Australian Shepherds come in two main colors: black and red. Red merles also have blue and brown eyes. Colors ranked from most common to least common: Both yellow and dilute colors are recessive genes. = For those with other color combinations, they are disqualified as purebred Aussies . However, this combination is still seen in litters. For the most part, blue merles have a solid eye color. Topaz is an Australian Shepherd puppy. Breed Standard PDF Created January 15, 1977: Revised June 01, 2013. Aussies have a coloring that makes them Unique and Beautiful. An Australian Shepherd is a great choice if you want a dog you can always play with. With this color scheme, they look like a leaner version of the Bernese Mountain Dog. Gait: The Australian Shepherd has a smooth, free and easy gait. And the reason? Although tri-colored is the most popular variation of this coat color, there are many with just black and white. Smart Owner’s Guide to Australian Shepherds. A parent carries Merle gene, but they haven’t produced a Merle puppy yet. It’s possible to have a blue merle Aussie with two different colored eyes – one blue and the other brown. Red Aussies tend to have amber colored eyes that surprisingly match their coats very well. Like all working breeds, the Aussie has considerable energy and drive and usually needs a job and loves to be active but are also very loving dogs who make wonderful pets. They have a range of coat markings that fit into four categories. This site is owned and operated by Jenco Digital LLC. There’s no surprise they’re the 17th most popular dog breed in the United States. The breed standards state that Australian Shepherds can come in some combination of two basic body colors (black and liver), one pattern (merle), and two trim colors (white and tan.) I have a toy and I believe I have a red Australian eye color her name is miss reds she’s 5 1/2 old. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies. I have a Female Black-tri Aussie with one blue eye and one amber /w blue. However, this was not the case many years ago. Black and tan dogs are the second rarest versions of black Australian Shepherds. She is a blue merle with blue eyes. Disqualifications - White body splashes, which means white on body between withers and tail, on sides between elbows and back of hindquarters in all colors. I’m very confused. However, like the blue merle counterpart, they tend to have a “marbled” look in their eyes. One of the best things about the Aussie is the color combination of their eyes. On the other side, the right puppy is a non-dilute black tri Aussie – with a true black coat. It’s a color that features a gray coat with black spots in arbitrary locations. Australian Shepherd colors are commonly black, blue merle, red, and red merle with large patches of white and white or tan markings. For this reason, you can find a lot of interesting and unique blue merle Aussies. With that said, what are the most common non-standard colors seen in Australian Shepherds? For example, a black Aussie will still have a black nose, while a red Aussie will have a liver-colored nose. The tri colored version has white markings found on the face, chest, legs and belly. Australian Shepherds love spending time with their owners. Black tri coats can be both trimmed or untrimmed, and officially accepted either way. They don’t look like your typical Aussie, but this color combination has been increasing in popularity over the last few years. They’re probably the least popular among black Australian Shepherds, but you still see them from time to time. In addition, a red merle can have two different colored eyes, one blue and one brown. For AKC, for example, 21 herding breeds require black, brown, liver, or blue noses in accordance with the coat color of the dog, and 7 herding breeds have disqualifications or faults listed with regard to nose color. It’s relatively difficult to find a non-standard Aussie today. The basic colors are body colors of black and red. Highlights such as copper aren’t affected. The red patches can range in color, size and shape. Some may still classify such a dog as a solid black Australian Shepherd, despite the white marking. They are Strikingly Beautiful Dogs. All of which, are traits that make them some of the best companion family dogs. Black, Blue Merle, Red, and Red Merle. Most red merle Australia Shepherds have solid eye colors. It’s more likely you find other coat colors from non-professional breeders. If blue merle isn’t your thing, but you still want an exotic-looking Australian Shepherd – i’d take a long hard look at the red merle tri Aussie. The breed standards state âAll colors are strong, clear and rich. A blue merle & white Aussies have blue merle as its base coat and have white markings. With the solid coat pattern we have black tri and red tri dogs. Some would have a combination of the colors too. Some red Australian Shepherds come in only red and white, as seen above. Australian Shepherds come in these four accepted coat colors: You might have noticed the title stating there are 14 different Aussie colors. These colors will be scattered among the yellow hairs of the coat. This means they have no white or copper marks anywhere on their body. Each, as spectacular as the rest. The brown colored eyes of the black Aussie can come in different shades of brown. It’s not too often you run into a solid blue merle, but when you do they look amazing. A red tri Aussie has a base of red, which ranges anywhere from light cinnamon to a dark liver color. Thoughts? It may have white, which can also be called blue merles with white. In fact, Aussies have four officially recognized coat colors with several variations within each color. They can live just as well as the non-dilute dogs. More often than not, you’ll find red Australian Shepherds with at least a hint of copper/tan. Dudley Nose. Today, the most popular preference and common Aussie is the blue merle. With their high level of intelligence, herding ⦠The tri-colored black coat, as described above, is not the only possible combination of black Australian Shepherds. I’ve never seen one like him. Although these four colors are the main color groups, each group has several variations. However, i’d argue that they’re just as great as any Aussie. But did you know they’re one of the most unique dog breeds as well? The yellow color produced by this recessive gene can vary widely depending on the dog. He is a double cryptic merle that is actually a deep purple color in some places. Merle is represented by an M while solid is shown as m. However, it’s all personal taste. Personally, I think the red merle tri and red merle and white both like very similar and would not mind having either or. The dilute Aussie has a slightly lighter slate nose. However, there will be instances where the eyes contain specks of other colors. Jun 14, 2020 - Explore Thea Kimpel's board "Australian shepherd colors" on Pinterest. Other Health Concerns. To verify a dog with this gene, you’ll need to examine the guard hairs of the Aussie. © 2009 - 2019 by Australian Shepherd Club of America |. There are some Australian Shepherds who are considered to be yellow, though rather than being the light yellow of a yellow Lab, the yellow on their bodies tends to be a bit deeper, similar to a Golden Retriever. These dogs have a base coat of the blue merle color, which is essentially black spots on a gray coat. The color combinations of this color group include: red tri, red bi and solid red. One eye is green, the other is blue. What’s ironic is that the solid red Australian Shepherd may be the most unique of them all (because they’re rare!). I’ve had Aussies my entire life and I have invested a ton of time and energy into this guy. The breeder says he’s a Merle. Sometimes an Aussie will have just a hint of white on their chest. The picture shown above is a classic example of the difference between a dilute and non-dilute Aussie. But her fur is not anywhere as thick as any of the pictures I’ve seen. Tan points are caused by one of the several versions of a gene called agouti. Only two of these are contributors to normal Aussie coat coloration, the one that causes tan and another that gives no tan. Most Aussies have two copies of the tan version of this gene, though it is possible that some Aussies without tan may have two copies of the recessive version. However, there is a weasel in this particular hen-house in the form of a gene called K. If a dog has a single copy of the dominant version of K it will not have tan trim. This gene version has been found in Aussies though most have two copies of the version that allows tan trim. Therefore, lack of tan trim may be either dominant or recessive depending on whether it is caused by versions of agouti or K. If you have a line where lack of tan is common the breeding patterns for the trait should tell you which you are dealing with â though it is possible that some lines might have both and be difficult to predict. Click here to add your own comments. Australian Shepherd Colors and Ears. Most dog breeds have a few options for eye colors. INTRODUCTION: First and foremost, the Australian Shepherd is a true working stockdog, and anything that detracts from his usefulness as such is undesirable.The most important breed characteristics are overall moderation in size and bone, balance with correct proportions, and sound movement Red Australian Shepherds come in three variations. TheSmartCanine.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Still, it’s much more common for a red merle to have blue eyes than brown eyes. Click to e-mail one of our volunteer experts with color questions. I’ll be breeding her with a puppy whose parents are red merle with copper eyes. Can an Aussie be black and white with brown on sides of face and head and some brown on top of legs, also the ears, one up one down? White markings are the most genetically complex aspect of normal Aussie color. Only two white marking genes have been clearly identified so far in dogs. One causes the type of pattern seen in Boxers. The other is associated with the âIrishâ pattern seen in collie-type dogs, like the Aussie. However, the specific extent of these markings on any individual dog can be highly variable due to the actions of other genes or gene regulatory factors. In general, though, less white is dominant to more: Two dogs with little white can sometimes produce offspring with lots of white, but two with maximum white trim will not produce a puppy with almost none. Presumably because they’re just not as interesting as all the other color variations of this breed. For example, a blue eyed Aussie may have brown highlights and vice versa. The only similarity is the consistency of the copper/tan highlights on both dogs. But red merle Aussies with brown eyes can still be found. They’re as robust as any other color. Australian Shepherds Excel at Agility Challenges Too. Most of the time, when there is tan, there is also white. The official coat colors are downright beautiful and you don’t want to take a risk with potential health issues. hi, I think I have a very rare colored Aussie. Because this gene is still circulating within the breed gene pool, these colors still come up from time to time. A blue merle is a black dog with the merle pattern; a red merle is a liver dog with the merle pattern. All the merle gene does is determine whether or not a dog is merle. This gene is an incomplete dominant. Two dominant copies produce a âdouble merleâ which will most likely have serious eye defects and may be deaf. Two recessive copies result in a dog that is not merle. One of each is a normal merle, a state midway between the two homozygous forms. Note: guard hairs are the outer layer of the dog’s coat, which protects their skin. }. Within these categories they can range from a solid colored coat, to tan and white Tri colored markings. As the name suggests, blue merle & white Aussies have two colors on their body â blue merle and white. As a result, theyâre considered the second most popular variation among blue merles. The eyes of the Australian Shepherd come in a wide variety of colors, making this one of the most notable features of the breed. Although it’s possible to have different colored eyes as seen in many other Aussies, it’s not common. The breed standards state “All colors are strong, clear and rich. The recognized colors are blue merle, red (liver) merle, solid black, and solid red (liver) all with or without white markings and/or tan (copper) points with no order of preference. The blue merle and black have black pigmentation on nose, lips, and eye-rims. Reds and red merles have liver pigmentation on nose, lips, and eye rims. Blue Merle Australian Shepherd There are many variations of the blue merle kind depending on the percent of blue in the coat. They may be any color or combination of colors from glassy blue, amber, hazel, to all shades of brown. But for the most part, the eye colors are consistent. It wasn’t until the late 1970’s that organizations established the standard colors of the Australian Shepherds. It’s worth noting that the shade of amber and blue in their eyes can vary from light to dark. Corneal dystrophy and eyelid defects are also pretty common in Australian Shepherds. If you look closer, you’ll notice a difference in eye and nose color as well. Still, they may be classified as Red and White dogs due to the minimal tan coloring. Whatever the spectrum of color, it gives off a “red” color look. Australian Shepherds boast an eye color range thatâs almost more reminiscent of us ⦠Australian shepherd eyes can be an assortment of colors: for the Australian shepherd, blue eyes are common--but brown, hazel, green, and amber are also possible. Australian Shepherd dogs were bred to guard livestock and to this day maintains the genetic drive to herd. The black spots and patches on a blue merle Aussie will likely become slate colored instead. If just one of these markings is present, we would call the dog bicolor with a merle pattern. In other words, they’re the Rottweilers of black Aussies. Most of the time, you’ll see white marking on just the face, chest, belly and legs. Don’t shy away if you have the chance to pick one of these guys up. As for the base color of the eyes, blue merles have been known to have brown or blue eyes – often marbled with the other color. As a result, breeders started a selection process and began breeding only colors and patterns that were officially recognized. It’s rather difficult to tell apart a red merle tri color and a red merle and white. These variations include: red merle tri color, red merle and white, and solid red merle. Black-colored Australian Shepherds come in four variations, all with different markings. This means that an Australian Shepherd showing these colors will need both parents to carry this specific color gene. However, marbled blue eyes are a lot more common with blue merle Australian Shepherds. Especially if they get to burn off energy at the same time. An Australian Shepherd with a solid red merle coat looks very similar to the other two variations as well. So, it’s okay to expect some degree of confusion when classifying these variations. There are 4 colors the Australian Shepherd can be, blue merle, black (or Tri-Black), red merle and red. The Blue Merle Tri Australian Shepherd is my favorite version from this group. However, it’s all in the detail. There is also another version of this gene, called cryptic, that falls in dominance between the other two. A cryptic merle dog will have only a small merle patch somewhere on the body. It is possible if that patch lies somewhere that also gets a white marking, that you might not know a dog carried this version of the gene. While it was once thought that these dogs would, like normal merles, produce defective double merles if bred to another merle dog, this does not appear to be the case. Cryptic merles might be bred to a merle or a non-merle with no fear of merle-related defects. These are all distinct genetic traits and breeders need to understand how they are inherited. When this happens, you have a black tri Aussie. Merle is the dominant gene while solid is recessive. Will the color change, beings as the parents are both red merle? We are looking at an Aussiedoodle that has apricot coloring. RECOMMENDED: Smart Owner’s Guide to Australian Shepherds. And it’s even more rare to find one with one blue and one amber colored eye. Unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to find a red Aussie with the “marble” effect. Click for FAQs about color. The four versions of the black-coated Aussie are: tri-color, black bi, black and tan and solid black. Because this characteristic is a recessive gene, both parents must carry the E-locus gene to produce a yellow Aussie puppy. He’s only three weeks old so don’t know his eye color yet. 5 The second most popular variation of the blue merle Aussie is when the dog has a blue merle base coat and only white markings. They’re just as exotic-looking as their blue merle counterparts, except with a different color merle effect. The black tri Australian Shepherd is one of the most common and basic colors combination of this dog. The good news is that dilute Aussies don’t experience any negative health side effects. However, these recessive genes still linger in the breed gene pool. These dogs have the iconic blue merle coat as a base color. Way before the four standard colors were set, we saw all types and color combinations of these dogs. Australian Shepherds in this color group come in just red merle and white. Solid red merles are more consistent in their merle coats throughout the body. Rather, the entire shaft is a consistent variation of yellow. The most common hues are hazel, golden, speckled, or light blue. On top of that, even more color combinations are seen outside of the recognized colors. Some yellow Australian Shepherds will develop a light yellow (Labrador). Of these, the pattern merle is described as two colors: Blue merle and red (liver) merle. The merle gene is added to create the distinct colors of the Aussies. Medium-sized, long-haired breeds, Aussies are really strikingly ⦠Are these pure aussies? Because of the wide range of yellows, these dogs are often mistaken for sable Australian Shepherds. − A dilute Australian Shepherd will more than likely have different colored noses and eyes as well. Australian Shepherds are loyal, affectionate and serious workers. Australian Shepherd coat patterns come in solid and merle. Their eyes are usually lighter than their non-dilute counterparts, while the noses may be a slate or light liver color. The Australian Shepherd is one of the few breeds that suffer greatly from cataracts and distichiasis â a disorder where the eyelashes grow abnormally long, causing obstructed vision. Australian Shepherds in this color group come in just red merle and white. 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