Two types of colored patches generally appear in a merle coat: brown/liver (red merle) and black (blue merle). Associated breeds include Carea Leonés, Australian Shepherds and Catahoula …

Nov 1, 2022 · Also known as dapple, merle is characterized by irregular blotches of fur set on a lighter background of the same pigment, such as solid black on gray (called blue merle) or …

Aug 6, 2025 · Find out what merle actually is, how it’s inherited, and why it matters for your dog’s health. Spoiler: Double-merle breeding can lead to serious issues, such as deafness and …

Feb 11, 2025 · Merle is a genetic characteristic that expresses itself through coat, eye, and paw color changes. Merle dog breeds aren’t different from standard dogs, only that they are more …

Note: Merle is produced by a semidominant gene and may be accompanied by usually blue eyes and defects in hearing and sight. Merle is considered a standard coat pattern by the American …

Sep 9, 2025 · “Merle” refers to a unique coat pattern seen in several dog breeds, defined by a diluted base color with irregular patches of deeper pigmentation. These splotches can vary …

Merle is an incompletely dominant coat color pattern characterized by irregularly shaped patches of diluted pigment and solid color.