A dog that is only one color (or only merle) with no white trim or
tan point pattern
is called a self color. If he is black, he’s a self black. A dog that is a merle with no trim would be called a
self blue merle
or a
self red merle
.
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.
How much is a blue merle Australian Shepherd worth?
Depending on the breeder and availability in your area, an Australian Shepherd puppy can cost between $800-$1,800 and even be higher in some cases. On average, you can expect to pay around $1,000.
What is the rarest color of Australian Shepherd?
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.
What makes an Aussie a blue merle?
The Blue Merle Australian Shepherd is a special type of Australian Shepherd that has received a semi-dominant gene resulting in bluish-grey fur mixed with splotches of black or reddish-brown and white.
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.
How do you tell if an Aussie is a merle?
Red merle Australian Shepherds often have marbled eyes as well, with flecks of color in their irises granting them a deep, vivid gaze The dominant colors are blue with brown marbling, brown with blue marbling, and in very special dogs, one of each.
Do blue merle dogs have health problems?
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.
What color eyes do blue merles have?
However, most of these dogs will have specks of colors on their colored eyes. We call this “marble eyes” and they’re amazing to look at. The solid eye colors of blue merles include either brown or blue And in some instances, blue merles can have eyes with two different colors (one blue and one brown).
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 the most expensive dog in the world?
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.
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.
Can you breed a blue merle with a red tri?
Breeding merle to merle is unacceptable as each puppy has a chance of being born blind & deaf as a result 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.
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 a dilute merle Australian Shepherd?
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 all blue merle Australian Shepherds have blue eyes?
Not all Blue Merle Aussies have blue eyes However, it is prevalent. The blue merle color and pattern are caused by a gene that varies the amount of pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes. This often causes Australian Shepherds to be born with blue eyes.
Can you breed 2 blue 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.
What can you breed a blue merle with?
Unless you have done a lot of merle breeding and really know what you are getting into, the safe rule is still that a blue merle should be bred only to a black (tri or bi).
Do blue merles 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 dogs called blue merle?
The dogs above are called “blue merles” because of the bluish colour between the patches in their coat.
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 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.
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.
What is the average stud fee for an Australian Shepherd?
Are you prepared to pay the stud fee? [Stud fees range widely- usually the price of one puppy $500-$1500 or pick of the litter] If doing pick of the litter, what if she doesn’t produce but one puppy?.
What is a cryptic merle Aussie?
Cryptic merles are either liver or black, usually with one or a few small areas of merle However, since you can’t see what color coat would have been anywhere there are white markings, there will be some cryptics which appear to be non-merle.
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 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.
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.
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.
How do I know if my dog has the merle gene?
The merle gene modifies the dark pigment in the eyes, occasionally changing dark eyes to blue, or only part of the eye to blue Since Merle causes random modifications, both dark-eyed, blue-eyed, and odd-colored eyes are possible. Color on paw pads and nose may be mottled pink and black.
What is the difference between merle and dapple?
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.
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.
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.
How do I know if my merle puppy has blue eyes?
Merle Gene If your dog has dominant light patches of fur or is completely white , the chances that their matured eye color is blue are higher because of the fact that their cells are unable to develop pigmentation. These types of dogs carry the merle gene.
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.
Are merle dogs 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 this? The merles simply have all the traits, including the hypoallergenic one , like any other poodle pooch.
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.
Citations
https://www.hepper.com/australian-shepherd-cost/
https://www.lancasterpuppies.com/puppy-search/breed/australian%20shepherd
Blue Merle Australian Shepherd – The Complete Guide to Blue Aussies