Merle chihuahuas. Very interesting stuff.

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Squishy22

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#1
I've been doing some research on chihuahuas. I am getting more and more into the breed. After owning one pure bred and one crossbreed chi, as well as being around plenty well behaved chihuahuas, I am in love.

I've read the breed standard more than once. It states that ALL colors are allowed. I have seen merle dogs and merles being shown. As far as I know, merle is accepted by the AKC.

Merle is fairly new to this breed. It showed up in the last 15 years. Some believe that chis have been outcrossed with another breed to achieve this new color. Merle is even starting to pop up in other breeds such as cockers and poodles.

Some countries have actually banned this color due to health reasons. There has been a problem with breeders accidentally breeding a hidden merle to a merle. What a genetic disaster. The resulting puppies are sometimes born deaf, blind, or worse. Interestingly enough, breeding a merle to a non-merle can also produce puppies that are deaf or blind.

Something I thought was interesting is that merle chihuahuas usually grow bigger than non-merle chihuahuas. Sometimes MUCH larger.

God knows I am not a merle expert, but from what I've heard about this color pattern in chihuahuas, is not good. For anyone who is interested....

Link...

http://www.pedigreedogs.co.uk/k9bytes/merle.htm

Link...

http://www.picassochis.com/Picasso.htm

A breeders experience...

http://www.kandeechihuahuas.com/merles/ftlowille.html
 
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#2
I've been in the home of the breeder in the second link. As a matter of fact, the little smooth coat on the first page (carmel with white slash - retired female) came home to Calgary to live with my aunt. It didn't work out but she now has another retired female from there who is adored by all of us.
 

jess2416

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#3
Jessie's Chloe has merle markings..

not sure what the point of me saying that was lol but anyhoo lol
 
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Squishy22

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#4
I've been in the home of the breeder in the second link. As a matter of fact, the little smooth coat on the first page (carmel with white slash - retired female) came home to Calgary to live with my aunt. It didn't work out but she now has another retired female from there who is adored by all of us.
That is really neat. They are one of the better breeders I have come across. I cant get enough if those puppy pics they have. The white and cream long hairs are my fave.
 
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#6
My neighbor got a little merle girl and named her "merle" lol... she was a rescue from a large puppymill bust and she is just the cutest little thing. This lady has another chi and a shitzu and they are all such well behaved little dogs so I love seeing them out and about. She really is such a cute little girl I hope she doesnt have any health problems because of her coloring.
 
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I haven't looked at her website in a very long time so I can't comment on her breeding practices but while it was clear that she loved her dogs, the urine smell and obvious lack of training was very apparent.
The only reason that I went with her is that at the time she seemed like the best of the bunch and had a few retired older dogs available and we could drive to her home. My aunt was in her late 70's and wanted to give a home to an older dog. They were very supportive when my aunt had to choose a second dog and cried when each of the dogs left her home.:(
 

LauraLeigh

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#8
Very interesting! I have pretty well decided sometime down the road, a looong ways that would like to get involved in Chi's more seriously, purchase and show a breed quality bitch. I soak all this stuff up so thanks for the links!!
 
S

Squishy22

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#9
My neighbor got a little merle girl and named her "merle" lol... she was a rescue from a large puppymill bust and she is just the cutest little thing. This lady has another chi and a shitzu and they are all such well behaved little dogs so I love seeing them out and about. She really is such a cute little girl I hope she doesnt have any health problems because of her coloring.
lol. What a fitting name.

BYBs are spinning these merle chis out like crazy. Another fad going wild. These dogs are the victims here... for peoples greed.
 
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Squishy22

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#10
I haven't looked at her website in a very long time so I can't comment on her breeding practices but while it was clear that she loved her dogs, the urine smell and obvious lack of training was very apparent.
The only reason that I went with her is that at the time she seemed like the best of the bunch and had a few retired older dogs available and we could drive to her home. My aunt was in her late 70's and wanted to give a home to an older dog. They were very supportive when my aunt had to choose a second dog and cried when each of the dogs left her home.:(
Oh god. A breeder who doesnt know how to potty train? She looked better than most I've seen, from the website. Wow... buyers should really visit the breeders before making the huge decision of buying. :yikes:
 

Laurelin

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Merle is very controversial in a LOT of breeds. I know for sure it's shown up in cockers, poms, chis, and even pit bulls and it is ALWAYS a bone of contention. That's because A) merle is dominant and really impossible for it to just pop up suddenly unless you have a ridiculously long line of cryptics and B) because of the health associations with the color. Imo it's a pretty color but if a breed doesn't have merle already in it, then no need to try to add it.
 
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Squishy22

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#12
Merle is very controversial in a LOT of breeds. I know for sure it's shown up in cockers, poms, chis, and even pit bulls and it is ALWAYS a bone of contention. That's because A) merle is dominant and really impossible for it to just pop up suddenly unless you have a ridiculously long line of cryptics and B) because of the health associations with the color. Imo it's a pretty color but if a breed doesn't have merle already in it, then no need to try to add it.
I agree 100%

That is the number 1 thing that I hate. Mixing in other breeds to achieve a different color. Its all about making more money and having something "rare". BYBs over price these "rare" merles like you wouldn't believe.

With the pit bull, I am very glad that merle is a fault within the standard. As well as blue eyes.

The AKC needs to revise the chihuahua breed standard, in my opinion. Not that it would stop the BYBs. :rolleyes:
 
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Squishy22

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#13
Very interesting! I have pretty well decided sometime down the road, a looong ways that would like to get involved in Chi's more seriously, purchase and show a breed quality bitch. I soak all this stuff up so thanks for the links!!
I think showing would be so much fun, and if I were to get into showing, no question would it be the chihuahua. I just know absolutely nothing about it. lol.
 

Dekka

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#14
he AKC needs to revise the chihuahua breed standard, in my opinion. Not that it would stop the BYBs. :rolleyes:
Problem is even if you revise the standard, there's no overseer from the KC to review what you register your dogs as.. In cockers there is roan. While at birth roan and merle are polar opposites, in adults they look alike, some dogs more than others. Merle is unregisterable.. So skeazy people often register merles as roans. Hopefully anyone good wouldn't accidentally use one of those dogs, but stranger things have happened.

The CCA put merle to a vote as a DQ in the ring. It failed.. The AKC can't make changes the CCA doesn't approve of. Parent clubs are responsible for the breed standards. The AKC has nothing to do with it at all. They are a registry. Nothing more.
 
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Squishy22

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#15
Problem is even if you revise the standard, there's no overseer from the KC to review what you register your dogs as.. In cockers there is roan. While at birth roan and merle are polar opposites, in adults they look alike, some dogs more than others. Merle is unregisterable.. So skeazy people often register merles as roans. Hopefully anyone good wouldn't accidentally use one of those dogs, but stranger things have happened.

The CCA put merle to a vote as a DQ in the ring. It failed.. The AKC can't make changes the CCA doesn't approve of. Parent clubs are responsible for the breed standards. The AKC has nothing to do with it at all. They are a registry. Nothing more.
Oh, I see. Wow, how unfortunate that people can do that...
 

LauraLeigh

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#16
I think showing would be so much fun, and if I were to get into showing, no question would it be the chihuahua. I just know absolutely nothing about it. lol.
The KC showing part would be new to me as well, I have only ever shown terriers and it is far more casual:D I have every intention to get involved in breeding again once my kids are on their own, and as much as I love my JRTs and will ALWAYS own one I am not interested in getting involved in breeding them again for several reasons, none of which are the fault of the terriers themselves;)
 

~Jessie~

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#17
Yep, my Chloe has merle markings and blue eyes. She looks like a chihuahua to me ;)

I have seen some monsterous merle chihuahuas, but it's that way with any color. The problem is that there are some really bad BYB's cashing in on the color. I personally don't want to see the merle color banned in the AKC... it has been traced back through pedigrees for the past ~25 years so it isn't an entirely recent fad coloring.

Davishall is one of my favorite breeders... they have some gorgeous very typey chis... here are some of their merles for example. They're stunning:

http://www.davishall.net/tokalon/males.html

For all of the anti merle material out there, there is an equal amount of pro merle material stuff out there as well. There are questionable pictures of possible merle chihuahuas from books published in the early-mid 1900's, and there is evidence that merles have been around but improperly registered until the 1980's. There is also evidence showing that the long coat chihuahuas were crossbred with papillons and pomeranians, but they're considered purebred chihuahuas as well. I guess it all comes down to what you believe. I'm not entirely sure what I think.

This is from the davishall page, but it has a history/old pictures of merles:

http://www.davishall.net/tokalon/history.html

For anyone who is really interested in learning about merles, there is a merle chihuahua forum. If you'd like the link, send me a PM as I think posting it is against the rules on here.

Also, I don't think that merles are any less healthy than any color if bred correctly. Obviously merles need to be CERF and BAER tested, NOT bred to other merles, bred to darker colored dogs(to prevent phantom merles... lighter colored dogs where the merling doesn't show up), etc. But any good breeder would be doing that anyway.

I'm really not in the mood to prove or disprove the history/validity of merles... I just want to say that if you are considering getting a merle to do your research, as there are so many conflicting opinions out there.
 
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Laurelin

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#19
For all of the anti merle material out there, there is an equal amount of pro merle material stuff out there as well. There are questionable pictures of possible merle chihuahuas from books published in the early-mid 1900's, and there is evidence that merles have been around but improperly registered until the 1980's. There is also evidence showing that the long coat chihuahuas were crossbred with papillons and pomeranians, but they're considered purebred chihuahuas as well. I guess it all comes down to what you believe. I'm not entirely sure what I think.
I researched into merle in chis and a couple other breeds too. a And that's the same thought I got from everything. Chis are a bit less controversial than other breeds.

Though there is a difference with crossing to get a color than crossing to get a long coat, imo. Merle specifically is a problematic color and I really think any one trying to keep potential problems out of their breed would not try to introduce that color.
 

~Jessie~

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#20
I researched into merle in chis and a couple other breeds too. a And that's the same thought I got from everything. Chis are a bit less controversial than other breeds.

Though there is a difference with crossing to get a color than crossing to get a long coat, imo. Merle specifically is a problematic color and I really think any one trying to keep potential problems out of their breed would not try to introduce that color.
I agree, but so many colors in breeds come with their own set of issues. Dalmatians with no pigmentation, white boxers, etc.

I wasn't saying that LC chis are more or less healthy than merles... I was just saying that they were more than likely created by breeding the chihuahua with a different LC breed.
 

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