![]() Several top-quality breeders specialize in breeding dogs with the merle gene. A richly-colored coat can obscure the mottling patterns under the coat, and their eyes can also be brown if the merle genotype is not wholly dominant.Īccidental breeding of two merles can result in a litter of deaf, blind, and otherwise deformed puppies, so if you are looking for a merle puppy, do your homework and check both parents with a magnifying glass! Labradoodle Sizes However, merle patterns are not easily spotted, and some mottling can be hidden under a thick, vibrantly colored coat.Ī merle can be mistakenly identified as a non-merle easily. Responsible breeders will NEVER risk the chance of a MM litter. When two merle dogs are bred, there is a 25% chance of each puppy being born double merle or MM. MM puppies are primarily white with some colored patches. They have numerous health issues and a significant chance of being born blind, deaf, or both. “MM,” double merle puppies are the last thing you want and a disaster waiting to happen. Two merle dogs bred with each other results in a double merle litter, or “MM.” The merle genotype is highly dominant, and an “Mm” dog bred with an “mm” dog will produce a litter that is about half merle, or “Mm.”īreeders that specialize in merle litters have to be extremely careful. Non-merle dogs, or mm, can be bred with merle dogs, or Mm. Non-merle dogs have a genotype “mm,” meaning the merle gene has no presence in its bloodline. Merle dogs have a genotype “Mm,” meaning they have one marker for merle and one for non-merle. The M gene present in a merle dog can bypass several generations of litters before presenting itself much later in the bloodline. ![]() The merle gene is represented by an allele, or a single M, the variant form of the gene that can be present anytime if it can be traced, even minutely, in the dog’s lineage. Common merle breeds include Australian Shepherds, Great Danes, Border Collies, and Shetland Sheepdogs. The merle gene tends to be more dominant in herding breeds. In addition, the paw pads and nose might be pink instead of brown. Most merle dogs have blue or heterochromatic eyes, meaning different colored eyes. In addition to affecting the coat, the merle gene also changes the color of the eyes. ![]() Merle dogs tend to have light, spotted, or mottled coats. Although rare, Poodles can carry the merle gene and pass it down to their Labradoodle offspring. ![]() The merle gene creates a mottling in the coat, lightening patches of it. Merle is not a color but refers to a dog’s coat pattern. The merle coat is created by the heterozygote of an incomplete dominant gene. ![]()
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