Within this brief review of literature the biochemical and physiological basics of coat colour genetics in the domestic dog are described. Parallels to the wildcolour of the wolf are shown, out of which the most of the today known colour-mutations developed. Furthermore the 10 most important of the today known coat color genloci are listed and some breed and nomenclature examples are also given. As the actual knowledge concerning the coat color inheritance is not able yet to explain some occurring coat colours and -combinations, an all-breed including nomenclature is not possible until today.