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Taking a Look at Merle Coat Pattern in Chihuahuas

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Taking a Look at Merle Coat Pattern in Chihuahuas Chihuahua Vol. 4, No. 2 ■ July 2005 Taking a Look at Merle Coat Pattern in Chihuahuas hen most people think of of the University of Newcastle Upon merles will result in some of the pup- the coat pattern known as Tyme in Cramlington, North Umerlane, pies (statistically a quarter) having Wmerle, the breeds that come United Kingdom, describes the genetic two copies of the merle gene. These to mind are Australian Shepherd, composition that results in the merle puppies, which often have a consid- Shetland Sheepdog or coat color.1 erable extent of white markings in the even Dachshund, where “Merle is a gene that coat, may be deaf and almost always the color is called “dap- causes patches of lighter have an assortment of eye defects.” pled.” Merle coats are THE INCREASING color (usually grayish blue) The most commonly seen eye defect also seen in other collie- to appear in the coat,” he is microphthalmia, or abnormally small, type breeds including PREVALENCE OF THE says. “There are two alleles even tiny, eyes, Sharp says. “Iris defects Collie and Border Collie. MERLE PATTERN IN that are termed M (merle) are quite common and sometimes Over the past few and m (non-merle) with years, merle Chihuahuas CHIHUAHUAS IS merle coloring being “MERLE IS A BEAUTIFUL have started to appear, dominant to non-merle. THE SUBJECT OF or reappear, with increas- All breeds carry the merle PATTERN, BUT ONE NEEDS ing frequency. They have DISCUSSION AND gene but most have the been spotted every- non-merle (m) in dupli- TO BE CAREFUL WHEN where from the show DEBATE BOTH IN THE cate and are thus ‘homo - BREEDING FOR IT.” ring to online puppy zygous for non-merle UNITED STATES AND ads, where the pattern (mm).’ The Chihuahua does C.A. SHARP, is promoted as “rare” INTERNATIONALLY. not have M, and all Chih - PRESIDENT, AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD and pups carry a high uahuas should be mm.” HEALTH & GENETICS INSTITUTE price tag. The increasing C.A. Sharp, president prevalence of the merle of the Aus tralian Shepherd severe. There can also be serious pattern in Chihuahuas is the subject Health & Genetics Institute, explains, defects of the retina and other inte- of discussion and debate both in the “The merle gene is not one that mutates rior structures of the eye. An experi- United States and internationally. spontaneously from the normal, non- enced breeder can spot micro phthalmia, The AKC defines merle as a color merle version with any frequency.” however many of the other defects pattern involving a dominant gene (the can only be identified by a qualified M or Merling Series) and characterized More than a Color Question veterinary ophthalmologist using the by dark blotches against a lighter “Merle is a beautiful pattern, but proper equipment.” background of the same pigment. In one needs to be careful when breed- Australian Shepherd breeders avoid a recent article, Dr. Malcolm Willis ing for it,” Sharp says. “Crossing two deafness, a condition that many sci- entists believe is linked to coat color in a number of breeds, by not breeding Chihuahua Club of America Allows Merle in Breed Standard merle to merle, Sharp says. fter researching the genetics of coat color and consulting with sci- Theories Abound entists, researchers and representatives of other breed clubs that If Chihuahuas do not have the Ahave the merle pattern in their breed, the Chihuahua Club of America dominant M allele, how has the merle (CCA) recently decided not to revise its more than 100-year-old standard coat pattern developed in the breed? to disqualify merle-patterned Chihuahuas. Barbara Solinsky of Misty Morn The club developed a statement to address the merle pattern, provide Kennels, a breeder of top-winning guidance to members and place the issue into context along with other Australian Shepherds for more than serious health conditions affecting Chihuahuas, which include luxating 30 years and now a breeder of top- patellas and heart problems such as patent ductus arteriosus. winning Chihuahuas, believes that the The CCA statement states: merle coloration seen in Chihuahuas 1. It is most important that the color/markings/patterns of Chihuahuas be today comes from an effort to down- registered accurately. size the Australian Shepherd to develop 2. It is possible that some serious health problems (hearing, vision, sterility, a miniature and toy Aussie. Solinsky etc.) may result if merle-patterned dogs are bred to each other. suggests that heavy line breeding of 3. Testing/screening for heart, vision, hearing, patella, and other possible only the smallest dogs resulted in health problems is valuable for Chihuahuas. crossbreeding with a Chihuahua to For more information, you may visit the CCA Web site at: www.chihuah reduce the size even further. uaclubofamerica.com. Continued on page 2 21 Merle Coat Pattern reads, “All colours in all possible care about the health implications that continued from page 1 shades and combinations are admitted.” may be inherent with the pattern. The CCA board along with a com- Smith is concerned about indiscrim- “There is no merle Chihuahua,” mittee of members examined the inant breeding of merle Chihuahuas to Solinsky says. “It takes two merle merle pattern closely and decided fill the demand for unusual pets. “There genes to produce a merle dog. I will not to recommend that the standard are no more than 500 members of argue that some of these dogs that be changed to disqualify the color at the Chihuahua Club of America, but are being called merle are not a true this time. However, the club has issued there are thousands of people breed- merle. It’s a diluted color or pattern.” a statement with recommendations ing Chihuahuas,” she says. Kathy Smith, who has been breed- for breeders on breeding and regis- In its statement on the merle ing champion Chihuahuas for 18 tering merle puppies. “It is extremely pattern, the CCA says that the club years and is a member of the board important for Chihuahua breeders to “recognizes that, as with other health of directors of the Chihuahua Club be able to specify the merle color or conformation considerations, rec- of America (CCA), recalls the first pattern on AKC registrations,” the ommended breeding practices may time she saw the merle pattern in a statement says. have little effect on breeders who are Chihuahua. “It was in the 1980s in “The AKC has approved the CCA’s not interested in the CCA, the AKC, or California,” she says. “I was looking request for its addition to our color/ in breeding to the standard. However, for a puppy to add to my breeding markings ‘list’ and has approved that the CCA constitution requires the program. At the time, I had the idea owners may make a one-time color club and its members ‘to encourage that I might want a blue or chocolate. change for merles that were not reg- When I visited one breeder, I was istered as such,” Wilson says. shown what I am quite sure was a “THERE IS NO MERLE merle puppy. Once you’ve seen the Looking to Other Breeds CHIHUAHUA. IT TAKES pattern, you remember it.” In studying the effects of the Smith did not see merle again until merle pattern on other breeds, “we TWO MERLE GENES TO a few years ago and does know of at discovered that although some refer least one instance where a long-coated to the merle color pattern as ‘lethal,’ PRODUCE A MERLE DOG. merle finished its AKC championship. scientists and geneticists generally do I WILL ARGUE THAT SOME OF “It can be difficult to tell on a long not,” Wilson says. “We did find terms coat because it is harder to see the such as ‘serious’ and ‘sub-lethal’ when THESE DOGS THAT ARE BEING pattern,” she says. describing the possible problems of deafness, blindness and sterility.” CALLED MERLE ARE NOT A “WE HAVE A LOT OF The CCA statement suggests that TRUE MERLE. IT’S A DILUTED members review information available THEORIES AND RUMOR on the Web sites of the parent clubs COLOR OR PATTERN.” of Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian BUT NOT A LOT OF SOLID Shepherds, Cardigan Welsh Corgis, BARBARA SOLINSKY OF MISTY MORN KENNELS RESEARCH INTO THE EFFECTS Collies, Dachshunds, English Cockers, Old English Sheepdogs, and Shetland OF THE MERLE GENE Sheepdogs. “All contain information relating to merle patterning and and promote quality in the breeding ON CHIHUAHUAS.” breeding considerations,” the CCA of purebred Chihuahuas and to do all statement says. “Interestingly, some possible to bring their natural quali- KATHY SMITH, A MEMBER OF THE of these sites do not mention any ties to perfection.’” CCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS color-related hearing or vision prob- Despite those who will continue lems when discussing health issues.” to breed the merle pattern, Smith is In a recent survey, the CCA found Smith notes that she would like confident that the parent club and that several of the club’s longtime to see more research. “We have a lot its members will do what is best for breeders have seen the pattern for of theories and rumors but not a lot the breed. “It is our responsibility to many years. Recently, the British of solid research into the effects of preserve and protect the health and Chihuahua Club voted to ban the the merle gene on Chihuahuas,” she welfare of Chihuahuas, that is No. 1, merle pattern from the show ring. says. “We do not yet know scientifi- and I trust our breeders to have com- In his article, Willis writes, “Most cally if just because the merle pat- mon sense.” reputable breeders are against the tern works one way in Australian “Addressing the merle color pattern gene, and it would be fair to say that Shepherds or Shelties, it will work the has been a serious issue for the CCA,” it must have come in through a cross- same way in Chihuahuas.” Wilson says.
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