What is this? 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.
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 is an Australian Shepherd merle?
Australian Shepherds come in several colors: blue merle, red merle, red, tri-color (white, black, and tan), and black. A merle coat has a patchwork of
dark blotches
against a lighter background , so a blue merle dog has black patches on gray and a red merle dog has red patches on beige.
How much is an Australian Shepherd puppy worth?
An Australian Shepherd costs $600 to $3,000 depending on whether you buy one from a pet store or get a special AKC-recognized pup. This is about in line with many other dog breed prices, which is good to know. Buying your Aussie is only the beginning, of course.
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.
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 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).
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.
Do all merles have blue eyes?
No, the merle gene does not always cause blue eyes The merle gene causes the lightening of pigment in patches throughout the body. If these patches do not coincide with the eyes, the dog will have brown eyes instead. They may also have multicolored eyes.
Is merle a defect?
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’s the difference between an Australian Shepherd and a blue merle?
What is this? These dogs have the iconic blue merle coat as a base color. However, unlike the tri color, these Aussies do not have the copper and tan markings on the coat. Instead, they only have white markings.
Are Australian Shepherds a good family dog?
Australia Shepherd Dog Breed Information and Personality Traits. An active yet easy-going dog, the Australian shepherd loves to romp with children and tends to get along well with other pets. Australian shepherds are great family pets , herding animals, police dogs and competitors in obedience trials.
How long do Australian Shepherds live?
Aussies are best suited for families with an active lifestyle and a large fenced yard. They need plenty of exercise and mental stimulation to prevent boredom. They can weigh between 35 and 70 pounds and have an average life span of 12-13 years.
Can an Australian Shepherd be left alone?
As a general rule, you should not leave an Australian Shepherd puppy for more than 2-3 hours at a time For adult Australian Shepherd, the safe limit is around 4-6 hours. As for senior Aussies, they can usually be left alone for 2-6 hours.
Do blue 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.
Can you breed a red and blue merle?
In a breeding where one parent is red, such as blue merle to red tri or red merle to black tri, we typically get more red’s in the litter, usually 70%, such as 3 red merle, 3 red tri, 1 black tri, & 1 blue merle.
How do I know if my Australian Shepherd puppy has blue eyes?
Pups that are destined to have eyes that are very dark, almost black, will have dark irises of a midnight blue color from the beginning In a puppy with split or marbled eyes part of the iris is dark like this pup’s eyes, and the blue area is pale. This female from the same litter has eyes that stayed blue.
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.
What is the most popular Aussie color?
1. Black Tri Australian Shepherds. The black tri Australian Shepherd is one of the most common and basic colors combination of this dog.
Why are dogs called blue merle?
The dogs above are called “blue merles” because of the bluish colour between the patches in their coat.
Do Australian Shepherds bark a lot?
Keep in mind the average Australian Shepherd tends to bark a lot , making it a little more challenging to get him to stop barking unless you give him the ‘speak’ command or there is a situation in which he needs to bark to alert you.
Do Australian Shepherds like to cuddle?
While Australian Shepherds can be very affectionate, loving, and cuddly dogs with their family members, they may not act the same way at all with someone they don’t know. This dog will enjoy snuggling with the people he trusts.
Are Australian Shepherd smart?
Australian Shepherds are intelligent dogs According to Stanley Coren, they’re the 42nd smartest dog breed for obedience & working intelligence. However, what makes them truly intelligent is their natural ability to herd.
What’s the most expensive dog?
A golden-haired Tibetan mastiff puppy has reportedly been sold for a whopping $2 million in China, potentially making it the world’s most expensive dog.
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.
Is merle and dapple the same?
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.
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.
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.
Why can’t 2 merles breed?
The unethical practice of breeding double merles is generally condemned worldwide, not only because so many are considered defective and put down at birth by their breeders, but because of the health problems that plague them, namely, partial or complete deafness and blindness.
What does the word merle mean?
1 : a coat color pattern of some dogs (such as the border collie, dachshund, and Great Dane) that consists of a typically bluish- or reddish-gray mixed with splotches of black or reddish- brown and that occurs as a result of the lightening or dilution of the normal base coat color so that only dark patches of normal.
Are all Aussies 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.).
What is a dilute merle?
Merles can be dilutes. Blue merles will have slate blue dark patches on a lighter blue background amd their noses and other exposed skin will be slate blue. Red merle dilutes have medium-toned dark patches on a pale background with pale liver on the nose and other exposed skin.
Can you breed merle Aussies?
Many people are unaware, but when two merles (of any breed) are bred together, each puppy has a 25% chance of being born as a double merle These puppies have excessive white coloration – lack of pigment – and this coloration causes loss of hearing, vision, or any combination of the two impairments.
What happens if 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.
What does merle color look like?
English: Merle is a colour combination in dogs’ coats. It is a solid base color (usually red/brown or black) with lighter blue/gray or reddish patches, which gives a mottled or uneven speckled effect.
Will my Aussies nose stay pink?
Aussie puppies may have pink on their noses, ranging from small spots to a butterfly shape to the entire nose. These spots usually darken over time and should disappear entirely by adulthood Once your puppy has reached one year of age, his nose should be fully darkened to black or liver.
Can a non merle dog have merle puppies?
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.
How long do puppies eyes stay blue?
However, the process occurs slowly and doesn’t happen overnight. It often takes nine to 12 weeks , starting from this point, for a puppy’s eye color to settle in and “stay.” The permanent eye color change can even happen as late as 16 weeks in age.
Are there health issues with merle dogs?
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 The auditory and ophthalmologic abnormalities linked to merle are similar to those observed for the human auditory-pigmentation disorder Waardenburg syndrome.
Are merle dogs prone to health issues?
as well as those that have the merle allele are prone to sensory, neurological and /or immunological problems These defects have been observed and researched in other dog breeds (i.e. Australian Shepherds, Great Danes, Shetland Sheepdogs) that also carry these dilution alleles including the merle allele.
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.
Citations
https://www.greenfieldpuppies.com/australian-shepherd-puppies-for-sale/
https://www.hepper.com/blue-merle-australian-shepherd/