Color Patterns

©D.P. Sponenberg, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA  24061

Some of these coat patterns can come in any color, while others are more color specific.  Also keep in mind that any white markings can mask some or all of a pattern.

Pattern	Description	Examples
White or tan	wholly tan, red, or white, sometimes with darker shoulder, face.	photo by Sharon Reeves	photo by Sharon Reeves
Sable	pale legs, belly, face stripes with tan body that may have considerable eumelanic sootiness. Can be white.	photo by Sharon Reeves
Black mask	tan with black on head, brisket, and down spine. pale stripes on head. may overlap with white or tan. Can be white.
Caramel	tan with minor black on head and lower legs, sometimes with a black belly, and usually lacking a complete dorsal stripe typical of the blackbelly pattern.	photo courtesy of Cindy Bene
Bezoar	wild color: tan body, dark head with stripes, pale belly, striped legs and back. black shoulder stripe. More dark (eumelanic) in males than in females.	photo courtesy of Phil Sponenberg
Blackbelly (badgerface)	tan with black belly, backstripe, lower legs, and face stripes. This is the Oberhasli pattern. Darker males than females.	Typical badgerface photo by Sharon Reeves	Brown variation of badgerface photo courtesy of Pat Cotten
Tan sides	similar to blackbelly but with wider backstripe and nearly black head so that tan sides are all that remains of pheomelanin.
San Clemente	black front half, tan rear half, pale stripes on dark head, pale legs and belly. Varies from dark enough to confuse with “black and tan” to pale enough to nearly be “black mask” or “sable.” The intermediate phases are very distinctive.	photo courtesy of Unknown
Repartida	black front half (generally lacking light eyebars), tan rear half, legs black on backs and tan on fronts, black sides of thighs.
Peacock (cou clair)	tan front half, black rear half, dark legs, tan head with black stripes, including a distinctive one below eye and one above eye.	photo courtesy of Phil Spnonenbergphoto by Sharon Reeves	photo courtesy of Derilyn Nelsonphoto courtesy of Derilyn Nelson
Striped grey (grey toggenburg)	Mixture of black and white hairs over body, with the pale ears, eyebars, muzzle, and legs of the toggenburg pattern.
Grey	fairly uniform mix of black and white hairs, with somewhat darker legs, head. Varies from near white to very dark.	photo courtesy of Tara Lawrence
Grey agouti	fairly uniform mix of black and white hairs, with distinctly darker legs. Typical of Pygmy goats.	photo by Sharon Reeves
Toggenburg (swiss markings)	black body, dark belly, pale legs, ears, facial stripes. The Toggenburg pattern, when eumelanin is brown.	photo by courtesy of John-Derek Gray	This one has a large area of white, but look at the face and legs to see the pattern.  photo by Sharon Reeves
Eyebar	black with tan belly, rear legs tan on back and black on fronts, front legs tan on back with tan all around leg above knee and black on fronts below this. Prominent wide tan stripes on face. Can have tan on rear thighs. resembles dark “san clemente.
Black and tan	black, with tan belly, rear legs tan on back and black on fronts, front legs tan on back with tan all around leg above knee and black on fronts. light inside ears, light face stripes which are thin or just above eye.	photo courtesy of Little M Farm	Nigerian Dwarf photo courtesy of Joanne Karohl
Fishy	black with front half of belly tan and rear half black. black udder or scrotum. medium wide bars on face, legs with continuous black stripes down fronts.
Lateral stripes	as “black and tan” but darker zone on belly, reversed leg stripes (black back portions).
Mahogany	fairly dark mix of black and tan hairs, dark legs, head, minor striping, usually with tan thighs.
Red cheek	black with tan patches on cheeks, back of thighs, tops of ears.	photo by Sharon Reeves	Brown variation of red cheek photo courtesy of Terry Alleva
No pattern	black

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