Are blue merle Australian Shepherds rare?
Although beautiful in their own right, the Blue Merle and Tan Australian Shepherd is not very common. These dogs come in a splendid blue merle (black patches on gray fur) with only tan/copper markings.
How much is a blue merle Australian Shepherd worth?
The average pricing of a standard-colored Australian Shepherd from a trustworthy breeder is between $750 to $1,000. If it’s a blue merle Aussie puppy, the estimated cost is around $1,500 to $2,500. There are also many factors that affect the price of this dog, such as gender, lineage, and breeder reputation.
How long do blue merle Aussies live?
They live for 12–15 years on average. Because of their long coat, they do need some grooming. A simple brush a day should do, although some people prefer to shave their Aussie’s long coat during the summer for shedding issues and to keep their dog cool.
Are blue merle Australian Shepherds good with kids?
There are mixed reviews, but Australian Shepherds are generally great playmates for older children. However, they’re known to try to herd small children by nipping at their heels. They’re good natured dogs that loves nothing more than the family, including the children.
Do blue merle dogs have health problems?
The merle gene is known to cause a number of health problems, mostly deafness and blindness, and also sun sensitivity and higher rates of skin cancer. These problems are unusual in heterozygous merles (Mm) but more common in homozygous merles (MM).
What color eyes do blue merle Aussies have?
Blue, pictured in the blue merle section, has dark amber eyes. In both eyes he has a darker amber ring around the iris and several brown flecks in the iris.
Why are Blue Merle Aussies more expensive?
It’s not uncommon for breeders to charge extra for say, tri-colored or merle Australian Shepherds. This is because they’re higher in demand. So, breeders are often left with black Aussies, or other “less desirable” puppies.
Why are merle dogs expensive?
Why are merle dogs so expensive? In a nutshell, merle dogs are expensive because puppy buyers are willing to pay a lot of money for them. The pattern is very sought-after, and the more demand there is, the higher breeders can set their prices. In addition, merle breedings can be quite rare in some breeds.
Do merle Aussies have more health problems?
While there are suggestions in scientific papers dating back several decades that double merles are more prone to a variety of health issues other than those mentioned above, most particularly heart and digestive issues, this appears to be inaccurate.
Is merle a defect?
An autosomal, incompletely dominant trait, merle coat coloring predisposes dogs to inherited deafness. When inherited in the homozygous state, the merle mutation causes dogs to be white and have an even greater incidence of deafness, blindness and sterility.
What kind of dog is a Merle Australian Shepherd?
Most people have probably seen a merle Australian shepherd but not know what it really is. It’s an Australian shepherd. While other breeds may not be known for having merle dogs, the Australian shepherd standard is merle. It’s the array of colors admirers of this fluffy herding dog know by sight, if not by name. 1. Merle is a genetic mutation.
Is there such a thing as a ghost Merle?
A ghost merle, also called cryptic merle, is an Australian shepherd who doesn’t show any visible signs of being merle, but carries the merle gene. This means that looking at the dog wouldn’t be enough to tell its merle. Sometimes there are small patches of evidence, but they could be hidden in white swaths of fur and be indistinguishable.
How many Australian Shepherds are there in the world?
Australian shepherds are anything but rare. As of 2020, the AKC has them listed as the 12th most popular dog. Out of 195 recognized breeds, we’d say that’s the opposite of rare.