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For this reason the Kennel Club will no longer allow a dog owner to register a Merle Chihuahua if there is no documented evidence of the color being well-established over a sustained period of time. It is a common misconception that a dog with a merle coat must have hearing and seeing issues.
So a merle color bulldog cannot truly be referred to as a bulldog as it wont have registration papers.
Are merle dogs unhealthy. Yes merle dogs can be just as healthy as dogs that have a solid color. They have the same life expectancy they are just as strong and athletic and smart as. It is a common misconception that a dog with a merle coat must have hearing and seeing issues.
The only time the merle gene causes a concern for health is when a dog is homozygous for merle meaning double merle The only way to get a homozygeous merle dog is to breed two merles together. Phaeomelanin red is not affected at all and will appear as normal. The merle gene is known to cause a number of health problems mostly deafness and blindness and also sun sensitivity and skin cancer.
These problems are unusual in heterozygous merles Mm but unfortunately common in double merles. Double-merle dogs are also unusually sensitive to sun burning easily. This means that these canines are very susceptible to skin cancer.
Merle Dogs are Not a Breed unto Themselves Merle is a pattern and not a breed of dog. ARE MERLE DOGS UNHEALTHY. It is a common misconception that a dog with a merle coat must have hearing and seeing issues.
The only time the merle gene causes a concern for health is when a dog is homozygous for merle meaning double merle The only way to get a homozygeous merle dog is to breed two merles together. ARE MERLE DOGS UNHEALTHY. It is a common misconception that a dog with a merle coat must have hearing and seeing issues.
The only time the merle gene causes a concern for health is when a dog is homozygous for merle meaning double merle The only way to get a homozygeous merle dog is to breed two merles together. Merle lilac grey black and tan and other so called rare colors are not registrable with the American Kennel Club. So a merle color bulldog cannot truly be referred to as a bulldog as it wont have registration papers.
Bulldogs are a fragile breed at best. A merle would have dubious origins. Its one of the most beautiful coat patterns in the dog world.
But merle is definitely a case where too much of a good thing is well a bad thing. The merle also called dapple pattern is the. Breeding merle Chihuahuas is controversial whichever way you look at it and the health implications of merle colouration within dogs of the breed is the key point of the debate.
In terms of the health of the Chihuahua breed as a whole the breeds lifespan can be quite variable with. Is My Merle Pitbull Unhealthy. Some pits with merle coloring are perfectly fine and live healthy lives.
That said the ones that are born not healthy are. Red merle dogs are marbled light cinnamon to dark liver color with copper points on the face and legs. Tricolor dogs may look similar but typically lack the characteristic marbling of merle.
Some cases of the merle coat in dogs are masked by other genes. Recessive red dogs are affected by merle but patches are subtle or not visible at all. The merle coat is characterized by a patchwork of colors such as tan white and black.
The gene that cause merle coats in dogs can also affect eye color such as causing ice blue eyes and can also effect skin pigment. Excessive white or dilution in a dog of any color can be a warning sign of hearing problems. From talking to breeders whos lines contain merle dogs they relate that they are very aware of the potential health problems sometimes being lethal to the affected pups resulting in the.
Merle is sometimes considered an undesirable color within the Chihuahua dog breed. For this reason the Kennel Club will no longer allow a dog owner to register a Merle Chihuahua if there is no documented evidence of the color being well-established over a sustained period of time. 17 Merle Dog Breeds With Pictures Merle is a genetic characteristic that expresses itself through the coat eye and paw color changes.
Merles arent different from standard dogs only that they are more beautiful and sadly prone to health issues such as deafness and blindness. The most defining characteristic of a merle dog is a mottled. Dogs that have two copies of the merle version of a gene called PMEL17 formerly Silv are double merles and virtually always have abnormally developed eyes which frequently are blind.
Normal merles those with only one copy will not have these defects. If two merle dogs are bred together 50 of the offspring will be merle Mm 25 of the offspring will not be merle mm and 25 of the offspring will be double merle MM. Thus if you breed two merle dogs together there is a 25 chance that your dog will be a double merle which typically results in blindness and deafness depending on the severity of the dilution.
Merle dogs cannot be called unhealthy. Dogs with a single merle gene can lead their life normally. Only when the dog receives two merle genes they become quite prone to severe illnesses like deafness or blindness.