Merle on Black
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Merle can be seen present on that of black based dogs! This includes the diluted colors and cocoa! When trying to determine the color of the dog's base, look to the leathers and the darkest colored spots to determine what color they are!
Merle colors are often only named in breeder terms, of which don't actually list the correct coat. Please be careful due to this! Remember to use nonbreeder terms unless you are trying to replicate that of a breeder's terminology for every coat!
- ✖ Incorrect Term: Blue Merle ➜ ✔ Correct Term: Black Merle
✖ Incorrect Term: Red Merle ➜ ✔ Correct Term: Liver Merle
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Merle on Tan
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Tan (Includes all modified colors of it) cannot show merle at all, but can be present even if the dog is ee! This creates a phenomenon known as "Hidden Merles", which often causes for accidental double merles to occur without proper genetic testing of the parents. The quickest way to see if an ee dog is merle (outside of genetic testing) is the eyecolor and if there is any dilution on the leathers. However this is not a fool-proof way due to not all merles having blue eyes or pink leathers, and many higher diluted merles having non S Locus white which may be present even on ee dogs. These ee merles may also be double merle, showing the same health issues and high white present in non ee merles.
Merle will also not be present on any Tan showing on sable, agouti, tanpoint, domino (inlcuding grizzle and cocker sable), or brindle dogs, only effecting the black markings on the dog.
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