Dog coat genetics Guide

Siberian Huskies have two main pigment genes: MC1R (E locus) controls black/red, and Agouti (A locus) controls banding patterns like agouti, sable, or saddle. These interact with dilution genes such as D locus (dilute) to produce shades from pure black to white.

The piebald (S locus) and extreme white (sp) genes cause irregular white spotting and can produce near-white coats. When combined with other dilution factors, the dog may appear mostly white with only small patches of color.

The Agouti (A locus) gene creates the banded hair seen in agouti puppies, where each hair has alternating light and dark bands. This pattern often fades with age, resulting in the typical gray, sable, or even white final coat.

Yes, because both parents carry the recessive red gene (e/e at the E locus). If each parent passes one red allele, the puppy will be red, regardless of its parents' visible color. This is why coat color inheritance in Huskies can be surprising.

A diluted coat (dd at D locus) turns black into gray or blue, and red into buff or cream. An isabella coat is a combination of dilution plus other modifiers that produce a pale, creamy tan with a pinkish tint, often seen with blue eyes.