• Question: My cousins dog as well as mine are some what called a blue drome, at least I think. (not the breed of dog, something to do with their pigmintation), they both have black fur and on their skin underneath the black their skin is blue why is this?

    Asked by alishacramer69 to Jo, Kevin on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Kevin Mahon

      Kevin Mahon answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      It is still actually down to its breeding – humans are amazing at causing change in domesticated species and colour is the easiest to change.

      Darwin called colour ‘the most fleeting of characters’ but the blue/black you describe is on of the rarest observed in dogs and is the result of generations of artificial selection!

      This blue coluration is a very recent development in dog breeding terms, first being noted at the very end of the 19th century.

      Researchers believe this coloouration is the result of several mutations of the Melanophilin gene!

    • Photo: Joanna Cruden

      Joanna Cruden answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      Hair grows from the skin but is not the same as skin, although you often find the skin colour under darker fur is darker and under light fur it is lighter, it is all down to genetics and breeding as Kevin has said. If the pigmentation changes it may be an indication there is something wrong with the dogs so keep an eye of their skin to make sure it is always nice and healthy.

      Humans have a lot to answer for when it comes to dogs breeding and how they look now compared to their wild ancestors. Out of interest what breed of dog are they?

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