Double Merles.

So it was mentioned that we should start a thread on Double Merles/Double Dapples, and Merle breeding, have a bit of a discussion on it. I recently rescued a Double Dapple Mini Dachshund. and through the Deaf dog Yahoo group, have seen pics of and heard about ALOT of other "Lethal Whites" I also rescued and transported a Double Merle Great Dane to a rescue 900kms away. I have spent alot of time in the last 2 years researching deaf dogs, (their training, and the causes of deafness). My first deaf dog is not a double merle, she is just an accident of breeding, (a puppy mill dog I found out later). After training and living with Scout for awhile, I fell in LOVE with deaf dogs, and wanted a double merle dog... I didn't care what breed.... so when this Dachshund needed rescuing, well, I had to go for it! Mouse is completely deaf and has pupils that are fully dilated all the time, so she is VERY light sensitive. but she seems to see quite well. This is not the case for all Double Merles... some can be totally blind and totally deaf, or can see and hear perfectly normally. but most are some variation of deaf and blind... like Mouse. I've even seen pice of Double Merles born without eyes.

Breeding a Merle to a Merle (or a Dapple to a Dapple) is seriously irresponsible!!! and totally not necessary. breeding a merle to a merle gives you statistically 1/4 solid, 1/2 merle, and 1/4 double merle. breeding a merle to a solid will give you half merle, and half solid. Some breeders will breed merle to merle, knowing exactly what happens, then just kill the white puppies. but why? I dont understand this. if you dont get any more merles, then why kill 1/4 pups when you can breed solid to merle and still sell that 1/4?

Here's a few pics of my Double Dapple.









Here's a couple of pics of the Dane I rescued last fall. he is totally deaf and severely nearsighted.





Here's a Website that explains this all in waaayyy more detail than I can, and has some GREAT pics of Double Merles

http://www.lethalwhites.com

remember, Deaf dogs make great pets! they can do almost anything that a hearing dog can! I have 2 and my next one will be as well.

if anyone else has any pics of Double Merles/Dapples please post them!

I know nothing about genetics or the breeding of merles/dapples so will be very interested to read this thread just to educate myself.

(Also wanted to add the pics of your dog are lovely....very unusual looking but super sweet.)

I've only ever had first hand experience of one douple merle, that was a dachshund (mini long). I thought at first it was a pied that someone had imported but, of course, when I approached and saw how small his eyes were I knew he was a double merle. His owners didn't realise and when I explained it to him they said that explained about some of his behaviour issues he has. Unfortunately I didn't get any info out of them as to who bred him.
It's terrible sad that he was bred, although I think it was out of ignorance, but those that breed deliberately should be done for cruelty.
I knew someone who said that breeding merles to merles was OK as long as you knew what you were doing, but how does that make it OK? Just becaue you know what happens doesn't make it right and you could still end up with a whole litter of double merles that may be deaf, blind or both!
Becky

Some people say that they can DNA test for the gene that causes the issues, some dogs dont have it, so if you test and both parents are free of the gene, you wont have any problems... I honestly dont believe that... wouldn't it be safer to not do it? Why do you need to do it? honestly very unacceptable, and irresponsible!!!

This is my friend's collie Rico. He was a result of a merle to merle breeding, but he is healthy.

I'm not convinced either: it's something that goes along with the basic Merle gene, in the same way that deafness and dalmatian spotting are linked.

Merle in dogs is analogous to Roan and Dalmatian/Dapple in guinea pigs, and Roan in hamsters. You get micropthalmic (small eyed) whites or eyeless whites if you breed two together.

Irresponsible breeders often place Roan guineas or hams and/or Dalmatian/Dapple guineas in pet shops where anyone could come along, buy two and being unaware of the consequences, breed them together. I've seen photos of an eyeless white hamster that came into National Hamster Council rescue in this way. Luckily, as hamsters have poor eyesight anyway, he lived a normal life although died rather younger than normal.

I think people are getting confused about the test. There is a DNA test for the merle gene. This was developed because the gene that causes merling is random, it can affect one hair or all the hairs and everything in between so a dog that effectively looks solid may actually be a merle, so you can now DNA test your 'solids' which have come from a merle mating to make sure they do not carry the merle gene and prevent the production of double merle puppies.
I have been told, however, that all merles have flecked iris's, but then so do my brown poodles so not sure how accurate that is!
Becky

I had NO IDEA the the same issues occurred in other species! WOW. I've seen pics of double merles in so many breeds of dogs, and NOW they are breeding Merle American Cockers!!!! really not good, the breed has enough issues without adding a merle gene! Honestly, I used to love merle coloring... now I am beginning to hate it. it is dangerous in the wrong hands. BUT that being said, dogs do great being deaf, or blind, or both. there is a lady in the states doing tracking with her deaf/blind double merle great dane.... Mine are so normal, you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with them!

he is gorgeous... but my deaf/VI dog is healthy... Double Merle does not cause health problems, just impairment in hearing or sight or both. Your friend is very lucky he can see/hear... it's not often the case!

My Friend had a Double Merle BC, He had one eye bigger than the other, one ear bigger than the other a clubbed foot & died of heart related issues at around 5 years old. & had to cope with over heating issues througout his short life he COULD see & hear....lucky him huh????