Introduction: The Mystery of Puppy Resemblance

One of the most fascinating aspects of breeding dogs is the striking resemblance between a puppy and its mother. Many people wonder why puppies often look like their mothers, especially when they come from mixed-breed litters. While there is no single answer to this question, there are several factors that contribute to the physical traits passed down from a mother to her offspring.

Genes: The Blueprint of Inheritance

Like all living organisms, dogs inherit their physical traits through DNA, which determines everything from coat color to ear shape. Genes are segments of DNA that carry instructions for building specific proteins that make up an individual’s physical traits. Each dog has two copies of each gene, one from its mother and one from its father.

Dominant vs. Recessive Genes in Dogs

One of the main factors that determine which traits a puppy will inherit from its mother is the dominance of certain genes. Dominant genes are those that are expressed even if only one copy is present, while recessive genes require two copies to be expressed. For example, if a mother dog has a dominant gene for curly hair, her puppies are more likely to have curly hair as well. However, if she has a recessive gene for straight hair, her puppies may have straight hair if they inherit two copies of the gene.