Just when you thought there are so many color patterns for Border Collies, it seems to have endless variations! There are saddle-patterned blue merles with unique eyes. Some of these merles have mismatching eyes or heterochromia, where one eye is brown, and the other is blue. Others simply consider it as brown or blue. Yes, because not only does the merle gene give brighter coats, but also lighter-colored eyes.Ī blue merle Border Collie can have faded amber, light green, or pale blue eyes partnered with their intense gaze. If not, a home with a securely fenced, spacious yard would work.Īside from the shade of the Border Collie’s coat, there’s another physical feature that the merle gene can affect. It’s best if they get to live on a farm or ranch where they can herd livestock and help with work. On average, they stand 18 to 22 inches (46 to 56 cm) tall and a weight that can range between 30 to 45 pounds (14 to 20 kg).Īlthough they’re not large dogs, they aren’t suited for apartments. The Border Collie’s size can vary a little, with females being a bit smaller. They still come in two coat types, smooth and rough, and they’re still not hypoallergenic. They have short ears that can fold forward or stand erect. So aside from having a merle coat color pattern, they look like every other purebred Border Collie. What does a blue merle Border Collie look like?Īccording to the American Kennel Club (AKC), the breed standard description for the Border Collie is that they are “a well-balanced dog of athletic appearance, displaying style and agility in equal measure with soundness and strength.” It’s also referred to as a ghost or phantom merle that appears as black or liver, with only a few areas of merle.Įven if these dogs look pretty, proper and ethical breeding should be followed carefully. There’s a possibility to get one pup with a merle coat in a whole litter.Īside from the merle allele/gene and non-merle allele, there’s a third variant called cryptic merle. Having a blue merle Border Collie parent doesn’t guarantee a puppy with the same color pattern. What it does is take a dominant color (like black) and dilutes it to make that grayish or bluish shade with swirly and splotchy streaks or lines. Genetics can be tricky and complicated, but to simply put it, a dog’s coat color is a result of two base colors – a dominant and a recessive gene that it will inherit from its parents.įor breeders to get a blue merle Border Collie, one of its parents should be carrying the merle gene.
Blue Merle Border Collie breeding & genetics
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