Some double merle dogs even have visibly deformed eyes. The exact reason behind the visual impairment is not known but it is recognized that there is a link between double merle and blindness. A dog that has hearing and sight problems is undoubtedly going to have a compromised quality of life and it is difficult to place these dogs in homes that are able to care for them. Thanks to modern science and genetic testing this is largely unheard of nowadays as ethical breeders of merles will test all dogs that have merle in their ancestry, even if it is not seen, to ensure that no pups are born carrying two copies of the merle gene.
Even more insidious than blindness and deafness are reports that double merle dogs have been reported to suffer from skeletal defects, kidney problems, neurological issues, allergies, and even early death. However, these are based on anecdotal reports from breeders and owners rather than scientific evidence.
Even so, this must not be dismissed, and double merle dogs are not eligible for registration and should never be bred deliberately. The basis on which any ethical breeder bases his breeding program should always be health before perceived beauty.
While many people have adopted double merle dogs that have gone on to have great lives there is no doubt that we should be trying to avoid bringing pups with potential health problems into the world. Fashion, unfortunately, dictates in the world of dog breeding and rare colors, or those considered especially beautiful such as blue eyes and largely white coats in breeds that are not usually white command high price tags.
It is not unusual to see double merle pups being advertised for sale for double, triple, or more times the price of standard-colored pups. This is a very sad and worrying trend and something that no ethical breeder would get involved in. This is one of the reasons that the registration of merle dogs is considered controversial.
Specifically, in the world of Doodles which cannot be registered and have no governing body, merle is a problem that is on the increase particularly if breeders do not carry out color testing as well as health testing on their dogs. The most obvious reason that the life expectancy could be shortened is accidents. A deaf dog if he escapes from the home or secured yard, is unable to hear his owner calling him and is more likely to run off.
He also may be unaware of danger such as approaching traffic and is, therefore, more likely to be hit by a car. If the dog is also unable to see, then this danger is increased tenfold. While being visually or audibly impaired in itself does not affect his lifespan directly he is sadly more likely to be fatally injured in an accident. It has also been reported that double merle dogs are more likely to be euthanized because of behavioral problems.
A frightened dog may react by snapping or even attacking out of fear. In summary, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whilst I personally believe merle dogs to be very beautiful it is a color that must be taken at more than face value. Incorporating merle into a breeding program must only be undertaken by experienced and ethical breeders who are willing to carry out testing on their dogs and would not consider taking their bitches to a merle stud without seeing evidence that he is a single merle rather than a double merle.
Did you know? Jack was a brindle bulldog that was featured in the famous book " Little House on the Prairie" books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.
The harlequin is also a specific color pattern. In the harlequin, the base background color is pure white while gray or black torn patches are randomly distributed over the dog's body. The black patches should ideally be not too small but, at the same time, not too big as to cover large areas and appear like a blanket. It can be said that the harlequin coat pattern is related to the merle pattern.
Basically, in the harlequin, a white background is present instead of the usual blue background as seen in merles. There are not too many breeds boasting the harlequin coat. The most popular one is the great dane. Some people confuse a young harlequin great Dane for a Dalmatian.
Even though both breeds are technically white with black areas, the Dalmatian has white smooth rounded spots while a harlequin great dane has torn patches. Producing this coat color is not easy and often cannot be attained by just simply crossing two harlequin specimens.
Leigh Anne Clark and colleagues at Clemson University have recently discovered the gene that causes the Harlequin phenotype The discovery is a most interesting one, as it turns out the harlequin gene isn't a "color" pigment producing gene at all.
The harlequin gene simply alters the affect of the merle gene, so that the diluted regions of merle coloration otherwise seen are largely removed from the coat pattern, leaving behind the bi-color dog we know as a Harlequin The name of the harlequin coat pattern is inspired by "Arlecchino" a comic servant character from the Italian Commedia Dell' Arte known for wearing a typical checkered costume.
Ticked coat patterns are characterized by smaller spots of black or colored hairs found on a white background. One main feature of this pattern is that it's present only in the white parts of the dog's coat. You may see ticking therefore on widespread areas or on just certain areas, such as on the white of a dog's legs or on the white part of the muzzle.
Ticked coats are often found in many gun dogs and dogs bred for hunting such as German shorthaired pointer, German wirehaired pointer, Brittany, English springer spaniels and bluetick coonhounds.
An interesting fact about ticked coats is that puppies are not born with them but rather develop the ticked coat pattern later as they develop.
Among the plethora of dogs breeds populating this planet, the Dalmatian is the only spotted breed and of course this breed had to make it on the list of fascinating dog coat patterns. Cruella De Vil fell in love with the spotted dogs in the movie "The Dalmatians" but dog lovers love these dogs for many other reasons other than their fur hopefully!
According to the American Kennel Club , a Dalmatian's background color is pure white with round dense black or liver brown spots. The importance of the spots being this color is so important that any other color is means for disqualification in the show ring.
Like some other dog breeds, this appealing coat pattern comes at a price. The same genes responsible for the spots are also what may predispose this breed to deafness due to the extreme piebald sw pigment genes.
Deafness in piebald animals is linked to the absence of mature melanocytes in one or both ears. According to veterinarian Dr. Another very beautiful and unique coloration. The price range is wide. The Merle French Bulldog has a gene that creates mottled patches of color in a solid or piebald coat, and it can affect skin pigment as well. This pattern is very controversial in the French Bulldog community since it can cause severe health issues, if two merles French bulldogs are bred together.
A merle French Bulldog should only be bred to a dog with a solid coat color. Heterochromia Iridium is a difference in coloration of the iris. One of the currently most popular merle colors is the Blue Merle French Bulldogs? Blue merle Frenchie has a light gray base with darker gray patches. They also often come with bright blue eyes that stay that way permanently. Keep in mind that this is the only French Bulldog gene that has the ability of creating permanently blue eyes.
He is all white with small blue merle patches and gorgeous baby blues. Merle French Bulldogs are definitely not cheap, especially if they are responsibly bred and from excellent bloodlines.
Read More on Merle French Bulldogs. Coat color, investment from the breeder and genetics all play a huge role in the final price. Black and Tan French Bulldog is a solid black Frenchie with tan points. Blue and tan French Bulldog is a blue colored dog with tan points. With tan points — the same rule applies at all times. The dog has the possibility of markings on those specific parts of the body.
BUT tan points can also be hidden and overpowered by other coat colors and patterns, making them invisible. If a blue and tan French bulldog is covered in cream, then it will appear cream on the outside. The dog is however still a tan pointed dog on DNA and can create tan pointed offsprings or pass down the gene and create a puppy that is a carrier. Lilac and tan French Bulldogs used to be very rare, but started gaining popularity in and by now, we definitely see more and more lilac and tan French bulldogs exploring the streets, especially here in NYC.
Only a handful live in the USA and are mostly owned by breeders. By the French Bulldog community will start becoming more and more familiar with this rare and beautiful color combo — Isabella and tan French Bulldog.
Merle is a pattern not a color, so literally any of the above mentioned French Bulldog colors except for cream and pied can be found with a Merle pattern combination. Merle tan French bulldogs are adorable and pretty rare, still. Let us know in the comments. Do you own an interesting colored Merle French Bulldog or are curious about your Frenchies coat color?
Message us over Instagram and we will help to determined your doggos color combo. Click here to get in touch. Pictured above is our chocolate and tan Frenchie cutie, called Indi. She lives in Brooklyn and will be super happy to say Hi to you if you run into her on a walk. French Bulldog Colors Explained.
Written by James Sep 21, French Bulldog Colors. The Standard and The Rare.
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