Essential Properties vs Accidental Properties

Subject: Dog

Essential properties include things that (in this case) make a dog a dog. Without these traits, it may look
like a dog, or seem like a dog, but is missing these essential traits that all dogs have.

Essential: Classified in the canis genome, is or at one point was alive.

Accidental: Color of their coat, their specific breed, physical differences such as missing an eye or an ear