Self colour

A self colour refers to the top coat colouration of several domestic animals, such as dogs, pet rodents and cats. It refers to hairs of a uniform shade, with no banding or tipping of another colour. A true "self" coloured animal should also have no white markings such as bibs or blazes. However, other definitions exist.

In contrast, a "sable" (dogs), "ticked" (dogs or cats) or "agouti" (cats or rodents) coat has two or more different colours along the shaft of the hair, with one colour at the base and usually a darker colour, such as black, at the tip.

The term can also be used to distinguish between color and pattern; patterns are unpigmented areas with pink skin and white hair. In this definition, an animal has only one self-color, which is the sum effect of all the genes acting on the pigment. For example, a buckskin tobiano horse or black and tan piebald Dachshund have patterns (tobiano, piebald) and self-colors (buckskin, black and tan).

References

* [http://www.nationalmouseclub.co.uk/standards.html Breed Standards] The National Mouse Club. Accessed May 28, 2008.
* [http://www.dachshund.org/Colors/breed_colors_patterns.html Dachshund Colors and Patterns] Dachshund.org. Accessed May 28, 2008.