Corneal dystrophy and eyelid defects are also pretty common in Australian Shepherds. The marble refers to specks of other colors and truly creates a unique appearance in these dogs. RECOMMENDED: The Guide to Blue Merle Aussies. Code: Enter the 3-digit color and/or marking code for your dog on your Registration form. Australian Shepherds boast an eye color range that’s almost more reminiscent of us … However, these recessive genes still linger in the breed gene pool. The second most popular variation of the blue merle Aussie is when the dog has a blue merle base coat and only white markings. }. However, it can of course vary depending on the dog. These dogs have a base coat of the blue merle color, which is essentially black spots on a gray coat. Most red merle Australia Shepherds have solid eye colors. If you look closer, you’ll notice a difference in eye and nose color as well. Because this gene is still circulating within the breed gene pool, these colors still come up from time to time. If you have more questions about color, please visit the ASHGI site. However, every black Aussie may vary in the location and amount of a certain color. The tri-colored black coat, as described above, is not the only possible combination of black Australian Shepherds. However, most black Australian Shepherds, regardless of color markings, have two brown colored eyes. I’ll be breeding her with a puppy whose parents are red merle with copper eyes. It’s rather difficult to tell apart a red merle tri color and a red merle and white. Topaz is an Australian Shepherd puppy. It’s possible to have a blue merle Aussie with two different colored eyes – one blue and the other brown. If blue merle isn’t your thing, but you still want an exotic-looking Australian Shepherd – i’d take a long hard look at the red merle tri Aussie. A blue merle & white Aussies have blue merle as its base coat and have white markings. The yellow color produced by this recessive gene can vary widely depending on the dog. The brown colored eyes of the black Aussie can come in different shades of brown. The breeder says he’s a Merle. However, marbled blue eyes are a lot more common with blue merle Australian Shepherds. There are 4 colors the Australian Shepherd can be, blue merle, black (or Tri-Black), red merle and red. He’s only three weeks old so don’t know his eye color yet. Australian Shepherds come in four officially recognized colors. It’s more likely you find other coat colors from non-professional breeders. Some patches are darker. Another beautiful Australian shepherd color variation includes blue merle and white. They can live just as well as the non-dilute dogs. Smart Owner’s Guide to Australian Shepherds. Whatever the spectrum of color, it gives off a “red” color look. It’s rather difficult to tell apart a red merle tri color and a red merle and white. Personally, I think the red merle tri and red merle and white both like very similar and would not mind having either or. The four versions of the black-coated Aussie are: tri-color, black bi, black and tan and solid black. Australian Shepherds Excel at Agility Challenges Too. Unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to find a red Aussie with the “marble” effect. The Australian Shepherd forms strong bonds with its … Also, for the Australian Shepherd eye color change exists--meaning the two eyes can be different colors, or … The red patches can range in color, size and shape. Medium-sized, long-haired breeds, Aussies are really strikingly … TheSmartCanine.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Colors ranked from most common to least common: Both yellow and dilute colors are recessive genes. Merles characteristically become darker with increasing age. The spots can vary in both shape and size, but are always over a gray background. The breed standards state “All colors are strong, clear and rich.  The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black, and solid red (liver) all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference.  The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose, lips, and eye-rims.  Reds and red merles have liver pigmentation on nose, lips, and eye rims. They’re as robust as any other color. 5 Presumably because they’re just not as interesting as all the other color variations of this breed. For AKC, for example, 21 herding breeds require black, brown, liver, or blue noses in accordance with the coat color of the dog, and 7 herding breeds have disqualifications or faults listed with regard to nose color. Will the color change, beings as the parents are both red merle? Thus, forming a tri-colored blue merle Australian Shepherd. The recessive gene variation produces merle which are call blue merle and red merle. Australian Shepherd Colors Red Tricolor and Bicolor. Please refer to the breed standard for additional details. However, like the blue merle counterpart, they tend to have a “marbled” look in their eyes. Although uncommon, it’s not unusual to see one with copper highlights on the chest as well. Blue merle looks like splashes of black against a gray or powder blue background. Black, Blue Merle, Red, and Red Merle. Of these, the pattern merle is described as two colors: Blue merle and red (liver) merle. I have a toy and I believe I have a red Australian eye color her name is miss reds she’s 5 1/2 old. Aussies have a coloring that makes them Unique and Beautiful. Merle is represented by an M while solid is shown as m. Red merle coats have a lighter red background color … The preceding forebears of the foundation dogs likely had several sources, but were primarily UK rural landrace herding collies of various types and/or regions. There is also another version of this gene, called cryptic, that falls in dominance between the other two.  A cryptic merle dog will have only a small merle patch somewhere on the body.  It is possible if that patch lies somewhere that also gets a white marking, that you might not know a dog carried this version of the gene.  While it was once thought that these dogs would, like normal merles, produce defective double merles if bred to another merle dog, this does not appear to be the case.  Cryptic merles might be bred to a merle or a non-merle with no fear of merle-related defects. Other Health Concerns. The red merle Australian Shepherd color group comes with three different versions. Are these pure aussies? Type: The Standard and Alternate colors are classified for show purposes. If you’re looking for a specific Australian Shepherd color that you’ve seen, this is the complete guide. Sometimes, the base color of the red merle may look very similar to white. Breed Standard PDF Created January 15, 1977: Revised June 01, 2013. The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black, and solid red (liver) all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference. Many people can make the argument that solid red merles are actually red merle/white Aussies. They are Strikingly Beautiful Dogs. They have red spots on top of an buff (a light orange-brown) to silver base color. The Australian shepherd coat comes in four colors: blue merle, red merle, solid black and solid liver brown, called “red” in this breed. What Colors Can an Australian Shepherd’s Eyes Be? In other cases, there are even black Aussies with hazel-colored eyes (brown and green) with brown being the dominant color. Merle is the dominant gene while solid is recessive. The color combinations of this color group include: red tri, red bi and solid red. Still, there are three versions of Blue Merle Aussies. It’s also free to list your available puppies and litters on our site. Because of the wide range of yellows, these dogs are often mistaken for sable Australian Shepherds. This color only affects black and liver-colored hair. The four main colors you will find in any Australian shepherd dog are black, blue merle, red, and red merle. As a result Aussies can be encountered that have, for example, a blue eye and a brown eye. Unlike the dilute mutation, the inherited yellow recessive gene will affect the copper/tan highlights on an Aussie (if present). One of the best things about the Aussie is the color combination of their eyes. However, it’s all in the detail. For this specific color coat, a darker brown is most common. More often than not, you’ll find red Australian Shepherds with at least a hint of copper/tan. The tri colored version has white markings found on the face, chest, legs and belly. However, i’d argue that they’re just as great as any Aussie. Some would have a combination of the colors too. Solid red merles are more consistent in their merle coats throughout the body. It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that organizations established the standard colors of the Australian Shepherds. INTRODUCTION: First and foremost, the Australian Shepherd is a true working stockdog, and anything that detracts from his usefulness as such is undesirable.The most important breed characteristics are overall moderation in size and bone, balance with correct proportions, and sound movement The most common hues are hazel, golden, speckled, or light blue. In addition, copper/tan highlights are also sometimes present on both the face and legs. And often times, they’ve been mistaken for huskies at an early age. For example, a blue eyed Aussie may have brown highlights and vice versa. Black tri coats can be both trimmed or untrimmed, and officially accepted either way. The good news is that dilute Aussies don’t experience any negative health side effects. Any other colors outside these four are considered mongrel dogs (mixed with other breeds). It’s worth noting that the shade of amber and blue in their eyes can vary from light to dark. These dogs have a red base coat with white typically found on the chest, legs and face. Our doggie shirts come in thousands of designs sure to fit any personality. Like all working breeds, the Aussie has considerable energy and drive and usually needs a job and loves to be active but are also very loving dogs who make wonderful pets. Or use the search box in the upper right or the menu to the left to find information you want on coat and eye color in Australian Shepherds. Red merles also have blue and brown eyes. RECOMMENDED: Smart Owner’s Guide to Australian Shepherds. The merle gene is added to create the distinct colors of the Aussies. For example, you would have seen Aussies with brindle, sable, piebald, in addition to yellow and dilute coats. These dogs have primarily a black coat with copper/tan highlights around the face, chest and legs. She is a blue merle with blue eyes. One eye is green, the other is blue. It may have white, which can also be called blue merles with white. Here is the list of tri-colored Australian shepherds, depending on the colors: 1. Blue eyes could have speckles of brown, whereas brown eyes can have speckles of blue. These are called “black bi” Australian Shepherds, which stand for black bicolor. However, it’s all personal taste. See more ideas about Shepherd puppies, Puppies, Dogs and puppies. The puppy’s nose is black and spotted. Australian Shepherds in this color group come in just red merle and white. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On all colors, the areas surrounding the ears and eyes are dominated by color other than white.  The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the point at the withers. The breed standards state “All colors are strong, clear and rich. In this case, they look a little bit like the husky. Because this characteristic is a recessive gene, both parents must carry the E-locus gene to produce a yellow Aussie puppy. A dilute Australian Shepherd will more than likely have different colored noses and eyes as well. © 2009 - 2019 by Australian Shepherd Club of America |. Some red Australian Shepherds come in only red and white, as seen above. display: none !important; As a result, breeders started a selection process and began breeding only colors and patterns that were officially recognized. Red merle makes up this base coat for this color combination. A Dudley nose is a nose that is entirely pink, which is uncommon in Aussies. White markings are the most genetically complex aspect of normal Aussie color.  Only two white marking genes have been clearly identified so far in dogs.  One causes the type of pattern seen in Boxers.  The other is associated with the “Irish” pattern seen in collie-type dogs, like the Aussie.  However, the specific extent of these markings on any individual dog can be highly variable due to the actions of other genes or gene regulatory factors.  In general, though, less white is dominant to more:  Two dogs with little white can sometimes produce offspring with lots of white, but two with maximum white trim will not produce a puppy with almost none. It’s a color that features a gray coat with black spots in arbitrary locations. Black and tan dogs are the second rarest versions of black Australian Shepherds. It’s not too often you run into a solid blue merle, but when you do they look amazing. And the reason? The Blue Merle Tri Australian Shepherd is my favorite version from this group. The black tri Australian Shepherd is one of the most common and basic colors combination of this dog. CafePress makes the perfect Tri Color Australian Shepherd Pet Apparel for your pup. The only similarity is the consistency of the copper/tan highlights on both dogs. Personally, this is my favorite combination of the black. However, there will be instances where the eyes contain specks of other colors. A parent carries Merle gene, but they haven’t produced a Merle puppy yet. Aussies might have any combination of brown, blue, hazel, amber, … hi, I think I have a very rare colored Aussie. I have a Female Black-tri Aussie with one blue eye and one amber /w blue. Especially if they get to burn off energy at the same time. Click to e-mail one of our volunteer experts with color questions. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. Solid red Australian Shepherds are hard to come by. Tan points are caused by one of the several versions of a gene called agouti.  Only two of these are contributors to normal Aussie coat coloration, the one that causes tan and another that gives no tan.  Most Aussies have two copies of the tan version of this gene, though it is possible that some Aussies without tan may have two copies of the recessive version.  However, there is a weasel in this particular hen-house in the form of a gene called K.  If a dog has a single copy of the dominant version of K it will not have tan trim.  This gene version has been found in Aussies though most have two copies of the version that allows tan trim.  Therefore, lack of tan trim may be either dominant or recessive depending on whether it is caused by versions of agouti or K.  If you have a line where lack of tan is common the breeding patterns for the trait should tell you which you are dealing with – though it is possible that some lines might have both and be difficult to predict. this is due to some unknown reason I have yet to hear about. Although these four colors are the main color groups, each group has several variations. They also have copper highlights on the face and legs. These four colors that change the appearance of different Aussie dogs with their unique combinations. Australian Shepherds are vulnerable to the merle gene. The Australian Shepherd is one of a few dog breeds that commonly have two different colored eyes, called heterochromia. Sometimes an Aussie will have just a hint of white on their chest. Note: guard hairs are the outer layer of the dog’s coat, which protects their skin. Still, I would always go to a reputable breeder for an Australian Shepherd. In fact, Aussies have four officially recognized coat colors with several variations within each color. So, it’s okay to expect some degree of confusion when classifying these variations. Way before the four standard colors were set, we saw all types and color combinations of these dogs. Sable Aussies have guard hair that is light red, often accompanied by a dark black or blue tip. Rather, the entire shaft is a consistent variation of yellow. Color & Marking Description: Color and Markings for your breed. She is an absolute sweet heart. The black spots and patches on a blue merle Aussie will likely become slate colored instead. The official coat colors are downright beautiful and you don’t want to take a risk with potential health issues. They may be any color or combination of colors from glassy blue, amber, hazel, to all shades of brown. All of which, are traits that make them some of the best companion family dogs. For this reason, you can find a lot of interesting and unique blue merle Aussies. It’s not so much a specific color, but rather a recessive mutation that causes the colors on a coat to be a different shade, typically lighter. On the other hand, a yellow Aussie will not have these highlights of dark black or blue over the yellow coat. the eyes must be fully surrounded by color and pigment. As the name suggests, blue merle & white Aussies have two colors on their body – blue merle and white. Blue Merle Australian Shepherd There are many variations of the blue merle kind depending on the percent of blue in the coat. Butterfly nose should not be faulted under one year of age. For the most part, blue merles have a solid eye color. Most of the time, the markings are on the face, legs and chest. Red Australian Shepherds come in three variations. These colors will be scattered among the yellow hairs of the coat. Dudley Nose. Show off your family is getting an addition with our unique big brother dog shirts and big sister dog shirts. On top of that, even more color combinations are seen outside of the recognized colors. We called this “marble eyes.”. The basic colors are body colors of black and red. Thoughts? Often times, but not always, the black coat is highlighted with white markings on the face, chest, belly and legs. As a result, they’re considered the second most popular variation among blue merles. What’s ironic is that the solid red Australian Shepherd may be the most unique of them all (because they’re rare!). Red Aussies tend to have amber colored eyes that surprisingly match their coats very well. They also have copper highlights usually seen on the face and legs only. These dogs look just as magnificent as the tri colored variation without the copper. These variations include: red merle tri color, red merle and white, and solid red merle. Disqualifications - White body splashes, which means white on body between withers and tail, on sides between elbows and back of hindquarters in all colors. We are looking at an Aussiedoodle that has apricot coloring. Most of the time, you’ll see white marking on just the face, chest, belly and legs. 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