GENETIC CONCEPTS and ALOPECIA FACTS;
What is a Merle?
Merle is a pattern or making, not a color per-say. The merle gene diluted the base color but leaves splotches unaffected thereby causing the dog to have a patchy, spotted coloration. Mixed over dark colors you get the "Blue Merles" and over the lighter colors you end up with "Red of Chocolate Merles" There are many variations of coloration's, but they usually fall within the broad categories of Blue or Chocolate in Chihuahuas.
HIDDEN or PHANTOM MERLE
A hidden or Phantom merle are merles that are not seen by the color pattern and more likely will have a blue eye or two blue eyes and should NOT be bred to a MERLE. When you are breeding merles you should take picture of the puppies when born, becasue there merles that have spots when born and loss them as they mature. Those are a "Hidden" or "Phantom" Merle. Genetically they are merle and can produce merle puppies. Is our "Hidden" Merle Male, the way we know he is a merle is because of his beautiful blue eye! He produces merles and solids but majority of his litters come out merles!
CARRYING the GENE
One parent has to be merle to get merle. It is a dominate gene not carried restively. So when people tell you is carrying the gene they don't understand the genetics. If the puppy has the gene for merle then it will express itself, even if only temporarily. Any non merle, even if it has a merle parent can safely be bred to a merle, because merle is a dominant gene and is not carried. If you have two non-merles out of merle parents and grandparents and great grandparents, as long as neither is merle they cannot produce a merle because the gene is NOT CARRIED. If you end up with a merle puppy out of two apparent non-merle parents, then one of them has to be a hidden or phantom merle.
BREEDING MERLE'S CAN BE TRICKY
When doubled, the gene can cause defects in puppies such as blindness, deafness, dogs that are sterile, or even stillbirth. This happens when a dog with the Merle gene is bred to another dog with the Merle gene. As long as Merles are bred to NON-MERGES there is not greater chance of genetic defects than with any other color.
Two Merle's may produce genetically
unhealthy puppies!!
PLEASE DO NOT BREED
TWO MERLE'S TOGETHER!
Thank You
Connie
TWO MERLE'S TOGETHER!
Thank You
Connie