Recognized Colors of the Australian Shepherd

Ranger '78 W223xH288

RECOGNIZED COLORS OF THE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD
By Pam Bethurum ASCA Educational Coordinator
(reprinted here with Pam's permission)

The Australian Shepherd is an incredibly diverse breed in its variety of color patterns and combinations. This is probably one of the most attractive and unique features of our breed. Especially in the merle colors, no two dogs look just alike! Because of this diversity, many people do not understand what each color is and why they occur the way they do. Hopefully this article will help answer some of these questions.

ASCA Breed Standard as it refers to color:

"COLOR: 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. Butterfly nose should not be faulted under one year of age. On all colors the areas surrounding the ears and eyes are dominated by color other than white. The hairline of a white collar does not exceed the point at the withers.

Disqualifications: Other than recognized colors. White body splashes. Dudley nose."

There are four different recognized basic body colors: Blue merle, black, red merle and red. Each of these colors may then also have trim color of white and/or tan (copper). The amount of white or tan (copper) trim can vary greatly by each individual and is controlled by the action of separate genes than those that control the basic body color.

Blue Merle: A dog with a grey base coat with black spotting or merling.

The merling can appear anywhere from distinct, clean-edged spots to jagged, swirling patches. The amount of merling varies greatly from individual to individual and may be anywhere from a dog that is almost solid grey with a very few small black spots to a dog that is almost entirely black with small lacings of grey. Some individuals are very evenly marked, while others may have small spots on one side of the body with the other almost entirely covered by a single large spot. Some even have a checkerboard look with a line drawn at the middling from head to tail and alternating spots of merle or solid on opposite sides. No particular pattern is preferred over the other, allowing for the wonderful diversity of our breed.

The grey base coat color can vary from a very pale, light grey to a very dark grey, so dark that the black spots are not as well defined and noticeable. Occasionally the grey base color will darken with age causing a very dark base coat color as an older adult. Occasionally a blue merle will have some merle spots that are an off-black color or even have a brown cast. These spots are usually referred to as diluted spots. They are generally not preferred by breeders, especially if the diluted spots detract from the overall appearance of the dog, but some people enjoy the varied pattern that they create. A blue merle with no trim color is generally referred to as a self merle.

Blue merles can also have white and/or tan (copper) trim. The blue merle has black eye rims, nose and lips. The nose and lips may show some pink mottling, especially if there is a white blaze. Pink spots on the nose is called a "butterfly nose" and is faulted after one year of age. Many times pups are born with pink noses and within a day, tiny black spots begin forming and each day grow in size until the nose completely colors in. On some individuals, it may take up to two years for the nose to completely fill, while on others the pink never completely fills. If an individual has a solid pink nose, it is called a "dudley nose" and is considered a disqualification. A nose with this coloration is usually very sensitive to the sun and sunburns easily, leading to the possibility of cancer.

Ticking (small spots of color) can occur in the white trim of a blue merle. The ticking can be grey, black or tan (copper) in color. It is not to be confused with merling and it is caused by a separate gene. A dog with ticking will be born with clear white trim and the ticking spots will appear and increase in size and numbers with age. Generally by 6 months most of the ticking has appeared.

Black: A dog that is solid black with no evidence of merling.

A black can have white and/or copper trim. If a black has only white trim, it is a black bicolor (meaning two colors). If a black has only tan trim, it is a black and tan. If a black has white and tan (copper) trim, it is a black tricolor (meaning three colors). Ticking can occur in the white trim of a black and would be black or tan (copper). It is not to be confused with merling. One thing to keep in mind is that in rare instances, the ticking can continue to increase with age (usually until about 6 months) until the trim white appears grey. This is not merling and is caused by a separate gene. The black dog also has black eye rims, nose and lips. The same information on butterfly nose and dudley nose applies to the black as well.

Occasionally a black will have a lighter undercoat that may appear evenly throughout the whole coat or be confined to patches, especially on the sides or back of the neck, from the withers to behind the shoulder, down the spine or around the tail and feathering of the back legs. Sometimes this undercoat can be a grey or tan (copper) color. This also should not to be confused with merling.

Red merle: A dog that has a cream colored base coat with liver or red-colored spotting or merling.

The base coat can be anywhere from a very light pale off-white cream color to a dark buff. Occasionally the red merle color can also darken with age with the base coat becoming darker and the merling less discernible. The same patterns of color appear in the red merle as do in the blue merle, but that is where the similarity ends. The red merle has no black on it whatsoever. The merling spots on the red merles can be found in shades ranging from an orange-like color, to mahogany red like that found on an Irish Setter (reference here to the Irish Setter is given only to compare a shade of red and not the color pattern actually found in that breed), to the dark liver, almost brown-red as found on a German Shorthair. Diluted spots also occur in reds, but it is not as noticeable because it is a lighter shade of red and doesn't take on the brassy tones of the diluted spots on the blues. (Note: Keep in mind that the breed standard calls for all colors to be "strong, clear and rich.")

Ticking can also occur in the white trim of a red merle. The ticking can be cream/buff, liver/red or tan (copper). It is not to be confused with merling. The same information on butterfly nose and dudley nose applies to the red merle as well.

Red: A dog that is solid liver or red with no evidence of merling.

A red can have white and/or copper trim. If a red has only white trim, it is a red bicolor. If it has only tan (copper) trim, it is a red and tan. If a red has white and tan (copper) trim, it is a red tricolor. Ticking also occurs in the white trim of the reds and it would be liver/red or tan (copper). It is not to be confused with merling. Just as with the black, the ticking can in rare instances increase to the point of looking like merling, but it is not. A red also has no black on it whatsoever. The red can also be found in a wide range of colors from the lighter, more orange shade, to the mahogany red, to the dark liver red as indicated for the red merles. The red dog also has liver or red eye rims, nose and lips, and the same information on butterfly nose and dudley nose, applies to the red as well.

The red can also occasionally have a lighter, sometimes cream or tan (copper) colored undercoat that may appear evenly throughout the whole coat or be confined to patches as that described for the black, but also should not to be confused with merling.

Eye color: Blue merles and red merles may have anywhere from light brown (amber) eyes to dark brown eyes. They also may have blue eyes, marbled or flecked blue/brown eyes, one blue and one brown eye, or any combination with no preference of color. Blacks and red also may have anywhere from light brown (amber) eyes to dark brown. Some do have blue eyes or one blue and one brown, but generally the eyes are solid colored, not marbled, with no preference of color.

Trim color: There are two acceptable trim colors on the Australian Shepherd. All recognized colors can be found with or without trim colors with no preference. The trim color called tan (copper) points can be found on the muzzle, "shepherd spots" above the eyes, patches on either side of the chest and all four feet and legs. It can also be found on some individuals around the rectum and on the insides of the ears. The amount of tan trim varies from individual to individual, and may depend on how much white the individual also has. The tan trim can vary in color from a lighter tan to a very deep, rich "copper" color.

The second trim color is white. The amount of white also varies from individual. In order to describe trim white, this description is of a fully-trimmed individual. All individuals can, of course, have less white. An Aussie can have a white blaze that extends from the chin, around the nose and muzzle, continuing up between the eyes and can extend over the top of the backskull, meeting a collar on the back of the neck. The collar can be a full ring around the neck, extending from the base of the skull and ears to the withers. From the side it can extend along the line of the jaw and run from the point of the withers in sort of a diagonal to the point of the shoulder. Looking at the dog from the front, the collar can extend from the chin, down the throat, chest and belly. When viewed from the side, the belly white should not extend from the underside of the belly on to the dog's sides. The front legs can be fully white, usually up to the elbow but can extend up the front side of the leg to meet the collar. The rear legs can have white to the point of the hock joint and form a thin line along the stifle, but it should not extend into the body color. A white body splash would be white in any other areas of the body than described here. (Note: The Australian Shepherd is a herding breed. In all colors, structure and sound movement should be the most important concern. A structurally sound, superior individual that is solid black should be more desirable than a beautifully marked black individual with a blaze, collar and stockings. This example would apply to all colors.)

Other Colors

There are also variations of the accepted colors called pattern white and merle white. These individuals are registrable, but not allowed in conformation show classes. They may compete, however, in all performance areas. (Note: Some areas of competition do not allow blind or deaf individuals to compete.)

Pattern white: A dog of any of the above-mentioned colors with excessive white trim. A pattern white can be a merle or solid and can have a variety of excessive white markings which may include some or all of the following: a half or full white head, white ears, a collar that extends past the point of the withers, white body splashes, or full white rear legs extending up the sides into the body color. A pattern white can be anywhere from a dog with excessive trim white to the rare extreme of a solid white dog. The pattern white is produced by the gene that controls the white trim and not by the merle gene.

A pattern white can be produced in any litter and is generally sound, although some can be anywhere from partially to totally deaf due to the lack of pigment in the inner ear.

Merle white: A merle white is many times referred to as a homozygous merle or a "lethal white". A merle white can be a blue or a red merle and will have the same kind of excessive white markings as noted above for the pattern white. This type of merle can ONLY be produced from the breeding together of two merles, producing a pup with two merle genes. The genetic term for having two copies of the same gene is homozygous.

A merle white is usually blind and/or deaf. Many times they will have two blue eyes and the pupils of the eyes will be misshaped, starburst in shape, or off-center in the eye. The eyes many times will have multiple hereditary eye defects which is referred to as merle ocular dysgenesis (homozygous merle eye). They can be deaf due to the lack of pigment in the inner ear. There is also indications that these individuals may have other physical defects due to the action of the merle gene on the neural crest during embryonic development. The neural crest is an embryonic structure from which the nervous system, internal organs and eventually even pigment cells originate. The action of the merle gene is not totally understood at this time, but it's heterozygous state (a normal merle with one merle gene, one solid gene), the merle gene usually causes only the repression of the formation of pigment in the hair. In it's homozygous (merle white) state, the individual has two merle genes, causing a more widespread effect on the developing embryo, including eye defects as well as possible internal defects. In outward appearance, newborn pups which are merle whites can look identical to those that are pattern whites.

Other distinct colors do occasionally in the breed including yellow, sable, and dilutes. These colors occurred with greater frequency in the early years of the breed, but today are rarely found due to more selective breeding practices. These individuals are registrable but are not allowed in conformation show classes. They may compete, however, in all performance areas. Individuals of these colors, even though purebred, should not be used for breeding purposes as these are not desirable colors.

Yellow: A yellow has a coloration pattern similar to that found in the Labrador Retriever and Irish Setter. On individuals that have a black gene, the yellow can be anywhere from a light yellow, to an orange color, to a mahogany, and they will have a black nose, eye rims and lips. Some yellows are quite dark and can be mistaken for reds, but the black on the nose, etc., makes their true color apparent. The yellow gene can also affect the red color, making a lighter red individual with a red nose, etc. Because of the acceptance of a wide variety of red color, some of the lighter colored reds may actually be carrying the yellow gene.
A yellow can have white trim. Because of the action of the gene that produces yellows, these individuals do not have visible tan (copper) trim. Merling usually is not apparent in these dogs because the gene that causes yellow evens out the color pattern. Yellow is caused by a recessive gene, so both parents of a yellow must be carriers. All offspring of a yellow will carry a yellow gene.

Sable: The sable color also varies in its intensity from a yellow to an orange or even chestnut color. The major difference between a yellow and a sable is that the sable has darker tips on the ends of the hair. In the case of a sable having black color, the hair tips would be black and the nose, eye rims and lips would be black. A sable having red color would have dark red/liver hair tips with red/liver nose, eye rims and lips. Merle sables can occur, though the merle pattern many times is not noticeable due to the tipping.

Sables can have white and may show lightened area of color in those places normally associated with tan trim.

Dilute: Dilutes can be found in all four of the accepted colors. A dilute blue merle would have a lighter grey base coat but with steel grey spots, rather than black. The nose, eye rims, and lips would be a dark steel grey color, rather than black. A dilute black would be a solid steel grey with dark steel grey nose, eye rims, and lips. It is the same shade of grey color that is found on a blue Doberman Pincher. A dilute red merle would have a cream base coat with dusty red merling in a color that resembles the color of a Weimaraner. A dilute red would be a solid dusty red color. Both would have a lighter red pigment on nose, eye rims, and lips. In other breeds, such as Collies, there have been serious physical problems linked with the dilute color, but it does not appear to affect the Australian Shepherd.

Dilutes can have white and/or tan (copper) trim. The dilute color is caused by a recessive gene, so both parents of a dilute must be carriers. All offspring of a dilute will carry a dilute gene.


Color Genetics

The basic body color of the Aussie is controlled by the action of two separate gene pairs. (For those who do not understand the genetic terminology in this article, there is a brief list of definitions included at the end of this article). One gene pair controls the basic color of the dog, black or red. This set of genes is usually referred to as B for black, which is the dominant form of the gene, and b for red, which is the recessive form of the gene. The black color is dominant over the red color. There are three different combinations found in this gene pair:

BB - This individual is homozygous for the dominant trait. It only has the dominant black gene and is a black dog. This dog will only produce black offspring.

Bb - This individual is heterozygous for the dominant trait. It has both a black gene and a red gene, but is a black dog because the black gene is dominant and masks the affect of the red gene. This is what we as Aussie breeders would call a red carrier. This dog when bred to a homozygous black (BB) will only produce black pups, but can produce some heterozygous (Bb) pups that carry the red gene. This dog when bred to another heterozygous black (Bb) will produce homozygous blacks (BB), heterozygous blacks (Bb) and reds (bb). This dog when bred to a red will produce heterozygous blacks (Bb) and reds (bb).

bb - This individual is homozygous for the recessive trait and is a red dog. This individual only has the recessive red (b) gene to give to its offspring. It doesn't matter if both parents of this red dog were either blue or black, this dog does not have a black gene. So, if it is bred to a homozygous black (BB), it will only produce heterozygous (Bb) black offspring. If it is bred to a heterozygous black (Bb), it will produce heterozygous blacks (Bb) and reds (bb). If it is bred to a red, it will only produce red pups (bb).
The other gene pair that affects the basic body color of the Aussie is the merle gene. This gene pair is referred to M for merle and m for solid. The merle gene acts upon the red or black color, causing the spotting or merling. The merle color is dominant to the solid color. Normal blue or red merles are heterozygous for the merling gene. They carry one dominant merle gene and one recessive solid gene (Mm). There are also three different combinations found in this gene pair:

MM - This individual is homozygous for the dominant trait. It only has the dominant merle gene and is a merle white. (See description above for potential serious health problems. The following discussions on this color is included for a better understanding of color genetics and NOT as a recommendation to breed merle whites) This dog when bred to a normal heterozygous merle (Mm) will produce homozygous merle whites (MM), and heterozygous merles (Mm). It will not produce solid colored pups.

Mm - This individual is heterozygous for the dominant trait. It has both a merle gene and a solid gene, but is a merle dog because the merle gene is dominant and masks the affect of the solid gene. This dog when bred to a homozygous merle (MM) will only produce merle pups, but can produce some heterozygous merles (Mm). This dog when bred to another heterozygous merle (Mm) will produce homozygous merles (MM), heterozygous merles (Mm) and solids (mm). This dog when bred to a solid (mm) will produce heterozygous merles (Mm) and solids (mm).

mm - This individual is homozygous for the recessive trait and is a solid dog. This individual only has the recessive solid (m) gene to give to its offspring. It doesn't matter if both of its parents were merles. A solid colored dog does not have a merle gene (M) to give to its offspring. So, if it is bred to a homozygous merle (MM), it will only produce heterozygous merle (Mm) offspring. If it is bred to a heterozygous merle (Mm), it will produce heterozygous merles (Mm) and solids (mm). If it is bred to a solid, it will only produce solid pups (mm).

There are two more sets of genes that affect the Australian Shepherd color. These are the genes that control the trim color. One set controls the tan (copper) points found on the Aussie. There are many variables involved with the pairs of genes that affect the tan (copper) trim, but in the Aussie, tan points usually act as a recessive trait (a t) and tan points bred to tan points only produces pups with tan points.

The other set controls the white trim. There are four alleles found for this gene:

     S - Self, or completely colored body
    s t - Irish spotting, varying amounts of white including one or more of the
            following: Blaze, collar, stockings
   s v - Piebald spotting, larger amounts of white including body splashes
   s w -Extreme piebald spotting, pure white

These alleles are then affected by modifying genes that act upon them. They are called "plus modifiers" which allow more heavily pigmented areas and "minus modifiers" which cause more white. Each allele in effect will overlap each other in appearance, depending on the number and type of modifying genes a puppy has. So this is why we can see a full range of white from none at all to a completely white puppy. Individuals that carry several of the minus modifiers bred to individuals also carrying several minus modifiers can therefore produce a higher percentage of mismarked pups. This is the gene that produces the pattern white (as described earlier in this article).

One of the most important things to remember when trying to understand color genetics is there is one constant basic rule that never changes: Recessive to recessive only produces recessive. Therefore solid to solid ONLY produces solid and red to red ONLY produces red! If black or blue pups are produced from a red/red merle to red/red merle breeding then either one of the parents is not actually a true red or there were multiple sires. If merle puppies are produced from a litter of two solid dogs, then either one of the parents are actually a merle, the litter was sired by a dog other than the listed sire, or there were multiple sires. (Note: There is the possibility of a merle dog being born with no visible merling. Upon careful examination, a small amount of merling may be found somewhere on the body, maybe even along the edge of the white trim. It is also possible for a merle pup to be born with only merling on the tail, which when docked, makes the merle pup appear to be a solid, but genetically is a merle. A merle of this type is usually referred to as a "cryptic merle". Keep in mind this type of merling pattern is rare.)

Genetic chance dictates that certain percentages of offspring should be produced from certain crosses (i.e.: Mm crossed with Mm should produce 25% MM, 50% Mm, and 25% mm) but in real life, it doesn't always happen that way! It's like tossing a coin 10 times and getting heads 10 times. A merle (Mm) to a merle (Mm) cross can, and sometimes does, produce a whole litter of solid colored pups. This same cross, though could also produce all merle whites. This is why care should be taken to carefully weigh the decision to breed two merle dogs together. It is never an easy decision to cull newborn white puppies, especially for the novice person. It is an even harder decision on what to do with this adorable ball of fluff that is two months old and cannot see or hear. If you plan to breed two merle individuals, be prepared for what may be the result and be willing to take responsibility for the pups you have produced.



Definitions:

Gene - The basic unit of inheritance made up of DNA which is responsible for the transmission of hereditary characteristics.

Dominant - A member of a gene pair that masks the affect of the other member of the pair. The dominant member of a pair is usually expressed as a capital letter, such as "B".

Recessive - A member of a gene pair that is masked by the affect of the other member of the pair. The recessive member of a pair is usually expressed as a lower case letter, such as "b".

Homozygous - A gene pair which has the same form of the gene on each chromosome.

Heterozygous - A gene pair which has different forms of the gene on each chromosome.

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