They are very rare because they have three
coat colors
and the
merle pattern
.
leopard merle pitbulls
are actually a Pitbull mixed with the Catahoula Leopard Dog They are not purebred. Catahoula Leopard Dogs come in various shades of merle, while Pitbulls can be red, blue, white, brown, black or fawn.
Can Pitbulls have the merle gene?
Pitbulls can carry the merle gene Like all breeds, this gene is quite rare and must often be bred for specifically. This rarity makes them more expensive, as a lot of labor goes into these dogs. However, merle Pitbulls cannot be registered with many major kennel clubs.
How much is a merle bully worth?
Despite this, Merle American Bully can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 or more This is because they are quite rare, although even then, you run the risk of your American Bully not actually being a purebred dog.
How much do Blue merle Pitbulls cost?
For those who are eyeing to get a merle Pitbull, make sure that you choose a reputable and honest breeder. On average, top of the line merle Pitbulls can cost from $15,000 to $30,000 They cost double and even triple the usual price of non-merle Pitbulls. Usually, kennels sell their puppies by picks.
What’s the rarest pitbull color?
Blue. Like Lilac, the tri-color blue Pitbull is one of the rarest combinations. Blue is usually a rare color in Pitbulls, so you won’t see many of these dogs. The blue variety are unique from other tri-color Pitbulls because they will always have a
blue nose
.
How much are merle dogs worth?
What’s the price point you can expect for a merle dog? The quick answer is – somewhere between $800 and $2,000, with an average of $1,300.
How is a merle bully made?
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.
Can you breed 2 merle Pitbulls?
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 cryptic merle pitbull?
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.
How do you get a merle puppy?
Double Merle pups are born when both of the parents are merle It doesn’t matter what color merle, how much merle the parents have, how little (or how much) white trim, what breed they are, or even that the parents are the same breed. Statistically, 25% of the pups from two merle parents will be Double Merles.
Do merle dogs have more health issues?
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.
How do you get a tri merle Pitbull?
Tri color Pitbulls are considered rare because in general breeders have not been trying to make them until very recently. The gene that creates the three colored coat is a recessive gene. This means that both parents must have this recessive gene in order for any of their pups to end up with the three colored coat.
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.
Is merle recognized by AKC?
Most merle French bulldogs can be registered by the AKC, but they aren’t considered a standard breed color. Despite this, the AKC still recognizes them.
What is merle color?
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.
How can I tell what kind of Pitbull I have?
- Weigh your pitbull. Pitbull breeds vary greatly in size
- Examine the head of your pitbull
- Don’t depend on the length of the fur to tell you what kind of pitbull you have
- Ask your veterinarian what kind of pitbull you have
- Check any papers that came with your pitbull.
How much is a tri Pitbull worth?
Tri color Pitbulls are fairly rare, but not as rare as merle or pure black dogs. They usually cost between $2,000 and $5,000 While they can come in various coat shades, unless some of these colors are extremely rare, their price won’t be affected.
Do merle dogs always 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.
Can merle dogs be UKC registered?
Any color, color pattern, or combination of colors is acceptable, except for merle Disqualifications: Albinism.
Are blue nose Pitbulls?
They Are Not A Separate Pitbull Breed In fact, a blue nose occurs in several pit bull breeds. In most cases, a Blue Nose Pitbull is an American Pit Bull Terrier that comes from a lineage of pit bulls that display the recessive blue nose.
Where does the merle gene come from?
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.
What is merle in a dog?
Merle is an incompletely dominant coat color pattern characterized by irregularly shaped patches of diluted pigment and solid color.
Which Pitbull color is best?
While Pitbulls are best known in black, red and brindle , there actually are over 20 different colors and patterns for these cool dogs.
What two dogs make a Pitbull?
A pit bull is a fighting dog developed in 19th-century England, Scotland, and Ireland from bulldog and terrier ancestry for hunting, specifically for capturing and restraining semi-feral livestock. It is also called an American pit bull terrier.
What is the expensive Pitbull?
The most expensive pitbull is White Rhino , a solid white American Bully. This Texas-born pup sold for a jaw-dropping $250,000, making him the priciest pitbull ever sold. Still, most American Bully dogs are costlier than other types of pitbulls.
What are blue Pitbulls?
A blue nose pitbull is a color variation within the American pit bull terrier breed The color comes from a recessive gene, which means that it is very rare. What is this? Report Ad. They are a grayish-purple color and have a nose the same color as their coat as well as blue eyes.
What is a gator Pitbull?
They have a short and glossy coat with a highly muscular body structure, just like other types of Pitbull Their tail is short and they can weigh up to about 65 pounds. They normally reach a height of around 15 – 20 inches. The Gator Pitbull can occur in many forms and based on this, we have the: Black Gator Pitbull.
Do merle bullies have health issues?
The reason that breeding two merles together is a point of contention in the American Bully community is that, without the normal pigmentation that they should have, double merles are much more prone to serious health problems including blindness, deafness or both.
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.
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.
Are merle Pitbulls purebred?
In order for a pitbull to have merle coloring it must have a specific genetic marker: the merle gene. Some people have mixed pitbulls with Catahoula Leopard Dogs to gain the coloring. Generally speaking, a pitbull is not purebred if it has this coloring.
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 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 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.
What is a hidden merle?
Some dogs do not look to have a merle pattern but genetically are merle. These merle dogs are called cryptic, phantom, or hidden merles. Merle pattern can be masked by other genes or heavy patching Each gene has it’s own labeling including the recessive red (“ee”) and clear sable (a y ).
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.
How do you test for merle gene in dogs?
The Merle test checks for an insertion of DNA sequence (SINE insertion) in the SILV gene A dog who is heterozygous for this insertion (one copy of Merle) will show the Merle colouring.
Sources