M/M dogs will always pass on a copy of Merle to their offspring. Dog has one copy of the “M” Merle allele and one negative “m” copy of Merle allele. The dog can pass either allele on to any offspring. Dog has two copies of the recessive “m” allele and is negative for Merle.
Can a dog be a merle carrier?
All dogs exhibiting the harlequin pattern are also carriers of the merle gene. Common in Great Danes, (and registered as Harlequin) it is less commonly seen in other breeds such as the Catahoula Leopard Dog, Shetland Sheepdog and Collie, where the dogs are registered simply as merle.
What breeds of dog 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 …
Can a black dog carry the merle gene?
This pattern is generally discouraged because it can “hide” the merle gene if the black covers up all the merle in the coat (particularly when combined with white markings). The dogs above are called “blue merles” because of the bluish colour between the patches in their coat.
How do you get a merle puppy?
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 I breed merle to merle?
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. A double merle inherits the merle gene twice.
Are merle dogs rare?
The merle gene is quite rare among Dachshunds, and not seen too often. It can appear in all three coat varieties: long, short and wire-haired. The AKC breed standard specifically states that merle is an allowed coloring. The smaller and more even the spots are, the higher these dogs score in conformation shows.
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.
How much does a merle bully cost?
The quick answer is – somewhere between $800 and $2,000, with an average of $1,300. Where exactly your puppy falls in this range will depend on his breed, pedigree, health and other factors. Let’s look at what determines the cost of a merle dog, and why they are so expensive!
Why are merle dogs bad?
It is known that merle coated dogs have a slightly increased risk of hearing problems, possibly due to the Silv gene. So when a dog inherits two copies of the gene, the risks of hearing problems would seem likely to double.
What is a white merle?
Why? Aussies with mostly white coats can be produced when two merles are bred together. Merle is the patch-work coloring (black and grey or liver and buff) most associated with the breed. When a puppy inherits two copies of the gene for merle, it will usually have a lot of white in its coat.
What is the difference between merle and Tri?
Red merle makes up this base coat for this color combination. They have red spots on top of an buff (a light orange-brown) to silver base color. The tri colored version has white markings found on the face, chest, legs and belly. They also have copper highlights usually seen on the face and legs only.
Can merle dogs be AKC registered?
The Kennel Club has announced that it will no longer accept registration applications for merle-coloured dogs in breeds where there is no documented evidence of the colour having been well established over a sustained period.
Do poodles carry the merle gene?
Merle poodles are more rare than the vast majority of poodle colors (black, brown, cream) due to the genetic nature of their coat. The merle gene, by most scientific counts, is not a naturally occurring pattern in the poodle breed (though breeders contest this).
What is a red merle dog?
Similar in their markings to the blue merles, red merles have mottled patches of liver and cream. They may also have patches of white or copper. They have a merle gene that can change their eye color to either pale blue or odd-colored eyes. The most famous of the Australian Shepherd color combination is the blue merle.
