The American Kennel Club writes that Aussies can only be “
blue merle
, black, red merle, red-all with or without white markings or tan (copper) points.” In layman’s terms, it means that their base color can be blue, black, or red, and specific white and tan markings are acceptable.
Is a red merle Aussie rare?
Red merles are far less common than blue merles because the
red-colored gene
is recessive in dogs, meaning both parents have to have it for their offspring to inherit the coat. Red is the rarest color in Aussies generally , although the red merle coat is one of the more common red-colored coats in the breed.
Can a red merle Australian Shepherd have blue merle puppies?
In a breeding where one parent is NOT red factored, the litter will only produce blue merle & black tri as, again, BOTH parents must be red factored to produce
red puppies
For instance breeding a blue merle that is not red factored to a black tri that is red factored will yield only blue merle & black tri.
Can you breed a blue merle and a red merle?
They are thrown away and even killed for being born with disabilities. A double merle is created when two merle dogs are bred together. It doesn’t matter what color merle or what breed they are If two merle dogs are bred together, each puppy in the litter has a 25% chance of being born a double merle.
What is a
harlequin merle
?
Harlequin is a pattern seen in Great Danes resulting from the complex interaction of the Merle (PMEL17) and Harlequin (PSMB7) genes on black pigment The dominant Merle gene by itself produces dark spots on a dilute background on eumelanistic dogs.
Do red merles darken?
Red merle Aussies may darken with age , as well, and they have a marbled reddish coat. Red merle puppies can be very light in color, but the red in their fur will usually turn a rich, brownish-red by adulthood.
How much is a red merle Australian Shepherd?
Wondering how much a Red Merle Australian Shepherd costs? The price can vary depending on the quality of the breeder and the dog itself. Most Aussies cost anywhere from $600 to $3,000 , but most fall on the lower end of the scale.
Are merle Aussies healthy?
While merle Australian shepherds are still prone to hip dysplasia, cataracts, and epilepsy, they’re relatively healthy Other big ones to look out for with Australian shepherds are hypothyroidism, Collie nose, and cancer. Australian shepherds are anything but rare.
What is the difference between a red merle and a blue merle?
A blue merle is a black dog with the merle pattern; a red merle is a liver dog with the merle pattern All the merle gene does is determine whether or not a dog is merle. This gene is an incomplete dominant. Two dominant copies produce a “double merle” which will most likely have serious eye defects and may be deaf.
Can a dog be red and blue merle?
Mudis are small, energetic and vocal dogs. They love to bark and run. Mudis can have different colors, such as cream, brown or black. The most common merle patterns in the breed appear in black and brown dogs – which are blue merle and red merle.
Can you breed two Australian Shepherd merles?
If you don’t want to produce homozygous merles in your litters, it’s easy to avoid doing so: Don’t breed two merles together.
What is a mismarked Aussie?
Dogs with excess white markings , sometimes referred to as mismarks, or over-marked. Australian Shepherds with too much white are usually healthy(exceptions noted below). There are entire breeds that allow far more white than typical of Aussies.
Why are double merles blind?
Double Merle dogs are highly likely to suffer from hearing and vision impairments and in some cases complete blindness and deafness. Deafness and hearing impairment happens due to lack of hair pigment produced in the inner ear. Double Merles can also be blind or have vision problems due to
congenital eye defects
.
Can a red merle dog have blue merle puppies?
Merles commonly have blue eyes Sometimes they have one blue and one brown eye. They can also, on occasion, have two brown eyes. Sometimes dogs may appear to have normal coat colouring but are in fact merles and will produce puppies with the merle colouration.
How do you tell if a dog is a double merle?
Dogs with the double merle gene may be/have: All white in color, or have patches of merle/mottled coloring on the top half of their body – their head, back, and base of the tail. Light-colored paw pads. Have light blue, green or brown eyes, perhaps even eyes that are different colors.
What is a cryptic merle Aussie?
Cryptic (phantom) merles are merles that have no visible blue or light red, yet they can produce merles when bred to nonmerles They can also produce homozygous merles if bred to a merle. This can be quite a surprise to the breeder, when two seemingly black tris produce a litter that contains merles as well.
What is a dilute red merle?
Red merle dilutes have medium-toned dark patches on a pale background with pale liver on the nose and other exposed skin Given the extreme variation in red pigmentation in “normal” reds and red merles it is possible that a dilute might not be recognized as such.
Do red merles have blue eyes?
Red Merle Aussies have varied markings on their chest, face, and tail. Most Australian Shepherds will also have more colors flecked through their coats, which makes them bicolor or tricolor. Luckily, their breed standard allows for both. They have striking eyes that are either blue or of different colors.
How common are red merles?
Red Merle Australian Shepherd Temperament It is the 16th most popular purebred pet dog in the United States (out of 193 purebred dog breeds). These dogs are smart, athletic, fun-loving, energetic and very hard-working. Owners often describe the Aussie as a “Velcro” dog.
Can a red merle Aussie have a black nose?
Aside from the issue of pink on the nose, generally seen only in merles and addressed above, black and blue merle dogs can only have black noses and red/red merle dogs can only have liver noses.
Are Red Tri Australian Shepherds rare?
The red (also called “liver”) gene is recessive, in contrast to the black gene which is dominant. This means that red Aussies are rarer than black ones.
Can you breed 2 merles together?
If two merle dogs are bred together, each puppy in the litter has a 25% chance of being born a double merle A double merle inherits the merle gene twice. One copy of the merle gene causes a marbling effect on the coat and creates lighter spots throughout the solid color coat.
Are merle dogs unhealthy?
Yes – merle dogs can be just as healthy as dogs that have a solid color They have the same life expectancy, they are just as strong and athletic and smart as their counterparts without the merle gene. In lines with responsible merle breedings, all offspring will be healthy and live a long life.
Can a double merle be healthy?
Double merles, despite their deficiencies, are generally quite healthy dogs capable of living long, otherwise normal lives And they are no more aggressive, unpredictable or untrainable than hearing and sighted dogs.
Is merle the same as brindle?
Like merle, brindle is also a coat color pattern , it is often described as being “tiger-striped.” The stripes are irregular and dark against a lighter base color that is often fawn, brown or gray. The brindle coat pattern is found in several dog breeds including great danes, bulldogs and boxers.
What is a tweed merle Aussie?
Tweed is a merle modifier that turns the diluted parts of the coat (which should be grey in a normal merle, or light brown in a liver) into a variety of brown, grey and tan shades. Tweed is known to occur mostly in Australian Shepherds and Catahoula Leopard Dogs (where it’s known as “patchwork”).
What is the difference between Harlequin and merle?
Harlequin dogs have white between the darker patches of merle Merle dogs often look “marbled.” They have grey coloration alongside black spots. Harlequin dogs also have the merle gene. However, instead of the larger grey patches, their harlequin gene makes their base coat entirely white.
What is a ghost merle?
Dogs with cryptic merle (also called phantom or ghost merle) typically display little to no merle pattern and some may be misclassified as non-merles The cryptic merle alleles occur in the lower end of the range (typically from 200-255, however, this range and designation varies by study).
Are blue merle Australian Shepherds rare?
Blue Merle Australian shepherds aren’t considered rare and are more common than Red Merle Aussies. The color patterns of a blue merle coat can vary. They may have a piebald or solid coat with black patches. They often have white markings, especially on the legs and face.
What does red merle mean?
If you get a Red Merle Australian Shepherd, your dog will look one of a kind. The term “merle” means that the Aussie will have a marbled or freckled appearance It does not matter where the freckles are placed, as long as they are there.
Why are merle dogs more expensive?
In a nutshell, merle dogs are expensive because puppy buyers are willing to pay a lot of money for them The pattern is very sought-after, and the more demand there is, the higher breeders can set their prices. In addition, merle breedings can be quite rare in some breeds.
Do red merle Australian Shepherds shed?
So the quick answer here is that yes, Aussies do indeed shed In fact, they shed quite a bit. But it’s not unmanageable. You’ll want to stick to regular grooming routines in order to keep your Aussie’s fur off your furniture or your clothes.
Why are Aussies so needy?
On top of being a physically active breed, Australian Shepherds also need regular mental stimulation This, too, is a product of Australian Shepherds being bred to work. The mental activity of corralling and herding sheep and livestock, for which Australian Shepherds were bred, is ingrained in the breed’s personality.
Are merle dogs smart?
Merle Dog Intelligence Some of the breeds that have merle coloring as one of their distinguishing characteristics are known to be quite intelligent !.
Do merle puppies change color?
Probably the most common type of color change is that of progressive darkening Many blue merles and red merles are born with their merle areas fairly light. As the years go by they darken until in old age blue merles can resemble black tris and red merles can resemble red tris (or bis, or selfs).
What is the most popular Aussie color?
The black tri Australian Shepherd is one of the most popular coat colors of the whole Australian Shepherd breed. Since black is the dominant color, their eyes are still light to dark brown.
What should I look for when buying an Australian Shepherd puppy?
In a non-confrontational manner, tell breeders you are interested in the breed but want to learn more before you buy. Ask about things like temperament, grooming, activities, necessary training, as well as health When you get to health, ask what they know about common breed health issues.
Is Dapple same as merle?
The merle (also called dapple) pattern is the pattern in which random splotches of dark pigment are overlaid over a lighter shade of the same color.
Is merle dominant or recessive?
Merle is dominant , and so denoted by the capital letter M. Non-merle is recessive, and denoted by m. There are a number of different merle alleles, which are dealt with on their own page here.
How do you test for double merle?
Testing Tips Genetic testing of the PMEL gene will determine whether a dog has no copies or one or more copies of the merle insertion variant However, breeding of dogs with known merle insertion variants to each other may increase the risk of “double merle” pups with hearing and vision problems.
Sources
https://spiritdogtraining.com/breeds/mini-aussie-colors/
Australian Shepherd Colors: The Standard & Rare Aussie Coat Colors