White-spotted coat (Piebald)

Trait overview

Asymmetrical and random white spotting, or Piebalding, is caused by a DNA variant in the Microphthalmia Associated Transcription Factor (MITF) gene. The genetic factors causing white spots in dogs is complex. The MITF variant that causes Piebalding appears to be a dosage-dependent trait, meaning that two copies of the variant leads to more extreme white spotting, as compared to just one copy.

Gene name(s)

MITF

Inheritance

Autosomal incomplete dominance

More common in the following breeds

Bernese Mountain Dog, Basenji, Beagle, Fox Terrier, Boxer, Greyhound, Basset Hound, Border Collie, Bulldog, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua, Chinese Shar-Pei, Cocker Spaniel (American and English), French Bulldog, German Shepherd, German Pointer (Longhaired, Shorthaired, and Wirehaired), Havanese, Newfoundland, Poodle, Portuguese Water Dog, Saint Bernard, Yorkshire Terrier, Whippet

Citations

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17906626/ https://doi.org/10.1111/age.13154 https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/piebald-dog