Coat Color Forecast
See what your litter could look like before you breed
Choosing a pairing isn't just about health and structure. Color matters too, whether you're working toward a specific look, trying to avoid producing colors outside your breed standard, or making sure a mating doesn't carry hidden risks.
Dog Breeder Pro predicts the coat colors and coat types your litter could produce, with percentages, custom illustrations, and the full genetic breakdown behind every result.
How it works
Store your dogs' DNA test results for coat color and coat type genetics in Dog Breeder Pro. It doesn't matter where you tested. Results from any lab work. Select a sire and dam, and Dog Breeder Pro crosses the genotypes and calculates every possible outcome for the litter, with the probability of each.
You can also enter results for dogs that aren't in your system, so you can forecast a litter with an outside stud or a prospective pairing without adding them to your database first.
No manual Punnett squares. No guesswork. Just the results, based on the genetics you've entered.
18 loci, over 12,500 illustrations
Dog Breeder Pro supports 18 genetic loci across coat color and coat type, more than any other breeding software.
Coat Color Loci: A (Agouti), AS (Saddle Tan/RALY), B (Brown), C (Albinism), CO (Cocoa), D (Dilute), E (Extension), H (Harlequin), K (Black), M (Merle), S (Spotting), R (Roan)
Coat Type Loci: Cu (Curly Coat), IC (Furnishings), L (Long Coat/Fluffy), I (Intensity), T (Bobtail), SD (Shedding)
Every color and pattern combination has its own custom illustration, over 12,500 in total, so you see exactly what each predicted outcome would look like. These aren't generic silhouettes. Each one reflects the actual appearance of that specific genetic combination.
The forecast also handles epistasis, where one gene masks another. A recessive red dog (ee) hides everything at the A and K loci. A dominant black dog can mask agouti patterning. Dog Breeder Pro accounts for these interactions, so the predictions reflect how coat color genetics actually work, not just how each locus works in isolation.
The Simple Forecast
The simple forecast gives you the quick answer: what could this litter produce, and at what odds? Each possible outcome is shown with a percentage and an illustration so you can see at a glance what to expect.
Health and safety notes
If a mating carries genetic risks, Dog Breeder Pro flags them directly in the forecast. If both parents carry merle, the report notes the risk of producing homozygous merle puppies and the associated health implications. If both parents carry the bobtail gene, you'll see a warning that approximately 25% of embryos would be homozygous (T T), which is embryonic lethal and will likely result in a smaller litter. You see this before you breed, not after.
The Detailed Forecast
The detailed forecast goes a level deeper. For each possible outcome, you see four things:
Visible - what the puppy would actually look like. The color and pattern you'd see.
Hidden - traits that are present in the genotype but masked by another gene. For example, a dog might carry agouti patterning, but dominant black hides it. The trait is there genetically, it's just not visible.
Carried - recessive traits the dog carries but doesn't express. A puppy might look black but carry recessive dilute, chocolate, or cream. If bred to another carrier, those traits could appear in the next generation.
Genotype - the full genetic code behind the result, locus by locus.
Knowing what's hidden and carried is as important as knowing what's visible. If you're planning two or three generations ahead, these are the genetics that will shape future litters. This is where Dog Breeder Pro helps you think beyond the current litter. A breeder who wants to introduce a specific color into their program, or breed it out, can trace exactly which genetics need to be present and which pairings will get them there.
The Punnett Squares
For breeders who want to see the full working, Dog Breeder Pro shows the Punnett square for each locus. This is the genetics math: which alleles each parent contributes, how they combine, and the probability of each result.
You don't need to read this section to use the forecast. But it's there for anyone who wants to verify the calculations, learn the genetics, or understand why a specific outcome has the probability it does.
Built with an expert
The coat color forecasting in Dog Breeder Pro was built in collaboration with Jess at doggenetics.co.uk , one of the most widely referenced authorities on canine coat color genetics. Jess provides ongoing input to ensure the calculations are accurate and reflect the latest research, and works closely with the team on every update.
Every one of the 12,500+ illustrations in Dog Breeder Pro was created by Jess to accurately represent how each genotype combination actually looks. The logic behind how traits like saddle tan, cocker sable, merle patterning and more are displayed is continuously refined as new genetic research emerges.
All your genetic results in one place
No more digging through emails or lab portals. Enter your DNA test results once and they're available whenever you need them, whether you're running a forecast, reviewing a dog's genetics, or sharing results with a co-owner.
Download and share
The full coat color forecast is available as a downloadable PDF report. Print it for your records, share it with a co-owner or stud dog owner, or keep it on file alongside your other breeding documentation.