Traits
What DNA can and can't predict about how your dog looks
A handful of genes shape a lot of how a dog looks: whether it has a beard and eyebrows, a curly or straight coat, a long or short one, and whether it has blue eyes. A DNA test can predict these traits from those genes, each with its own level of confidence. These guides explain the genes behind each trait, how they're inherited, and what a prediction can and can't tell you.
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The 11 traits in a PuppyGenes report
The physical appearance section of the report predicts these coat and body features. Each prediction has its own confidence, and some can be unavailable for a given sample. Coat colour, pattern and markings have a separate section of their own.
| Trait | Gene | What it describes |
|---|---|---|
| Furnishings | RSPO2 | Facial hair such as a beard, moustache or prominent eyebrows. |
| Coat length | FGF5 | The reported tendency toward a shorter or longer coat. |
| Coat curl | KRT71 | The reported tendency toward a straighter, wavier or curlier coat. |
| Shedding | MC5R | A reported shedding tendency; this is not a measurement of how much your dog sheds. |
| Hairlessness (Xolo type) | FOXI3 | The result for the Xolo-type hairlessness trait included in this report. |
| Hairlessness (terrier type) | SGK3 | The result for the terrier-type hairlessness trait included in this report. |
| Muzzle length | BMP3 | The reported tendency in muzzle length. |
| Tail length | T (brachyury) | The reported tendency in natural tail length. |
| Hind dewclaws | LMBR1 | The reported tendency to have dewclaws on the hind legs. |
| Muscling | ACSL4 | The reported tendency in body muscling, not a measure of fitness or strength. |
| Eye colour | ALX4 | The eye-colour tendency covered by this report, not a prediction of every possible eye colour. |
All guides
Why Do Some Dogs Have Blue Eyes? The Genetics Explained
Blue eyes in dogs come from at least three genetic routes: a gene duplication common in Siberian Huskies, the merle pattern, and white markings that reach the eyes. Here's how each works, and what a DNA test can show.
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Curly, Wavy or Straight: The Curly Coat Gene in Dogs
Why some dogs are curly, some wavy and some straight: the KRT71 gene, why one copy usually means wavy and two mean curly, the second curl variant found in 2019, and how curl affects shedding.
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Furnishings in Dogs: The Gene Behind Beards and Eyebrows
Furnishings are the beard, moustache and eyebrows of wire-haired breeds, Poodles and most doodles. Here's the single gene behind them, how they're inherited, and how they connect to shedding.
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Long Coat vs Short Coat: The Long-Hair Gene in Dogs
Why two short-haired dogs can have a fluffy, long-haired puppy: the FGF5 gene, how long coats are inherited, the several long-hair variants researchers have found, and what a DNA test shows.
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Why Some Dogs Shed More: The Genetics of Shedding
Every dog sheds, but some shed far more than others. Here's what the genetics say: the furnishings gene, a shedding gene called MC5R, single versus double coats, and why 'non-shedding' is a myth.
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Do Doodles Shed? The Genes That Decide How Much
Every doodle sheds some hair, but some barely leave a trace. Here's how furnishings, curl, an undercoat and a shedding gene decide which, why littermates differ, and what helps.
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Improper Coat Doodles: Why Some Doodles Have Flat Coats
Some doodles grow up with a smooth face and a flat, shedding coat. Here's the furnishings gene behind an improper coat, how often it turns up in each generation, and how to tell.
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Doodle Generations Explained: F1, F1B, F2 and Multigen
What F1, F1B, F2 and multigen really mean, how each generation shifts the odds of a curly, furnished or improper coat, and why the parents' genes matter more than the label.
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Why Your Dog's DNA Results Don't Match Their Looks
Your dog looks like a Lab, but the DNA says Poodle, Boxer and Husky. Here's why: a handful of genes control looks, ancestry is spread across the whole genome, and small breed shares come from far back in the family tree.
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Want to see what your dog's DNA suggests?
A PuppyGenes report covers six sections for your dog: breed ancestry, coat colour, physical appearance, temperament and size predictions, genetic diversity and oral microbiome. The report does not include genetic disease or health screening.
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