Kennel Club bans Merle colour

[ArcherDog]

In great news the KC is no longer allowing Merle coloured dogs to be registered in most breeds.

The Merle allele can cause health problems in dogs and irresponsible breeders were just using this ‘pretty’ coat pattern to hike up the price of a puppy, with no thought to the consequences.
This is particular relevant in poodles (and their crossbreeds), French bulldogs, whippets and chihuahuas.

There are a few select breeds where it will continue to be allowed (Australian Shepherd, Beauceron, Bergamasco, Border Collie, Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Dachshund (colour known as dapple), Great Dane, Long Haired Pyrenean Sheepdog, Rough Collie, Shetland Sheepdog and Smooth Collie)

www.thekennelclub.org.uk/media-centre/2020/january/registration-of-dogs-of-merle-colouring/

• It isn't probability at all - it's genetics..... it is literally serendipity that determines how many pups have the merle colouring. It could be all. It could be none."

Where you say 'serendipity', you're exactly talking about probability. Wetotter's post gives the working out of the probabilities.

Stupid question, sorry. Is Merle what I’ve seen being touted as Blue colouring? Cause I’ve seen that advertised as so rare it’s not recognised by the KC YET, so this change wont exactly help. I think it was a Frenchie and a staffie that my colleague was looking into. Sorry if blue is something else and I’m talking rubbish.

@Unsuremover, Staffs are often touted as being 'rare' in solid blue (or with white markings, I mean 'not merle'). In reality, I believe there are more blue pups registered (and no doubt many more not registered) than standard colours of late, certainly nowt rare about them. Blue as a solid colour is not fundamentally troublesome, but if constantly repeated can cause skin issues.

Blue MERLE is a grey background with black patches. I've not yet seen a Staff in merle, but I expect they're out there, sigh. Have seen merle Frenchies (very unattractive, can't even imagine why people would want one!).

Blue merle is not a naturally occurring colour in either breed, so any merle Frenchie or Staff would be crossed with something else somewhere along the line.

Can I ask a question about collie coat genetics while it's vaguely relevant please?

I know somebody with a chocolate tricolour merle border collie, and I know that there was a at least one blue merle littermate. The mum was 'just' black and white. What could the dad have been?

I'm just being nosy, because the puppies looked absolutely nothing like the mum when I saw the pictures! The dad must have been merle, but after that, I have no idea.

@Whitney168 thanks, like i said I didn’t know anything about this. Blue seemed like such an unlikely colour not to be popular. And even knowing nothing about pedigree I could see the dogs they were showing me were not pure anything. Ears on thr frenchies seemed massively almost rabbit sized. Thanks, I don’t think he’ll be dissuaded from spending £3k on one of these dogs abs no doubt breed from it to aim to sell the pups for the same.

I probably won’t looked further into it because it’s just horrible the way profit means pain and suffering for dogs.

@ArcherDog

Ok you obviously don’t like the KC, that’s your opinion, it’s fine to disagree. They aren’t perfect.

Regardless though, this is a good thing for dog breeding no matter their reasons for doing it.

But the reasons DI matter because the KC has a leadership/public education position.

So if the message they want to send is 'dog welfare matters' they'd be banning Merle and all extreme conformations. They aren't. Because dog welfare does not matter to the KC.

They take no leadership on good dog welfare.
Their breed standards still encourage suffering.

There is very little that is reputable or aspirational about them.

Their focus is on breeding dogs fit particular aesthetic looks, regardless of the health and welfare consequences

@PolkadotsAndMoonbeams

Can I ask a question about collie coat genetics while it's vaguely relevant please?

I know somebody with a chocolate tricolour merle border collie, and I know that there was a at least one blue merle littermate. The mum was 'just' black and white. What could the dad have been?

I'm just being nosy, because the puppies looked absolutely nothing like the mum when I saw the pictures! The dad must have been merle, but after that, I have no idea.

The dad could be basically any kind of Merle - blue, tricolour blue, choc, choc tricolour.

The genes for tricolour and chocolate are separate and recessive to no markings and black respectively. That means the father and the mother both had to be carriers for these genes for the pups to be the way you describe. Since the mum was black we know that she was heterozygotic for both pairs, ie also had a black and a no markings gene.The dad had the option of being homozygotic or heterozygotic for these pairs of genes, which gives you the four option for his appearance.

A quick question from the cheap seats: are the ‘lilac’ frenchies you see advertised on Pets4Homes Merle too, or is that something different? Have often wondered...

Lilac is a dilute, I’m not sure which colour it’s a dilute of though.
It’s not Merle.

Dilute is linked to some health problems like colour dilution alopecia and allergies but nothing like the Merle gene

Thank you 🙏

Sitting here with my Heniz 57 feeling very grateful for his mix of genes.

Maybe the general message to people thinking of getting a dog, best to avoid breeders selling expensive pups in rare, allegedly desirable colours as they're liable to have associated health problems. If you want a lilac dog, knit it a jumper.

@ErrolTheDragon I’ve never wanted a lilac dog - just curious. I prefer a more natural hued hound.

Yes, I didn't mean you specifically. I just find the concept of a 'lilac' dog pretty odd!

“Lilac is a dilute, I’m not sure which colour it’s a dilute of though.“

Chocolate

Well according to my local P4H listings, Frenchies also come in Platinum and can be fluffy! I'm sure most people have no idea about any health implications of these unusual colours.

'He will make the perfect addition to any breeding program as he carries
blue💉choc💉cream💉tan💉L4 fluffy

He’s had his first inoculation, advocate treatment and been microchipped. Both parents are fully health tested clear. Genuine offers only please
Ready To Join His New Family Right Away🐶
1x (boy) choc/tan platinum
at/at,Dd,Coco,ee,kyky,l4
£7,500 ono'

We live in crazy times.

It's not an excuse but I do think that people are unaware as sellers treat them as special which (again no excuse, research should be done before buying any puppy) the general public then believe. I didn't know until I researched merles just how bad it was.

Thank you Kishkashta! That's really interesting.

If you want a lilac dog, knit it a jumper

Love it!

@tabulahrasa

“Lilac is a dilute, I’m not sure which colour it’s a dilute of though.“

Chocolate

And you can tell by looking at their noses!