# Pink Pigment?



## Its.Just.Birdie (Jan 13, 2018)

I'm new to poodles, so forgive me, but why is pink pigment an undesired quality?


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Each breed has a "breed standard" that describes what a "perfect" dog of that breed would look like. Some parts of a breed standard deal with items that affect how the dog would perform; other parts of the standard describe how the dog should look. For example the poodle standard states that the loin should be "short, broad, and muscular". A poodle who meets that part of the standard should be athletic - thus a good retriever who can handle land and water retrieves that involve obstacles. On the other hand, the requirement that the dog be a solid color at the skin is a cosmetic requirement - not a functional requirement.

You may surmise that the cosmetic requirements are unnecessary - but they contribute to the overall look of that breed. Poodles, Irish Water Spaniels, and Portuguese Water Dogs are closely related breeds that have many similarities - they are all water retrievers. It's primarily those cosmetic breed details that separate them.

Regarding pink pigment - many, perhaps most, breeds of dogs require dark, unspotted, pigment. Most people just find that more attractive.


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## reraven123 (Jul 21, 2017)

I don't know, but am guessing that the pink pigment would predispose a dog to deafness, and that is why it is considered a fault.


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## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

Very well said Johanna. Question, is pink pigment different from liver pigment or are they the same thing?


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Pink pigment and liver pigment are not the same. Liver pigment occurs on brown dogs (of any breed). Pink pigment is essentially a lack of black or brown pigment in the nose or eye rims.


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## chinchillafuzzy (Feb 11, 2017)

Johanna said:


> Pink pigment and liver pigment are not the same. Liver pigment occurs on brown dogs (of any breed). Pink pigment is essentially a lack of black or brown pigment in the nose or eye rims.


Thanks for clearing that up for me. I hadn't heard of pink pigment until recently and wondered if maybe it referred to a dog with liver nose who was supposed to have black, like any whites, creams, apricots or reds who have liver points. I know that liver is acceptable but not desired in some colors (I think cream and apricot?) and obviously is acceptable (and mandatory) in Browns, cafes and silver beige.


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## Dechi (Aug 22, 2015)

chinchillafuzzy said:


> Thanks for clearing that up for me. I hadn't heard of pink pigment until recently and wondered if maybe it referred to a dog with liver nose who was supposed to have black, like any whites, creams, apricots or reds who have liver points. I know that liver is acceptable but not desired in some colors (I think cream and apricot?) and obviously is acceptable (and mandatory) in Browns, cafes and silver beige.


In apricots for sure, not desirable.

Here is Merlin :


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## Johanna (Jun 21, 2017)

Pigment color is controlled by the overall color. We have had an extensive thread on color genetics, but here is a simplification for pigment:

Pigment colors are black, liver (brown), pink, blue, and isabella (I don't think I've ever heard of blue or isabella pigment in poodles). Black pigment occurs in dogs with either BB or Bb genes. Black, blue, cream, white, and silver poodles should have black pigment. Brown and cafe au lait poodles should have brown pigment. Brown pigment results from having the bb gene. Apricots can have either black or brown pigment, but black is preferred. Cream dogs can have liver pigment, but it is not desirable.

Some of the breeds that can have blue pigment are Italian greyhounds, Great Danes, whippets, and Weimaraners. Dogs with blue pigment are usually blue in color. Weimaraners can have isabella pigment (sort of a brownish blue).

What is important for poodle breeders is to know what color genes a dog carries to avoid unattractive combinations of coat and pigment.


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## Its.Just.Birdie (Jan 13, 2018)

Does it affect health/temperament at all (Such as more likely to sunburn..?) I've seen pictures of white poodles with pink noses (Ultimately, pink pignment) which I found more attractive than black noses. Because from what I'm understanding it's just the breed standard. 

Regardless, I'll always support ethical breeders who follow the breed standard, but that particular dog was cute.


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