The Color of Cream

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True creams are difficult to find. Many are actually reds that are mis-identified, either by accident or by greed. Recently, a test to identify cream has been developed. It is the "I" or Intensity gene.

The only way to be sure the pup or dog is cream is to test for the intensity gene or if s/he has two cream parents. If s/he has one cream parent, cream is only possible if the other parent carries cream. You cannot tell by looking because your eyes will deceive you.  If  you are unsure, ask a cream breeder.

Shaded Cream (black-based) 

Born very dark and lighten as they age. A dark dorsal stripe will distinguish them from other colors. They often look as though they have "points" when born that fade. Black nose and nails, black eyeliner. The E gene affects the amount of black hairs. EE cream will have a larger amount of black remaining on ears and tail.  Ee cream will fade to little or no black overlay. A Shaded Cream dog can produce any color of cream. See example below.

Shaded Cream (chocolate-based)

Can be born a medium cream color and fade or can be very light. Often look as though they have "points" when born that fade.  No dorsal stripe. Liver colored nose and nails, chocolate eyeliner. Perhaps slightly darker ears at maturity, otherwise very light. See example below.

Pale (aka ee) Cream 

Born with no black hairs. Born very light, stays very light. Can be black-based or chocolate based. See example below.

Black/Cream 

Not to be confused with Black/Tan. Black with cream "points". Points are the eyebrow patches, chest patch, lower legs, etc. A Black/Cream dog can produce any color of cream. See example below.

Chocolate/Cream   

Not to be confused with Chocolate/Tan. Chocolate with cream "points". Points are the eyebrow patches, chest patch, lower legs, etc. A Chocolate/Cream dog can produce any color of cream. See example below.

ee Red 

This is not a cream at all.  Born very light, it takes an expert to identify whether the puppy is red or cream with the assistance of pictures of the parents and pedigrees. Will darken as they mature, becoming varying degrees of light red. Many ee red pups are sold as cream.

PATTERNS

There are 3 patterns for dachshunds. Brindle, Piebald, and Dapple. Any can be black- or chocolate-based.

Cream Brindle is a cream base with dark brindle stripes. They are born very dark and sometimes lightens as they mature, but usually remain their birth color. Almost always black-based. See example below.

Cream piebald are mostly white with cream colored spots. Sometimes they have cream ticking! See example below.

Shaded Cream piebald are mostly white with cream colored spots. The darker hairs go away as they mature and all that is left is cream and white. Quite often they have cream ticking as well! See example below.

Cream Dapple. Dappling may be very faint and hard to identify as a puppy, and fades as they mature. This is called a "hidden-dapple". For breeding purposes, if they have a dapple parent they should be DNA tested for the Merle gene as breeding two dapples can have horrific results. See example below.