Australian Shepherd Red Merle Dilute

Red merle australian shepherd health the merle color gene can be problematic for an australian shepherd when both parents contribute the gene to a puppy.

Australian shepherd red merle dilute. Regular red merles should always have darkly pigmented noses lips eye rims and paw pads. Many champions do have one or two small ones. The merle phenotype in australian shepherds is very similar to the coat color in mitf mouse mutants. A dilute red merle should have a lighter shade with a bit of a silvery cast weimaraners are actually dilute reds.

So why get a blue merle australian shepherd. In summary for red merle australian shepherd puppies to be born they must receive two recessive red coat color genes and one or two dominant merle pattern genes. Often identification becomes easier as the pups grow. This is called a double merle and it is associated with a variety of potential health issues.

This difference can be very hard to see in pictures. A dilute australian shepherd will more than likely have different colored noses and eyes as well. Comparing newborn photos mercedes and master of wolves are very similar in base body shade despite the fact that mercedes is a dilute blue merle and master of wolves is a dilute red solid. On a red merle the dilute area will be an intermediate shade of red.

As long as such spots are few small and inconspicuous they may not harm a dog s show or breeding career. However they re extremely rare and aren t considered completely ethical to breed. Given the extreme variation in red pigmentation in normal reds and red merles it is possible that a dilute might not be recognized as such. This color is sometimes referred to as isabella or fawn some breeds use fawn when referring to sable dogs so double check.

They do become a strictly cosmetic concern if they are very large and or numerous. One common issue that results from a double merle breeding is eye defects. Regular red merles should always have darkly pigmented noses lips eyerims and pawpads. Dilution affects only the areas of the coat that would have been black or liver.

A red australian shepherd will likely become a beige such as a weimaraner. Things to consider. Therefore for a red australian shepherd to have a merle coat they only need to inherit one dominant merle gene. Whether you have a black tri red merle or blue merle aussie there really is no difference other than the cosmetics or appearance.

Dilute gene carrier vet dna center and healthgene process this sample. The black spots and patches on a blue merle aussie will likely become slate colored instead. Red merle dilutes have medium toned dark patches on a pale background with pale liver on the nose and other exposed skin. The dog on the left is cheyenne a dilute blue.