I just heard about someone that breed a merle aussie to a merle aussie and 2 of the puppies were deaf and blind :( ... Now I am curious, what is merle in the first place? Is it something that was created by breeding??? If it is in nature, what do deaf and blind dogs do to survive in nature???

I am sad, but I don't know, I think the dogs will be ok IF they can find the right people for them, but it makes me wonder if people know what they are doing when they breed and breed to get certain traits of a dog.

:(

Merle to merle breeding is known to produce defective puppies, which is why intelligent, caring breeders don't do it. Basically, the merle colouring is due to a genetic absence of pigment. Pigment cells are closely connected to the cells that develop in the embryo to become hearing and vision cells. It's a natural conditon, but of course in nature affected puppies simply wouldn't survive.

Jeangenie - is any breed who breeds merle to merle likely to produce defective pups?
Char123

As I understand it, yes Char.

Hi Jeangenie is right Border Collies and rough collies also produce blind and deaf puppies when merle is put to merle.Gillian

merle to merle is not done due to deafness and blindness, is it possible you could tell me who the breeder is because i am just curious as i am in aussies myself.

Mele colour in aussies is a red or blue merle, it that red/blue hairs mixed with silver hairs. if you look in the champdogs site to the aussies you will find merle pics, they are stunning dogs (says me who only has tris at the mo!)

yes so if you could please tell me who this breeder was i would be VERY interested!

thanks

Rox

Merle to merle breeding is not something that I would attempt - but I do believe that some of the very experienced and knowledgeable breeders of Aussies will do it - in circumstances where they are satisfied themselves that the chance of a "fatal" white puppy are very very small. As Ice Queen says, it increases the chances of deafness and blindness. Over here in the UK, there are only a few breeders, but in the US, where I understand that Aussies are "10 to the dime" , sadly I think it happens through ignorance :( - its like people over here wanting the white GSD!.

Margot