Aussie pups and the merle gene... (bit of a rant) PUPPY PIC!

[HydroPHILE]

[QUOTE=spinandslide;5676133]
In border collies, we call the merle a “candy color”…:)…I own a “candy” colored BC and while she is absolutely stupendous, she is not as brave or consistent a worker (on stock) as my traditional, plain jane black and white.

Color does not make the dog! I know it’s easy to say that when you have people wanting merles though. :)[/QUOTE]

Speaking of merle Border Collies

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/wildernessk9sar/hunter.jpg

A cutie patootie BC I used to dogsit…and his “baby.”

[HydroPHILE]

I was able to visit with these guys last night:

http://flyingcarpetkennels.com/ (click on Litters)

“Fielder” is a little sweetie pie as his breeder said, “dressed for the party in his tuxedo.”

“Catcher” is a little feisty girl (the pick that FCK is keeping.) She was playing with her littermates the other day, and turned her head sideways lunging in for a nip on the hock (shrunken herder already!)

“Trip” was content just hanging around and watching the action.

“Player” was a cutie patootie who wanted nothing more than to just inch as close as he could to the action without getting involved.

“Jack” just wanted to play with everyone and has the cutest teddy bear face.

“Slider” immediately latched onto Andrew (curved his little paws around his fingers.)

[OveroHunter]

I took this pic of one of our solid puppies the other day - http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2019940960043029495aIqnyu

Too cute so I thought I’d share. These guys are 8 weeks old now and despite their solidness - freaking cute!

[HydroPHILE]

[QUOTE=OveroHunter;5787833]
I took this pic of one of our solid puppies the other day - http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2019940960043029495aIqnyu

Too cute so I thought I’d share. These guys are 8 weeks old now and despite their solidness - freaking cute![/QUOTE]

Love the markings! When you said “solid,” I thought you meant…solid - lol. You must immediately send the puppy up to us :yes:

[OveroHunter]

No just solid as in base color. It’s easiest to think of it as solid vs. roan in horses - both can have blazes and socks, but only the roan has the crazy awesome base color…

[HydroPHILE]

Don’t get started on horse colors and markings. You know better.

I prefer the tri-coloreds myself. I think they’re just as fantastic as the merle dogs. However, the horse farm where I work part time has a stunning, and this is the best way to describe her, tri-colored merle Aussie that is one of the most vibrantly-marked Aussies I’ve ever seen.

All of the Aussie pups I had mentioned have since been sold except for the one female held back. Every single pup has been hitting heels HARD of their siblings, other house pets, etc. and the little girl held back has already been introduced to sheep and will probably go to ASCA Nationals this year as she has scored BOBp at several shows.

[OveroHunter]

You’re right, he’s a rare splash aussie… Okay okay, I’m done now.

When Jitterbug and Bocephus get older, we’ll keep a red merle - the best of both of their coats!

[Bells]

Back in June you should have bought a lottery ticket. Cute pups!

[didgery]

At least you’re responsible enough not to breed merle to merle and risk the double recessive genes—my deaf Aussie came from such a breeding program where the extra puppies (one out of four, roughly) were culled as the cost of getting merles in every litter. Thank you for doing better!

[BetterOffRed]

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2019940960043029495aIqnyu

wantit.wantit.wantit.wantit.wantit.wantit.!!!

[PRS]

[QUOTE=OveroHunter;5787833]
I took this pic of one of our solid puppies the other day - http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2019940960043029495aIqnyu

Too cute so I thought I’d share. These guys are 8 weeks old now and despite their solidness - freaking cute![/QUOTE]

Freaking adorable!!! I’m one that actually prefers the solids or tris to the merles anyhow. I have a tri colored Aussie who is my heart dog. Looked very much like this pup when he was little.

[Spiritpaws]

I have a merle and a black tri, and I’d be happy to take that black tri puppy off your hands

Aussie’s are simply great dogs, no matter what the color!

[irkenequine]

Firstly, congrats on being a new furmom! Hooray for babies. And if you’re breeding for quality which it sounds like you are, the pups will have no problem finding homes anyway

And secondly, as the PROUD (of my dog, not the circumstance) owner of a deafblind merle-to-merle aussie/cattle dog mix, thank you for breeding your merles so responsibly

[Coyoteco]

[QUOTE=didgery;5788056]
At least you’re responsible enough not to breed merle to merle and risk the double recessive genes—my deaf Aussie came from such a breeding program where the extra puppies (one out of four, roughly) were culled as the cost of getting merles in every litter. Thank you for doing better![/QUOTE]

That’s how I got my deaf dominant-white Aussie. The breeder, who was new to breeding was going to kill it - that’s the way they cull. Her daughter told my daughter and my daughter (they had just started 3rd grade) that it was deaf and blind and that they were going to kill it. My daughter wanted to stop them from killing it so made me call to intervene.

I called, and ultimately, they didn’t kill the puppy as they had planned. We took her at 8 weeks. She was deaf, and her vision was reduced, but she could see well enough. Small, almost pure, solid white with small blue eyes. She was a very good dog.

[irkenequine]

Homozygous merle Aussie owners unite! Not that I support them in any breeding program or want them to continue to exist…but since they will, I will ALWAYS own one.

[Coyoteco]

[QUOTE=irkenequine;5790202]
Homozygous merle Aussie owners unite! Not that I support them in any breeding program or want them to continue to exist…but since they will, I will ALWAYS own one.[/QUOTE]

Amazing that there are three of us who have owned these. I always tell people that deafness in a dog is a non-issue to me. I didn’t know that it was such a non-issue when we got our Aussie. This was many years ago. I took her to a puppy kindergarten class. The dog trainer had never met a deaf puppy and was really interested in her.

[Coyoteco]

IrkenEquine, can you tell me about your deaf AND blind Aussie. Like I said, originally it was thought that my aussie was both, but she wasn’t blind. Deafness isn’t a problem. Blindness isn’t a problem. But, the combination is a little more challenging, i would think.

[didgery]

Here’s my deaf Aussie! http://www.dogster.com/dogs/163919

The poor guy has had more than his share of problems—he’s got epilepsy and has really scary grand mal siezures (luckily, they’re managed and he only has a couple a year) and a deformed leg (a missing ulna following an accident, surgery, and botched recovery) but he is really, really, really, really sweet. He has the kindest temperament of any dog I’ve ever known and I trust him more with children than any dog I’ve ever known. I love him for it, even though he’s a crazy shedder and a bit of a spaz!

[MMorgan]

didgery, he’s gorgeous. I can see that sweet temperament in his eyes.

Don’t you love how Aussie’s always have a smile?

[Coyoteco]

[QUOTE=didgery;5791266]
Here’s my deaf Aussie! http://www.dogster.com/dogs/163919

The poor guy has had more than his share of problems—he’s got epilepsy and has really scary grand mal siezures (luckily, they’re managed and he only has a couple a year) and a deformed leg (a missing ulna following an accident, surgery, and botched recovery) but he is really, really, really, really sweet. He has the kindest temperament of any dog I’ve ever known and I trust him more with children than any dog I’ve ever known. I love him for it, even though he’s a crazy shedder and a bit of a spaz![/QUOTE]

Oh, he’s beautiful. He does look so happy:) My girl was solid white, just a very few half-dollar size, very pale beige, hardly visible spots on her hips.

Is his epilepsy related to the genetic defect? I haven’t heard of that. Mine didn’t have any health problems, though she died very suddenly and the age of nine.