The joy of color patterns.

For many years, the 'phantom' pattern was not one that I had considered placing in my program. It took me a while to STOP associating that color pattern with aggressive tendencies.  It is wrong, I know and not fair to any breed representative of that pattern.

When I visited some lovely Bernese Mountain Dogs, which have a similar pattern, I realized how silly I was in my thoughts. I LOVED their look and realized how much I wanted that pattern and set on a course to produce some. 

After many DNA pattern tests, my first one was born and I was over the moon. Molly was everything I had hoped for. A gorgeous coat, perfect phantom pattern and a temperament to die for - except she had an underbite. I was beyond disappointed but had to let her go as a pet.  Health still has to be the first requirement for keeping a breeding candidate.

A couple years later, two phantoms were produced in the Gunny x Lil Abner litter and voila - Thaddeus Dood captured my eye and my heart.  I am so hoping he will test out well in a year or so; but in the meantime, I enjoy sharing his pic from his awesome guardian, Paul.

Thaddeus Dood showing off his new groom.

There are many genes that must 'combine' to produce particular patterns. You just can't randomly breed doodles and think it will happen. It is a deliberate process and may take years to achieve. I saw my first Labradoodle with a 'tri' pattern twelve years ago and fell in love.  A tri pattern includes white within the phantom coloration. Look up a Bernese Mountain Dog and you will see what I mean. I have been working towards that pattern for a long time and hope within a couple of years, I will achieve it.

Breeding is certainly a labor of love, dedication and sometimes, heartbreak!