Genetics and characteristics
Hair length in dogs is generally classified as either canine long hair (the Golden Retriever) or short (the Labrador Retriever), and is under the control of two alleles: L > l. Taking a candidate approach, Housley and Venta (2006) identified a coding variant in the FGF5 gene (fibroblast growth factor), associated with long hair. A later survey showed that the FGF559F allele was fixed (or nearly fixed) within most long-hair breeds, consistent with a general theme that most traits shared across breeds have a common genetic basis.
The Afghan Hound and the Yorkshire Terrier are notable exceptions, however, for which long hair is not associated with the FGF559F allele, indicating that an additional FGF5 allele or a different gene is responsible for increased hair length in these breeds.
Results Reported As
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References:
Cadieu, E., Neff, M.W., Quignon, P., Walsh, K., Chase, K., Parker, H.G., Vonholdt, B.M., Rhue, A., Boyko, A., Byers, A., et al. (2009). Coat variation in the domestic dog is governed by variants in three genes. Science 326, 150–153.
Housley, D.J.E., and Venta, P.J. (2006). The long and the short of it: evidence that FGF5 is a major determinant of canine “hair”-itability. Anim. Genet. 37, 309–315.