e/e cream

Cream dogs have no black hair. The 'on switch' to make black pigment is basically non-functional. Only yellow pigment is produced and the cream/yellow colour varies from near-white to warm gold. Several "Intensity" genes control the shade of cream. Solid cream dogs are a good opportunity to see the fundamental phaeomelanin 'intensity' genes at work on a blank canvas of dog hair.

Two genes working together, control the majority of dog coat patterns. Historically they were called A and E. These days they are known as ASIP and MCR1

E works like a switch or a regulator valve. If the E (MCR1) gene product is working properly, the dog will have a lot of darkly pigmented hair.

I like to think of MCR1 as a hose nozzle rather than a switch. It has a soaker mode (Em), a normal spray, (E), a light spray (Ed) and it can also be turned completely off (e)

Cream dogs have the soaker hose turned off. No black pigment can appear on the dog.

Spirit is a good example of the extreme, almost white end of the 'cream' spectrum. He has no eumelanin (black pigment) but he has very pale phaeomelanin too.

Thanks to C Rixon for so many wonderful photos of Spirit.

Spirit hasn't been colour tested but he had a bit of black nose and paw pigment as a newborn. He's almost certainly "Black Based" cream, as are all the lappies on this e/e page.

As of 2019 the gene for controlling the 'warmth' of cream colour has been identified. (MFSD12) A commercial test is now available. It may not explain why Spirit is SO pale. There will be some other untestable genes at work too.

This lovely cream pup is Lilly. She was a very chubby baby. She's more typical of the pale warm cream in Finnish Lapphunds generally. Her noseleather is still completely black but this will fade as she grows up.

Thanks to L Vial, Orical Kennels, NSW and L Leppäsalo for photos of Lilly