Merle:
A dark color broken up by a lighter color of the same general basic
pigment. In the Australian Shepherd, the base color should be jet black
or liver
(dark red). The merling will be a lighter variation of those
colors.
 red merle  blue merle
|
Powder Merle:
A dog whose color is dominated by
clear, pale merling with only small spots or patches of jet back or
liver red base pigment showing
 red merle  blue merle
|
Minimal Merle
A dog who has very little apparent
merling
(light color) intermingled with the base color (dark color) This is
often erroneously referred to as "heavily merled" when in fact it is
the exact opposite.
 minimal blue merle
|
Dark Merle:
A dog whose merling is mixed with darker hairs giving
it the
appearance of a deep, rich color.
 dark blue merle
|
Muddy Merle:
A blue merle whose merling has a rusty, brownish
cast.
 muddy merle
|
Cryptic or Phantom Merle:
A dog who is genetically a merle
but who has no apparently merling visible to the nake eye. These dogs
can be DNA tested to confirm their genetic status and would be
registered and bred as a merle. When bred to another merle, they can
still produce homozygous merles with the related defects. .
|
Harlequin Merle:
A modifier to the merle gene that bleaches the areas of
merle in the coat to white. Any white on the body proper is a
disqualification regardless of its genetic origin.
 Harlequin Merle
|
Tweed Merle:
A modifier to the merle gene which
adds a third, intermediary color to the coat.
 Tweed Merle
|
Dilute
Coloration:
In solid colored dogs, black
pigment
is lightened towards gray-black or blue (as in Weimeraners or Blue
Dobermans)and liver or red pigment is lightened towards a silvery shade
or "flat" washed out shade of the relevant color. In merles, the base
color of black is lightened to a dark gray and in liver, the color is
lightened to pale silvery-red. Pigmented skin areas (e.g., the skin of
the nose and lips and around the eyes) on both solids and merles will
also be lighter. Brown eyes may become a lighter brown or gold.
 Dilute Black  Dilute Blue Merle Dilute Red Merle
|
Dilution Spots:
Individual patches or spots of base color (black
or red)
that appears to be a lighter variation. In blue merles, dilute spots
can
appear to have a brownish or rusty cast. In red merles, dilution spots
will
be a lighter red color than the majority of the base color.
This color is not the same as Dilute Coloration.
 Dilution Spot
|
