BRINDLE color genetics, why in Cardigans?
I have been wondering why Brindle is a color found in Cardigans and where that color may be genetically coming from in the history/development of the breed. I know that it is not a color found in Pembrokes, why not?
Brindle is a color pattern most breeds do not carry. I really never gave it much thought because it did not occur in Alaskan Malamutes, the breed I was active in for 30 year. When I started looking to adopt a Cardigan, I didn't even know this color patters was possible until Mowgli showed up on Petfinder....Not sure of what he was, I was happy to learn that his Brindle color made it likely he really was a Cardigan, so we made the two hour drive to the shelter ( at 9000 feet in January....) and indeed that proved to be the case.
I have seen brindle in the Mastiff body type breeds ( Great Dane, Presa Canario, Boxer, Pit Bulls, all way down to the Boston Terrier and Bull Terriers ) but I doubt these breeds have anything in common with the Cardigan. I know the Cardigan also presents the Blue Merle color, which is not in Pembrokes, but blue Merle is found in some herding breeds ( Collie, Sheltie, Australian Shepherd ) and, in my mind, not as much of a stretch as Brindle.
I also know that the Cardigan is a much older breed than the Pembroke. Can anyone shed some light as to where the Brindle may have found its way into the breed? Also, why not in Pembrokes? I suspect it is a dominant trait, is this the case?
Interestingly, no brindle in wolf or coyote populations....
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jane on
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Starting on page 4 of this article they discuss the "brindle herder" which was crossed with corgis.
http://www.cardicommentary.de/Hist.Art/The%20original%20Corgi_rev.pdf
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Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on
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Thank you Jane, I printed it out and will read it after dinner.
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Permalink Reply by Sirius_Blaidd_Cardis on
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I don't know how true it is, but I read once that the Pems used to have brindle (but still rarely) and then when they revised the breed standard they decided it was no longer a desirable color and wrote it out. This is one of the articles about it that I found if it's of interest :) http://www.welshcorgi-news.ch/Leseecke/InfoCorgi/Brindle_Pems_eng.html
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Very interesting Shauna! Having been a member of various Breed Clubs, I can recognize politics when I see it.... It also shows that so many breed for the show ring ( as the article says brindle was not a disqualification, only a penalty) Judges preferences in selecting winning dogs are often influenced by what they themselves breed, making it hard to win if you have something out of favor. I bred Alaskan Malamutes where size is to be considered in selecting the best dog in the show ring "when all else is equal" but rarely does a larger than average dog win.... I saw many decisions made in Breed Clubs and indeed by the AKC that made me scratch my head.
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Great article, Jane! The first thing stated is that the Corgi originated from the Teckel family. When I adopted my miniature Dachshund, my German neighbor exclaimed: "Oh, you got a Teckel!" Now I understand why, when I later adopted Mowgli, the Doxie treated him as her long lost relative!
Apparently the original Dachshund was a 30 to 40 Lbs. dog. That connection explains the dwarfism, the long back and the dropped ears that were in the photo of the last full blooded Corgi, Mon. The later introduction to the breeding pool of the Red Heeler and then the Brindle Herder explains the further evolution of the Cardigan. The brindle is also found in the Dachshund.
I also own a Border Collie-Blue Heeler mix and, although she is black and while with ticking, it always intreagued me that the color pattern on her and Mowgli are identical. By this I mean where and how the white color is displayed on the muzzle, body and feet . They also have the same wide head and upright ears.
"Coincidences brought back far enough become inevitable..." somehow, at my house, I have a facsimile of the whole evolution process including the latest model :-DD Little did I know!
I especially enjoyed reading about the changing needs of the people in the region and how those needs shaped the working patterns of the Corgi. Again, thanks a bunch for the link.
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