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Description
Part 1: Aussie Basic Colors Part 1
PART 2: You are here!

PART 2: Merle

Merle is very simple in that, if a dog has the Merle gene, it WILL express the gene; Merle is dominate. Just like part 1; I have the two standard colors; Red and Black, but this time, each color has a copy of the Merle gene making them Blue Merle and Red Merle. I have also added the three examples of merle of each standard color.

Blue Self Merle
Blue Merle Bi-color w/ White
Blue Merle Bi-color w/ Tan
Blue Merle Tri-color

Red Self Merle / Double Merle
Red Merle Bi-Color w/ White
Red Merle Bi-Color w/ Tan
Red Merle Tri-color

I tried to throw in a few extra things in these examples. I tried to express how random and completely different merle can be. From lightly merle, to very heavy merle. Also, I tried to add multiple different tones to the undertone of the merle; the light blue/grey to the dark blue/grey, and same with the Red.

MASK:
I also added Masks. The only masked dog is the Blue Merle Tri-color. You can see how the tan points on the eye, and cheek isn't fully visible. This is because this particular dog carries the gene for mask. Mask will cover the tan points.

RUNNING TAN:
Another thing I added was "Running Tan" - this is where the body color and the tan area overlap to some degree. You can see this in how the merle of some of the dogs 'bleeds' into the tan points in some places. I mainly did this on the Bi-colors w/ Tan.

DOUBLE MERLE:
Another thing I added was a Double Merle; this dog is clearly visible next to the Red Self Merle. Double Merles happen when a dog carries two copies of the Merle gene - which is not a good thing. Double Merles. Single merles break up the coat into something beautiful, but Double Merles cause a coat that is almost all white. 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. Which is why Merle x Merle breedings should NOT be allowed! It's extremely unethical to breed merle to merle.

Often, but not always, Double Merles will have hearing deficiencies. As with Pattern White pups, if the excess white does not affect inner ear pigmentation then there will be no hearing loss. But if there is no pigmentation on the inner ear, then there will be completely hearing loss. Double Merle dogs may also have a variety of eye defects that can occur in any color eye, referred to as "Merle Ocular Dysgenesis." Many dogs will have multiple eye defects, and most of those will have some vision loss, sometimes to the point of blindness. Visible eye defects are often the easiest way to determine whether a dog is a Pattern White or a Double Merle. Double merle dogs are more likely to have defects within their eyes, which will require an exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist for proper diagnosis. None of these conditions are exclusive to double merles. Most of the time, their eyesight stays pretty much the same throughout their life (whether it starts out pretty good or very poor). In some cases, they will gradually lose their vision, but often they will cope so well that no one ever notices. If a dog seems to be having vision trouble, or if the appearance of their eye changes, a veterinary ophthalmologist should be consulted.

Description
Part 1: Aussie Basic Colors Part 1
PART 2: You are here!

PART 2: Merle

Merle is very simple in that, if a dog has the Merle gene, it WILL express the gene; Merle is dominate. Just like part 1; I have the two standard colors; Red and Black, but this time, each color has a copy of the Merle gene making them Blue Merle and Red Merle. I have also added the three examples of merle of each standard color.

Blue Self Merle
Blue Merle Bi-color w/ White
Blue Merle Bi-color w/ Tan
Blue Merle Tri-color

Red Self Merle / Double Merle
Red Merle Bi-Color w/ White
Red Merle Bi-Color w/ Tan
Red Merle Tri-color

I tried to throw in a few extra things in these examples. I tried to express how random and completely different merle can be. From lightly merle, to very heavy merle. Also, I tried to add multiple different tones to the undertone of the merle; the light blue/grey to the dark blue/grey, and same with the Red.

MASK:
I also added Masks. The only masked dog is the Blue Merle Tri-color. You can see how the tan points on the eye, and cheek isn't fully visible. This is because this particular dog carries the gene for mask. Mask will cover the tan points.

RUNNING TAN:
Another thing I added was "Running Tan" - this is where the body color and the tan area overlap to some degree. You can see this in how the merle of some of the dogs 'bleeds' into the tan points in some places. I mainly did this on the Bi-colors w/ Tan.

DOUBLE MERLE:
Another thing I added was a Double Merle; this dog is clearly visible next to the Red Self Merle. Double Merles happen when a dog carries two copies of the Merle gene - which is not a good thing. Double Merles. Single merles break up the coat into something beautiful, but Double Merles cause a coat that is almost all white. 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. Which is why Merle x Merle breedings should NOT be allowed! It's extremely unethical to breed merle to merle.

Often, but not always, Double Merles will have hearing deficiencies. As with Pattern White pups, if the excess white does not affect inner ear pigmentation then there will be no hearing loss. But if there is no pigmentation on the inner ear, then there will be completely hearing loss. Double Merle dogs may also have a variety of eye defects that can occur in any color eye, referred to as "Merle Ocular Dysgenesis." Many dogs will have multiple eye defects, and most of those will have some vision loss, sometimes to the point of blindness. Visible eye defects are often the easiest way to determine whether a dog is a Pattern White or a Double Merle. Double merle dogs are more likely to have defects within their eyes, which will require an exam by a veterinary ophthalmologist for proper diagnosis. None of these conditions are exclusive to double merles. Most of the time, their eyesight stays pretty much the same throughout their life (whether it starts out pretty good or very poor). In some cases, they will gradually lose their vision, but often they will cope so well that no one ever notices. If a dog seems to be having vision trouble, or if the appearance of their eye changes, a veterinary ophthalmologist should be consulted.