A Whippet is a breed of dog that is rare, because when it competes in professional dog show events, it cannot be disqualified due to coloration. The breed comes in a wide variety of different colors and combinations, which is called Parti-colored. In this article we will discuss the coat colors of the Whippet breed and the genetics that play an integral role in determining what color the Whippet litter will be.
Statistics show that dun colored Whippets are the rarest, appearing in only 1 in 1500-2000 births. The dun coloration can sometimes be confused with the fawn coloration, although the dun coloration can vary in shades from light blue fawn to a deep dark chocolate brown. Pardos are easy to recognize because they have a pinkish-brown color to their nose. A dun color also provides another clue as to what their true color is when mated, as a dun-colored dog will sire black puppies when mixed with a fawn-colored Whippet, while a fawn or brindle mating will never result in black. puppies being born
The basic colors of a Whippet can be black, dun (chocolate brown or liver red), blue, fawn, and brindle. It is also possible for a Whippet to be white, but most dog experts do not list this color because it is considered colorless. White Whippets are rare and are more likely to be a combination of other colors with white patches on the fur; this is called Parti-colored, which is discussed later in the article.
Brindle is not really considered a color, but rather a color combination that often resembles what is called tiger stripes. Sometimes the stripes on a tabby can be so faint that the color appears to be solid until you look closely. Brindle colors can appear in shades of red, brown, fawn, dark, light, black, and blue.
A blue Whippet is actually a dilution of a black coat that can range from a light grayish blue to a very dark, almost black color. Many Blue Whippets will have a nose that is closer to a blue color than an actual black nose. Fawn-colored Whippets can range from deep red hues to a lighter fawn color.
A pied whippet is a combination of any of the colors listed above with white, and is usually referred to as White and the color’s name. As mentioned above, a pure white Whippet is a rarity and even with the smallest marking of color on the coat it would be referred to as a pied Whippet.
There are three genes that determine what color a Whippet is. One gene determines the actual color of the Whippet coat, another gene determines whether or not the color will be recessive or dominant, and the third decides whether the coat will be solid or mixed in color. It has been found that some color combinations always make pups of one color and never another. An example would be black to black Whippets, which can result in any color combination, while breeding dun to dun would not result in brindle, fawn, black or blue puppies.