Blue Merle Coat Dogs

Merle patterning is a distinguishing trait in several breeds particularly border collies australian shepherds and catahoula leopard dogs the merle gene also plays a key role in producing the harlequin coat in great danes.

Blue merle coat dogs.

Borders are known for their high energy levels and willingness to work with humans. Merle is a genetic pattern that can be in a dog s coat merle comes in different colors and patterns and can affect all coat colors. Generally characterized by a coat full of dots and dark colored swirls on top of a lighter base color merle is an in demand look in the dog world. A variety of coat and iris colors in dogs are the result of the merle gene.

As a result they re considered the second most popular variation among blue merles. Blue merle border collie training. A merle coat in dogs is one of the most interesting and beautiful variations to come from breeding. There are two general types of colored patches that will appear in a merle coat.

The coat doesn t impact the dog s ability to learn. These dogs are very versatile and have the ability to blend in with their surroundings so the merle blue is not seen as a distinct color. Health of merle colored dogs the merle gene is unfortunately linked with impaired function of the auditory ophthalmologic systems and immune systems of dogs. Because of this trait a person is often unaware that they are a part of the blue merle group.

Merle dapple adorable whatever your name for it there s no mistaking this eye catching coat pattern. The problem with merle coat patterns in dogs merles are popular so it seems logical to breed two merles together to get more. The blue merle and white australian shepherd is a merle variation as marvelous as the blue merle tri color. A true blue merle blue will have a very subtle coat and a varied coloring.

Some blue merle dogs will have a mostly gray blue coat with a few small black patches. Owners of blue merle border collies need make no special allowances for training. The most common merle pattern and the one described in most breed standards is a coat that is approximately 50 percent merle or gray blue and 50 percent black patches. These dogs have the iconic blue merle coat as a base color.

But here s why breeding merle to merle is actually a bad idea. So just treat them as a normal border collie. Blue merles can exhibit a range of coat markings. Unfortunately the intriguing dog merle coat is associated with.

So they should find training fun. Merle acts upon eye pigment in the iris as well so a blue eyed merle dog or merle dogs with partially blue eyes are common.