Calico --- This term refers to a black tri rat terrier that has had significant color change from Black to Tan in the regions of the head and upper legs and onto the lower chest. This change usually dosen't start until the pup is around 12-16 weeks old. In my experience the black will continue to change to tan over the live of the dog.
Calico is an acceptable coat pattern. I think it is lovely.
Calico can not be identified by one picture alone. It is a process.
There are many levels of Calico , one of my favorite references is Little. He explains it as it is seen in Beagles. Please see the text and picture below.
This is Bogart's BullDowser of Poochville
Stella Puppies
This page was last updated on: February 28, 2007
This is Stella when she was 12 weeks old.
This is Stella when she was 1 year old.
This is Stella when she was 4 years old.
Dowser at 10 months
Dowser at 12 weeks
Puppy Adult
Jack Flash Pooch - born with hardly a tan hair on him.
This is Fig7 on page 78 of Littles The Inheritance of Coat Color in Dogs
Here Beagles are used for an example of the extream range of the piebald pattern. Our designation of Blanket or saddle is just a piebald with plus modifiers. our extream white dogs carry a minus factor
In my experience thie diagram deminstrats the range of the tan color in a Calico colored dog. You will not see alot of the tan color on Rats that are in the 6-10 range of white....
