This message is from: Jean Ernest <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>

What you have to remember is that "White Dun" in Fjords is NOT the same as "White" in other breeds. Actually it is "Ulsdun" in Norwegian, which I have read to mean "Wool colored". The skin is black, and often there are black leg markings, etc. On truly "White" horses of other breeds ( and Kvit in the Fjord) the skin is pink, no pigment. And in Paints you get the "Lethal White", which can occur when Paints with a lot of white are bred to each other. I understand that in the Australian Shepherd breed they don't breed two "Blue Merles" to each other for the same problems you mention. They apparently get more white areas, and eventually, breeding those together would get all white, with some genetic defects.

An interesting side note: I believe it was in Russia on the fox farms they were selecting the most tame and gentle foxes from the wild stock for breeding stock: After several generations foxes appeared with more and more white, white paws and white ruffs, and even floppy ears started to show up.

Interesting stuff, this genetics.

Jean in  a very rainy Fairbanks, Alaska,




Same with horse breeds I believe, with some of them it is a bad thing and 25% of their offspring don't make it, but with the Fjord breed it is a different kind of occurrence I am told, hence my interest.

My dog breed study, re: white, is surrounding a herd breed that has white accents (bib & paws) normally occurring.. ordinarily called piebald white I believe. But every once and again there will be a litter of total white pups born (sometimes half a litter--but all white bodies) born to colored parents (?!)...which occurrence is a non-standard irregularity. I began to wonder that maybe it could be a marker for inbreeding as it only occurs when there is a particular dog way back in both pedigrees ..and if either dog is again mated with a different dog, all is well (no marker match). sorry to digress, but wanted to amplify my interest. I am back to square one on the subject. If anyone knows of further information on the study I'd love to hear about it.

Ruthie, nw mt US ...a beautiful sunshiny day after torrential rains in the night.. refreshing rain! (sorely needed)

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