shade" term was added. Since the black is diluted twice to brown, it creates new shades not always evident in the straight Isabella. Try mixing blue & brown paint, you will get some shade of Isabella (purple, lavender, etc.). 

**The nose, eyeliner, and footpads are also always some shade of New Shade Isabella even in Fawn and Sable.  

Explanation of Results

B/B: Does not carry Chocolate

B/b: Carries one copy of Chocolate

b/b: Carries 2 copies of Chocolate

N/N: Does not carry Cocoa

N/co: Carries one copy of Cocoa

co/co: Carries 2 copies of Cocoa

D/D: Does not carry Blue

D/d: Carries one copy of Blue

d/d: Carries two copies of Blue

DNA

New Shade Isabella and Tan: bb coco dd NN ata or atat

New Shade Isabella and Trindle: bb coco dd KbrN ata or atat

New Shade Isabella and Tan or Trindle with no or minimal white only on the chest. Body is solid Isabella. Tan points can be hard to see on this color.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella & Tan

bb coco dd ata

Photo: MiamiBlueFrenchBulldogs

DNA

New Shade Isabella Tri: bb coco dd NN ata or atat Ss or ss

New Shade Isabella Trindle: bb coco dd KbrN ata or atat Ss or ss

New Shade Isabella and white in any design with clear or brindle Tan points aka Tri or Trindle.  Tan points can be hard to see on this color.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella Tri

bb coco dd Ss

Photo: Westdog Bulls

DNA

Solid New Shade Isabella: bb coco dd aa

New Shade Isabella Seal: bb coco dd KbN

New Shade Isabella color from head to toe. Some white on the chest is acceptable.

Most don't realize that Solid Color French Bulldogs can be from 2 different genes, the aa gene or the Kb gene. 

Pictured: Solid New Shade Isabella

bb coco dd aa

Photo: French Kisses Kennel 

DNA

New Shade Isabella Merle and Tan: bb coco dd NN MN ata or atat

New Shade Isabella Merle Tri: bb coco dd NN MN ata or atat  Ss or ss

New Shade Isabella Merle Trindle: bbcoco  dd KbrN MN ata or atat

New Shade Isabella Merle in any design. This can be Solid Merle, Ghost Merle, Merle & Tan, Merle Tri, or Merle Trindle. Patches of Color will be New Shade Isabella, except in Ghost Merles [ayay or ayat] where the Patches are usually faint or hidden.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella Merle & Tan   bb coco dd MN atat

Photo: Rollies Bullies

DNA

New Shade Isabella Pied: bb coco dd NS

New Shade Isabella Extreme Pied: bb coco dd SS

New Shade Isabella Pied or Piebald, is usually all white with round spots of Isabella color randomly throughout  the body. 

New Shade Isabella Extreme Pied is predominately white, and preferably ALL white.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella Pied

bb coco dd NS

Photo: Frenchie Empire N Utopia Bully

DNA

bb coco dd KbrN or KbrKbr

New Shade Isabella and Fawn Stripes with or without white markings in any design. Brindle dogs carry at least one Kbr gene and are always either ayay, or ayat at agouti. Brindled bodied dogs cannot have a Kb gene nor be atat. 

Pictured: 

Photo:

DNA

New Shade Isabella Fawn: bb coco dd ayay

New Shade Isabella Sable: bb coco dd ayat

Fawn or Sable and white in any design. Although hair is some shade of fawn, the nose, footpads, and eyeliner is some shade of New Shade Isabella. 

Note: the Fawn color can vary greatly in shade. Some fawn dogs are called Reds because they literally have red hair. It is believed that the Intensity Gene(see Information Section below) plays a role in this variation of shade.

Pictured:

Photo:

DNA

bb coco dd LL

New Shade Isabella Fluffy can have all the variations seen in this section, but with a Fluffy Coat.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella & Tan Fluffy bb coco dd ata LL

Photo: Mother Nature Frenchies

DNA

New Shade Isabella Hairless: bb coco dd DupN

New Shade Isabella Lion Mane Hairless: bb coco dd Dup N LL

In the New Shade Isabella Hairless, the dog can have different color skin, and can be full Hairless or Lion Mane Hairless. Hairless dogs can have all the variations seen in this section.

It is believed, but not yet proven, that the Lion Mane Hairless always carries 2 copies of the Fluffy Gene.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella Merle Hairless: bb coco dd MN NDup

Photo: Viktoria Hairless

DNA

New Shade Isabella Covered in Cream: ee bb coco dd 

New Shade Isabella Covered in cream will present as Cream all over from head to toe with the exception of  white, which may or may not be present. Nose, footpads, and eyeliner is self colored New Shade Isabella.

New Shade Isabella Covered in Cream can have all the variations seen in this section.

Pictured: New Shade Isabella & Tan Covered in Cream     ee bb coco dd atat

Photo: Bomb.com Frenchies

Overview: Chocolate French Bulldogs are diluted black dogs from a different dilution gene than the blue. The chocolate coat should be shiny and look brown against black objects or in the sun, unless the seal gene is involved which can give different undertones to the coat. These dogs may or may not have a fawn undercoat when the hair is rubbed backwards. 

**The nose, eyeliner, and footpads are also always some shade of Chocolate even in Fawn/Sable. 

**Tan points, whether clear or brindle aka Tan or Trindle, can be colored almost white to dark tan according to other DNA. (see Intensity Gene). 

Explanation of Results

Additional Terms Used:

Testable Chocolate, Rojo

DNA

Chocolate and Tan: bb NN ata or atat

Chocolate and Trindle: bb KbrN ata or atat

Chocolate and Tan with no or minimal white, but only on the chest. Body is solid Chocolate.

DNA

Chocolate Tri: bb NN ata or atat Ss or ss

Chocolate Trindle: bb KbrN ata or atat Ss or ss

Chocolate and white in any design with clear or brindle Tan points aka Tri or Trindle.

DNA

Solid New Shade Chocolate: bb aa

New Shade Chocolate Seal: bb KbN

Chocolate color from head to toe. Some white on the chest is acceptable.

Most don't realize that Solid Color French Bulldogs can be Solid from 2 different genes, the aa gene or the Kb gene. 

Pictured: Solid New Shade Chocolate

bb coco dd aa

Photo: Bad Boy French

DNA

Chocolate Merle and Tan: bb NN MN ata or atat

Chocolate Merle Tri: bb NN MN ata or atat  Ss or ss

Chocolate Merle Trindle: bb KbrN MN ata or atat

Chocolate Merle in any design. This can be Solid Merle, Ghost Merle, Merle & Tan, Merle Tri, or Merle Trindle. Patches of Color will be Lilac, except in Ghost Merles where the Patches are usually faint or hidden.

DNA

New Shade Chocolate Pied: bb coco NS or SS

New Shade Chocolate Extreme Pied: bb coco SS

Chocolate Pied or Piebald, is usually all white with round spots of Isabella color randomly throughout  the body. 

Extreme Pied is predominately white, and preferably ALL white.

DNA

bb KbrN

Chocolate and Fawn Stripes with or without white markings in any design. Brindle dogs carry at least one Kbr gene and are always either ayay, or ayat at agouti. Brindled bodied dogs cannot have a Kb gene nor be atat. 

DNA

New Shade Chocolate Fawn: bb coco ayay

New Shade Chocolate Sable: bb  coco ayat

Solid Fawn or Solid Sable and white in any design. Although hair is some shade of fawn, the nose, footpads, and eyeliner is some shade of Chocolate. 

Note: the Fawn color can vary greatly in shade. Some fawn dogs are called Reds because they literally have red hair. It is believed that the Intensity Gene (see Information Section below) plays a role in this variation of shade.

Photo Courtesy Manmade Merles

DNA

bb LL

Chocolate Fluffy can have all the variations seen in this section, but with a Fluffy Coat.

DNA

New Shade Chocolate Hairless: bb coco NDup

New Shade Chocolate Lion Mane Hairless: bb coco LL NDup

In the Hairless New Shade Chocolate, the dog can have different color skin, and can be full Hairless or Lion Mane Hairless. Hairless dogs can have all the variations seen in this section.

It is believed, but not yet proven, that the Lion Mane Hairless always carries 2 copies of the Fluffy Gene.

Pictured: New Shade Chocolate Hairless

bb coco NDup

Photo: Viktoria Hairless

DNA

ee bb coco

New Shade Chocolate Covered in cream will present as Cream all over from head to toe with the exception of  white, which may or may not be present. Nose, footpads, and eyeliner is self colored New Shade Chocolate.

Any dog with 2 copies of Cream [ee] will be some shade of cream, in that this gene covers all colors because it is at the top of the hierarchy of genes. Only White will sometimes show through Cream.

New Shade Chocolate Covered in Cream can have all the variations seen in this section.

Overview:  A brown coat color resulting in a slightly darker brown than the brown color caused by the b variant. This color is seen in French Bulldogs and was previously referred to as non-testable chocolate.

The French Bulldog has two ways to be chocolate. One we have long been testing for, the b variant, but has been historically rare in the FB, and one that has recently been found for testing purposes, the Cocoa Variant.

Cocoa in French Bulldogs is distinct from the other known variants resulting in a brown phenotype. 

Explanation of Results

N/N: Does not carry Cocoa

N/co: Carries one copy of Cocoa

co/co: Carries 2 copies of Cocoa

Additional Terms Used

Non-Testable Chocolate

DNA

Cocoa and Tan: coco NN ata or atat

Cocoa and Trindle: coco KbrN ata or atat

Cocoa and Tan with no or minimal white, but only on the chest. Body is solid Cocoa.

Photo: Rare Bulldogs

DNA

Cocoa Tri: coco NN ata or atat Ss or ss

Cocoa Trindle: coco KbrN ata or atat Ss or ss

Cocoa and white in any design with clear or brindle Tan points aka Tri or Trindle.

DNA

Solid Cocoa: coco aa

Cocoa Seal: coco KbN

Cocoa color from head to toe. Some white on the chest is acceptable.

Most don't realize that Solid Color French Bulldogs can be Solid from 2 different genes, the aa gene or the Kb gene.

Photo: Rare Bulldogs

DNA

Cocoa Merle and Tan: coco NN MN ata or atat

Cocoa Merle Tri: coco NN MN ata or atat  Ss or ss

Cocoa Merle Trindle: coco KbrN MN ata or atat

Cocoa Merle in any design. This can be Solid Merle, Ghost Merle, Merle & Tan, Merle Tri, or Merle Trindle. Patches of Color will be Lilac, except in Ghost Merles where the Patches are usually faint or hidden.

Pictured: Cocoa Merle

coco MN 

Photo: Anarchy Bulldogs

DNA

Cocoa Pied: coco SN or SS

Cocoa Extreme Pied: coco SS

Cocoa Pied or Piebald, is usually all white with round spots of Isabella color randomly throughout  the body. 

Cocoa Extreme Pied is predominately white, and preferably ALL white. 

Pictured Cocoa Tri Merle Pied

coco MN atat SN

Photo: Colorado Frenchies

DNA

coco KbrN

Cocoa and Fawn Stripes with or without white markings in any design. Brindle dogs carry at least one Kbr gene and are always either ayay, or ayat at agouti. Brindled bodied dogs cannot have a Kb gene nor be atat. 

Pictured: Cocoa Brindle Fluffy

coco KbrN LL

Photo: Anarchy Bulldogs

DNA

Cocoa Fawn: coco ayay

Cocoa Sable: coco ayat

Solid Fawn or Solid Sable and white in any design. Although hair is some shade of fawn, the nose, footpads, and eyeliner is some shade of Cocoa.

Note: the Fawn color can vary greatly in shade. Some fawn dogs are called Reds because they literally have red hair. It is believed that the Intensity Gene (see Information Section below) plays a role in this variation of shade

DNA

coco LL

Cocoa Fluffy can have all the variations seen in this section, but with a Fluffy Coat.

Pictured: Cocoa & Tan Fluffy

coco atat LL

Photo: Outlaw Bulldogz

DNA

Cocoa Hairless: coco DupN

Cocoa Lion Mane Hairless: coco DupN LL

In the Hairless Cocoa, the dog can have different color skin, and can be full Hairless or Lion Mane Hairless. Hairless dogs can have all the variations seen in this section.

It is believed, but not yet proven, that the Lion Mane Hairless always carries 2 copies of the Fluffy Gene.

DNA

ee coco

Cocoa Covered in cream will present as Cream all over from head to toe with the exception of  white, which may or may not be present. Nose, footpads, and eyeliner is self colored Cocoa.

Any dog with 2 copies of Cream [ee] will be some shade of cream, in that this gene covers all colors because it is at the top of the hierarchy of genes. Only White will sometimes show through Cream.

Cocoa Covered in Cream can have all the variations seen in this section.

Overview

Explanation of Results

Additional Terms Used

DNA

Photo Courtesy Manmade Merles

DNA

Photo Courtesy JR Frenchies

DNA

Photo Courtesy JR Frenchies

DNA

Photo: Rare Bulldogs

DNA

DN

DNA

Note: the Fawn color can vary greatly in shade. Some fawn dogs are called Reds because they literally have red hair. It is believed that the Intensity Gene plays a role in this variation of shade.

DNA

Photo: Rare Bulldogs

DNA 

Blue Hairless: NDup

Blue Lion Mane Hairless: NDup LL

In the Blue Hairless, the dog can have different color skin, and can be full Hairless or Lion Mane Hairless. Hairless dogs can have all the variations seen in this section.

It is believed, but not yet proven, that the Lion Mane Hairless always carries 2 copies of the Fluffy Gene.

Pictured: Blue Merle Tri Lion Mane Hairless   dd MN atat NDup LL

Photo: Rare Bulldogs

DNA

Blue Covered in cream will present as Cream all over from head to toe with the exception of  white, which may or may not be present. Nose, footpads, and eyeliner is self colored Blue.

Any dog with 2 copies of Cream [ee] will be some shade of cream, in that this gene covers all colors because it is at the top of the hierarchy of genes. Only White will sometimes show through Cream.

Blue Covered in Cream can have all the variations seen in this section.

Cream

There are commonly six known alleles [variants] of this gene, 3 of  which this Chart will address:  Red/Yellow [e1], Cream [e2], and pale Yellow/White [e3].  The variants e1, e2, and e3 are recessive which means it take 2 copies to show on the dog.

Any dog with 2 copies of Cream [ee] will be some shade of cream, in that this gene covers all colors because it is at the top of the hierarchy of genes. Only White will sometimes show through Cream.

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 and back legs. Tan points will not show up if the dog is white where the points would normally be. Tan points, whether clear or brindle aka Tan or Trindle, can be colored almost white to dark tan according to other DNA. (see Intensity Gene).

Tan points can also be hidden by other genes, such as the Solid [aa], or the Seal [Kb] 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 dogs that show tan points &/or have dark etching, do carry one [at] & are ayat in their dna. Most 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. Visit our Color Study Page for more info.

DNA

Ss or ss

Platinum basically means an ALL WHITE Dog. Platinum is not a color, but is rather a lack of pigment. So you can technically have a genetic true color dog, such as a Dark Chocolate Tri who is ALL white! It has been accepted for years now, that dogs with spots of color that represent 10% or less of the total body color, may be designated Platinum. The preferred True Platinum has an all white coat. Any where the dog is white could have hidden color, remember white takes out the color that would normally be there. 

Piebald, Parti or Random White Spotting

White patterns in dogs does not have a uniform genetic basis. Some white patterns, are symmetrical with white markings on the undersides, collar and muzzle. Patterns of less symmetrical white spotting are often called piebald, parti, or random white.

In Red/Yellow (Fawn) dogs, the hair is not affected by the 2 DILUTE genes [bb & dd] nor the Merle Dilute Gene. The nose, footpads, and eyeliner is the only thing affected by these color genes. Therefore, you can have a dog with it's original hair color, but with diluted pigment as noted. These dogs are correctly referred to as Lilac Fawn/Sable, Blue Fawn/Sable, Chocolate Fawn/Sable and Ghost Merle. There is no Black Fawn/sable, this is the same as the standard fawn/sable dog with a black nose.

For any color dog to be TRUE color rather than Fawn/Sable Color, it has to have a FULL Black Base or at least one dominant seal gene base. The 2 black Bases are the SEAL gene [Kb] needing only one since it is a dominant gene, and the Black and Tan gene [atat]. 

Visit our Sable vs Fawn Study Page for more info. 

Photo Courtesy Bully French Bulldog

The genes that cause dogs to be Brindle are not yet fully understood, even by the scientists themselves. What we do know so far is that one of the markers on the K gene, specifically Kbr, is responsible for the brindle color on the coat, whether it be a partial or full brindleing, such as the Tan Points being brindled, which is what we call Trindle. The agouti gene overrides the brindle gene on the dogs body coat & makes it look solid color, except for any area where the dog is tan pointed or white.

The K gene is confusingly called Dominant Black, because this gene shows as brindle, and black (seal). ALL brindle dogs carry at least one K gene. It takes only one since it is a Dominant gene to show on the dog. 

The Merle Gene dilutes random sections of hair to a lighter color which leaves Patches of the original color, sometimes these patches can be very small. If you start with a black dog and add the Merle Gene, you still have a black dog genetically, but with sections of the black diluted. Unlike the piebald pattern, these patches or sections may look jagged on the outer edges. Merle affects only the Eumelanin, and does not affect the Phaeomelanin (red/fawn) which will appear normal. This means you can have a merle dog and not see it visually. Merle affects only black based coat color. Eyes, and noses can also be merled.

Black Merle dogs are often called Blue Merle because the Merle gene dilutes patches of black to a grey color. Blue Merle on genetically Black Merle dogs is a widely used term, but is not correct. They should be called Black Merle, their nose, footpad, and eyeliner pigment is still black. If these dogs did not have the merle gene, they would be solid black. The term Blue merle, when used on black dogs is misleading because blue dogs should have the [dd] gene if they were truly blue. A black merle dog will never have the double [dd] gene, but the True Blue Merle dog would always be [dd]. It is the patches on the dog that will visually define the dogs color and what it should be appropriately called. This can be backed up with DNA testing. Thus in the True Blue Merle dog, the patches that are left would be True Blue and the sections that are diluted would be a much lighter color blue. This is the case in all the Rare Colors. The sections left on the lilac Merle dog are almost white, it is so light. Makes since when you think about it. There are 3 dilution genes at work in a Lilac Merle dog. Some of these colors will blend in with the diluted color so much, that DNA Color Testing may need to be done to be sure of the true color.

The Merle gene when doubled up, can, but not always does, cause health issues, mostly deafness and blindness. For this reason, two merles should not be bred together, as this could result in double Merle puppies with possible problems. These problems are virtually eliminated in single Merle gene dogs and the percentage of incidence is the same as in any breed, color, or pattern. Double Merle can be problematic because it can cause lack of pigment in certain vital areas, such as the eyes and inner ears. Single merle dogs have plenty of pigment because they still have a non-merle allel to make pigment. Double Merles often have large areas of white where there is no pigment produced.

In the hierarchy of genes, the Merle Gene overrides the Dominant Black(SEAL) gene, the Seal gene overrides the black and tan gene, so you can have a Black and Tan, Black Seal, Black Merle dog and would mainly see only the merle, but muted. It is very important to know the TRUE DNA of your dog if you plan to breed. 

DNA

New Shade Isabella: bb coco dd

New Shade Chocolate: bb coco

New Shade in and of itself, is always both double Chocolate Genes, Cocoa and Testable Chocolate. New Shade actually only applies to 2 Colors/Combos...New Shade Isabella and New Shade Testable Chocolate.

Photo is a New Shade Isabella & Tan

Photo Courtesy   MiamiBlueFrenchBulldogs 

W

Photo Courtesy Bully French Bulldog

DNA

Photo Courtesy Color Coded Frenchies

There isn’t a DNA test for velvet.

The coat is extremely short from head to toe, almost like a shaved head, which is why you can see skin especially on the wrinkles. The hair is very soft and silky literally like Velvet!

With Velvet parents there is a 50/50 chance that each pup will be velvet. 

Photo Courtesy Bad Boy French

DNA

Hairless: NDup

Lion Mane Hairless: NDup LL

Did you know that Hairlessness in the dog has evolved in and of itself, at least twice. One form of hairlessness, the FOX13 Gene is present in several breeds and is a dominant trait which is lethal when 2 copies of the Gene are inherited. It is believed that these babies die in utero. FOX13 Hairless dogs should never be bred together.

Hairless dogs actually do have some hair, mostly in the form of peach fuzz, but some dogs can have peach fuzz (very short hair) in an abundance usually on the head, tail, and feet.  This is a normal Hairless dog.

The Lion Mane Hairless however, will have normal, thicker, longer hair in those areas, with almost the entire leg having hair in some cases. 

Hairless dogs from the FOX13 Gene will usually have some missing teeth.

Pictured: Black Hairless

atat NDup

Photo: Viktoria Hairless

W