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
.
How do I know if my dog is 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.
Can you breed two merle Australian shepherds?
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.
Is Double merle rare?
On every spot x spot litter, each puppy within the litter has a 25% chance of being born a Double Merle Double Merle dogs are highly likely to suffer from hearing and vision impairments and in some cases complete blindness and deafness.
What is the rarest Australian shepherd color?
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.
How do you know if your Aussie is a double merle?
A dog that inherits two dominant versions of M is a double merle. In Australian Shepherds these dogs usually will have excessive amounts of white, be deaf in one or both ears, and have serious and generally blinding eye defects In a few severe cases the eyes have been missing altogether.
Why can’t you breed two merle Australian Shepherds?
In a double merle, the marbling/lightening effect is doubled and the coat becomes predominantly white. Double merles also have a very high chance of being deaf, blind, or both because they lack pigment where it would normally be The pups that do not inherit the gene twice are “normal” dogs.
What do double merles look like?
Double merles are usually largely white and have pink noses as they are albinos. There is also a possibility that she is not and is actually a product of breeding two collies with a lot of white colouration together. This can produce a pup with a large amount of white (or all white coat).
What happens when you breed two merles?
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.
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.
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.
How long do double merle Aussies live?
How long will they live? A lethal white Aussie will live the same lifespan as a regular Aussie, usually 12 to 15 years The genetics (other than the double merle gene) in their family line will dictate the health and length of their life.
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.
What is wrong with merle dogs?
An autosomal, incompletely dominant trait, merle coat coloring predisposes dogs to inherited deafness When inherited in the homozygous state, the merle mutation causes dogs to be white and have an even greater incidence of deafness, blindness and sterility.
How much do merle puppies go for?
Merle pitbulls keep the classic pitbull personality and are loving, caring, and an amazing family dog. Unfortunately they will cost more than most types of pitbulls because of their unique color. It is not uncommon for a family to pay between $2,000 and $5,000 , but pedigree can drive up their price to over $10,000.
Do Double merles have pink noses?
Sometimes double merles are even born completely white. The nose is generally mostly or all pink , and the eyes are generally wall or blue (see eye and nose pages). This Dachshund is a blue (black) double merle with tan (called a double “dapple” in this breed).
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).
Can a dog carry merle and not be merle?
A cryptic or phantom merle is a dog which phenotypically appears to be a non-merle (solid-colored) or a dog that has very faint patches of merle that can go unnoticed. Animals that do not present the merle phenotype may possess the merle genotype and subsequently produce merle offspring.
Do merle dogs have eye problems?
The most severe abnormalities occur in homozygous merles with an excessive white hair coat involving the head region. There are other, more serious ocular problems associated with the Merle gene. Microphthalmia is a congenital defect characterized by a small eye Severely affected dogs may be blind at birth.
Can you breed a red merle Aussie to a Blue Merle Aussie?
There are NO OTHER CHOICES on the puppy applications for the breeder to mark on the registration documents at time of transfer of ownership. Breeding merle to merle is unacceptable as each puppy has a chance of being born blind & deaf as a result.
Are all Aussies with white ears deaf?
Not every dog with too much white is deaf , so there are probably additional genetic factors which determine whether the dog is deaf. However, if breeders make efforts not to produce puppies with white on or close around the ears they can significantly reduce the frequency of deafness in the breed.
How do you make a merle puppy?
The merle pattern is produced when a dog has a single copy of the M< allele All merle dogs have the genotype Mm, meaning they have one allele for merle and one allele for non-merle. All non-merles are mm.
Do merle puppies change color?
Merle Dog Puppies Merle coloring can become darker with age So, be aware that those white areas on your merle puppy may start to look grayer as your dog ages. But other than that, a merle dog puppy will have all the attributes of an adult of the breed.
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 makes an Aussie a merle?
The breed standards state that Australian Shepherds can come in some combination of two basic body colors (black and liver), one pattern (merle), and two trim colors (white and tan.) Of these, the pattern merle is described as two “colors”: Blue merle and red (liver) merle.
How much is a blue merle Australian Shepherd?
The average pricing of a standard-colored Australian Shepherd from a trustworthy breeder is between $750 to $1,000. If it’s a blue merle Aussie puppy, the estimated cost is around $1,500 to $2,500 What is this?.
Do Australian Shepherds eyes stay blue?
At 5 weeks, their irises are a medium shade of gray and are darkening gradually. They are not the ice blue of the puppy above, whose eyes will remain blue Pups with eyes destined to be fairly light, such as amber, would have irises a lighter shade of gray than these.
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.
Can you breed a merle poodle to a merle Australian Shepherd?
It is highly recommended against breeding Merle to Merle , (as in both parents carry one copy of the Merle gene), you will end up with 25% of the puppies being Double Merles, which have a chance of being blind and/or deaf.
Can you breed a white dog with a merle?
If you plan to breed a dog with the merle gene, you should not breed it with another of similar genetic makeup If lucky, the dog will be colorful and healthy, but there is a substantial chance that the double merle gene offspring could be blind, deaf or both. In other words, don’t do it.
Can you breed a cryptic merle to a merle?
A cross between a merle and a cryptic usually produces puppies of each type. However, there is a 3% chance of a cryptic to merle breeding producing double merles , defined by excessive white and/or typical eye defects. (Keep in mind that excessive white may also be due to white marking genes and unrelated to merle.).
Are merle dogs hypoallergenic?
Does Being Merle Affect The Hypoallergenic Trait? Good news for all you guys suffering from allergies: merle poodles are hypoallergenic ! Still, some dog experts might claim that the merle poodle isn’t hypoallergenic because of its coat color; it’s because the poodles, in general, don’t usually trigger allergies.
What is a Isabella merle?
Isabella “True Lilac” Merle French Bulldog It’s a new shade of lilac also called “true lilac” Just like a lilac French Bulldog, an Isabella bulldog is a result of blue and chocolate DNA. However this shade is a lot more champagne looking compared to the regular lilac.
How much is a full breed Australian Shepherd?
The average price of the Australian Shepherd ranges from $650 to $850 However, an Aussie can cost anywhere between $300 to $1,800+ USD depending on breeder reputation, coat colors, pedigree and location.
References
http://www.amazingaussies.org/Welcome/frequently-asked-questions/