In today’s article on my blog, I’m going to discuss the following subject, which is indicated by the heading What Is A Double Merle Sheltie?. I will provide you with all crucial information about the post.I’m hoping that you’ll find this post very helpful.
The way genetics work is that a
puppy inherits
one colour gene from each parent, this means that puppies in a merle x merle litter could be normal merles (Mm), non-merles (mm) or double merles (MM). There is a one in four chance that each puppy will inherit two merle (M) genes , thus making them a double merle.
Double Merle: 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
.
Double Merle: 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.
Double Merle Rare: 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.
Merle Dogs: Do merle dogs have more health problems
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.
Double Merle: Can a double merle have puppies
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.
Double Merle: What happens if you breed a double merle
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.
Ghost Merle: 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).
Merle Dogs: Are merle dogs inbred
No. Don’t do it 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.
Double Merles: Are double merles always white
Double merles often have a predominantly white coat Keep in mind though, that just because a dog has a white coat, doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a double merle, because there are other genetic combinations that can produce a white puppy.
Merle Dogs: 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.
Eye Problems: 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.
Merle Puppies: How much do merle puppies go for
Merle pitbulls are rare and cost more than other Pitties. Merle pitbull puppies can cost thousands of dollars. Their price usually falls between $2,000 and $5,000 , which is more than five times the cost of regular pittie puppies. Pedigrees can cost over $10,000 because of their bloodline.
White Dog: 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.
Merle Dominant: 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.
Can you breed a merle to a Tri?
Merle:
Breeding tri to tri produces all tri’s therefore, the preferred color crosses are blue merle to black tri, blue merle to red tri, red merle to black tri, & red merle to red tri. In addition, red to red yields all reds so breeding a red merle to a red tri produces ONLY red merle & red tri puppies.
How expensive is a sheltie?
Expensive:
$500-$1,500 Going through a breeder is both the easiest and most expensive way to get your hands on a purebred Sheltie. The costs will depend on the breeder’s reputation and whether you’re willing to pay top-dollar for premium bloodlines, but typically, a
shetland sheepdog
costs between $500 and $1,500.
Double Merle: Can you breed a double merle with a non merle
Double merle to non merle and merle to non merle are the only “safe” breedings – i.e. the only ones which cannot produce double merle puppies. Breeding merles of any sort (single or double) together is always risky.
Blue Eye: Does a blue eye mean a dog is blind
Blue eyes does not indicate that your dog will eventually go blind, deaf, or have any other genetic defects Variation in pigmentation in the iris can occur for varying reasons, and doesn’t necessarily point to health concerns.
Harlequin 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.
Merle Gene: What breeds carry the merle gene
The Merle pattern can be seen in various breeds, such as the Australian Shepherd Dog, Australian Koolie, Border Collie, Dachshund, French Bulldog, Louisiana Catahoula, Labradoodle, Miniature American Shepherd, Miniature Australian Shepherd, Pyrenean Shepherd, Rough Collie, Shetland Sheepdog, Welsh Sheepdog, Cardigan.
Is merle the same as brindle?
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.
Genetic Mutation: Is merle a genetic mutation
Merle is among the most exciting coat color mutations of dogs both phenotypically and genotypically The autosomal semidominant inheritance of this mutation was described nearly a century ago. Two alleles have been identified and distinguished: the wild “m” allele and the mutant “M” (or merle) allele [8].
Merle Dominant: Is merle dominant over black
Dominant genes are not always “good” and recessive genes are not always “bad” (nor is the opposite true). Merle (M) is dominant to solid (m) Black (B) is dominant to red (b), and there is no visual clue to know if a black dog is carrying a red gene (although there is a DNA test that can be done).
Can you breed hidden merle to merle?
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.).
Non Merle Dogs: Can non merle dogs carry 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.
Blue Merle Sheltie: What is a blue merle Sheltie
A Blue Merle Sheltie is a Shetland Sheepdog with tonal grey and blue fur alongside their black, white, and tan patches of color This breed is a small but hardy herding dog with a lot of love for families. They are often gentle and shy, though they require a lot of exercise to remain happy.
Double Merle Lethal: Is Double merle lethal
This has led breeders to kill white puppies at birth, leading to the other name of double-merle pups, “lethal whites.” The genetic defect itself isn’t lethal , and the ONLY genetic defects these dogs have are the hearing or vision impairments, which do NOT get worse over time by the way.
Lethal White Dog: What is a lethal white dog
When referring to a dog that is predominantly white, they are appropriately termed as Pattern White or Double Merle. Lethal White is a term used for foals that are born white, usually die shortly after birth, have vision and hearing problems, and are not capable of growing and developing normally.
Sources
https://www.whitekissesgreatdanerescue.com/double-merle-awareness