A "color point" animal exhibits a specific coat coloration pattern due to a temperature-sensitive mutation in the tyrosinase gene, which plays a critical role in melanin production. Color-point patterns are particularly well-known in breeds like Siamese and Himalayan cats Himalayan and Californian rabbits, Himalayan Guinea Pigs, Siamese and Himalayan Rats, Mice, and Gerbils, and can even be seen in some Human Beings! 

Melanin is the pigment responsible for coloration in skin, fur, and eyes. Tyrosinase is an enzyme that catalyzes the first steps in melanin synthesis, converting tyrosine to dopaquinone. The mutation seen in color-pointed animals renders tyrosinase partially or completely nonfunctional at higher temperatures. The tyrosinase gene mutation seen in color-point patterns is typically a form of albinism, specifically a temperature-sensitive variant. At normal body temperatures (around 37°C or 98.6°F), the mutated enzyme is unstable and fails to function properly, preventing melanin production. However, in cooler regions of the body, like the extremities (ears, paws, tail, and face), where the temperature is lower, tyrosinase becomes active and produces melanin. This results in the distinctive darker pigmentation in these areas. The gene may also influence eye color, often resulting in strikingly blue eyes due to the lack of pigmentation in the iris. 

The inheritance of this mutation is usually autosomal recessive, meaning that an animal must inherit two copies of the mutated gene (one from each parent) to display the color-point pattern. Animals with one copy may carry the gene but will not exhibit the pattern.

The intensity and distribution of the color point pattern can vary depending on the exact mutation and environmental factors. In cooler climates or seasons, the extremities may appear darker because the lower ambient temperature enhances the temperature gradient in the body. Most Color Point animals start out life solid white, and as the animal ages, the points will darken further. Some varieties of this gene are more sensitive than others and can produce more pigmentation on the body. The nuances behind this are not yet known in dogs, however in animals with a longer history of color point individuals, some modifiers have been discovered. 

The color-point gene has not been well-documented as existing in dogs throughout history, and has not been officially documented in canines in any form until extremely recently. Most canine coat color traits are driven by genes influencing pigments like eumelanin (black/brown) and pheomelanin (red/yellow) and their distribution, often regulated by loci such as MC1R (Extension), ASIP (Agouti), and others. A temperature-sensitive version of Tyrosinase has not been conclusively linked to phenotypically similar "Color Point" traits in dogs up until the 21st Century. There are other similar look alike dogs, such as fawn dogs with a dark melanated mask, but they are not true "color points". 

Below, we will discuss the individual instances of all known color point dogs throughout history in an attempt to provide a comprehensive historical record of the gene.