Luna is E/e (carrier of recessive red). Apollo is E/E (homozygous, no recessive red). Apollo contributes E to every puppy. The recessive red (ee) phenotype is not possible in this litter. All puppies will produce eumelanin pigment.

Luna carries one dominant black allele (K/k). Apollo is k/k (no dominant black). Approximately half the litter will inherit Luna's K allele, producing a solid eumelanin coat that overrides A locus tan-point patterning. The other half will inherit kk, allowing tri-color and tan-point patterns from the A locus to fully express.

Apollo is at/at (homozygous black-and-tan). For puppies that inherit kk at the K locus (approximately half the litter), the A locus is expressed. Combined with B locus outcomes, the tri-color expression can present as classic black-and-tan, chocolate-and-tan, or with limited white markings depending on S locus inheritance.

Both Luna and Apollo are B/b (heterozygous, black-based with brown carrier status). The classic 1:2:1 ratio applies: approximately 25% homozygous black (BB), 50% black with brown carrier (Bb), and 25% chocolate-based (bb). Chocolate puppies present with brown nose, eye rims, and footpads instead of black.

Luna is S/sp (carrier of one white-spotting allele). Apollo is S/S (no white-spotting alleles). Approximately half the litter will inherit Luna's sp allele, expressing as limited white markings on chest, paws, muzzle, or tail tip. The other half will show minimal to no white.

Apollo is M*/m (one merle allele, single merle). Luna is m/m (no merle alleles). Approximately half the litter will inherit one merle allele. Because Luna contributes only m alleles, no puppy in this litter can be double-merle. This is a safe merle pairing.

Future breeding note: Any merle-carrying puppy from this litter retained for breeding requires a follow-up genetic panel before pairing decisions, and must never be bred to another merle-carrier. Double-merle pairings carry significant health risks. Standard breeding-program protocol applies.

Both Luna and Apollo are D/D (no dilute alleles). No puppy in this litter can be dilute. All eumelanin pigment will present at full depth: black or chocolate, never blue or isabella.

Combining all loci, this litter is expected to produce a wide and visually striking color range:

• Pattern split: ~50% solid eumelanin (Kk), ~50% tan-point or tri-pattern (kk + at/at)
• Base pigment: ~75% black-based, ~25% chocolate-based
• Merle overlay: ~50% merle on either solid or tri base
• White: ~50% with limited white markings
• Likely phenotypes: solid black, solid chocolate, black tri, chocolate tri, black tri merle, chocolate tri merle, with or without limited white
• Not possible: recessive red, dilute (blue/isabella), double merle

Litter color presentation will be one of the most visually diverse in the program. Final color confirmation occurs at 8 weeks following coat development.

Luna is Em/e (mask carrier, recessive red carrier). George is e/e (recessive red, displays as deep red). George passes e to every puppy. Luna passes Em or e at 50/50. Outcome: ~50% puppies recessive red (e/e, like George), ~50% carry one Em allele and one e allele (Em/e), with mask expression possible on a dark base.

Luna is KB/ky. George is ky/ky. George passes ky to every puppy. Luna passes KB or ky at 50/50. Approximately half the litter inherits Luna's KB and shows solid eumelanin; the other half inherits ky from both parents (kyky) and allows tan-point patterning to fully express.

Important interaction with E locus: K locus only affects puppies that can produce dark pigment (not e/e). Recessive red puppies still inherit K alleles and can pass them to future generations, but their phenotype is governed by E (red coat).

Both Luna and Apollo are at/at. All puppies inherit at/at. The pattern only visually expresses in puppies that are also kyky at K locus AND not ee at E locus. Those puppies will display classic black-and-tan or chocolate-and-tan phantom expression.

Luna is B/b (black-pigmented, brown carrier). George is b/b (chocolate-base, brown homozygous). George passes b to every puppy. Luna passes B or b at 50/50. Outcome: ~50% B/b (black-based, brown carrier), ~50% b/b (chocolate-based with brown nose, eye rims, footpads).

Headline: This is a high-chocolate-yield pairing. Combined with E locus splitting half the litter into recessive red, expect a dramatic mix of deep red puppies with black noses, deep red puppies with brown (liver) noses, solid chocolate puppies, chocolate tri puppies, and black tri puppies. This is the broadest color expression Luna can produce.

Luna is S/sp (one parti allele). George is S/S (no parti alleles). George passes S to every puppy. Luna passes S or sp at 50/50. Outcome: ~50% S/S (minimal/no white), ~50% S/sp (limited white markings on chest, paws, muzzle, or tail tip). No parti puppies possible in this litter.

George is M*/m (one merle allele, displays as subtle merle on his red coat). Luna is m/m (no merle alleles). George passes M* or m at 50/50. Luna passes m to every puppy. Outcome: ~50% M*/m (merle), ~50% m/m (non-merle). Because Luna contributes only m alleles, no puppy in this litter can be double-merle. This is a safe merle pairing.

Merle expression varies by base color. Merle is more visually obvious on dark coats (black, chocolate, tri-point) and substantially more subtle on recessive red coats. Some merle puppies in the e/e half of the litter may appear as deep red with faint mottling or appear non-merle to the untrained eye despite carrying the M* allele.

Future breeding note: Any merle-carrying puppy from this litter retained for breeding requires a follow-up genetic panel before pairing decisions and must never be bred to another merle-carrier. Puppies from the e/e half of the litter must be DNA-tested for merle status because their phenotype will not reliably indicate carrier status. Standard breeding-program protocol applies.

Both Luna and George are D/D. No puppy can be dilute. All eumelanin pigment will present at full depth: black or chocolate, never blue or isabella.

Combining all loci, this litter is expected to produce one of the broadest color ranges in the program:

• E split: ~50% recessive red (e/e), ~50% dark-pigmented (Em/e)
• K split: Of dark puppies, ~50% solid (KB/ky), ~50% tan-pattern (ky/ky)
• B split: ~50% black-based, ~50% chocolate-based (driven by George's bb)
• Merle overlay: ~50% carry one merle allele on either base
• White: ~50% with limited white markings, ~50% minimal/no white
• Likely phenotypes: deep red with black nose, deep red with brown (liver) nose, solid black, solid chocolate, black tri, chocolate tri, plus merle versions of all of the above
• Not possible: dilute (blue/isabella), parti, double merle

Final color and merle expression confirmation occurs at 8 weeks following coat development. Recessive red puppies should be DNA-confirmed for merle status as visual identification is unreliable on red coats.