# hidden merle?



## stephybooboo (Apr 2, 2006)

i just saw an ad on hoobly that a breeder is selling a hidden merle? brother and sister are merles but this one looks brown to me. never heard this term before


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## Krista (Dec 29, 2005)

I think it's something like ... because of the colours the merle spots don't show up once they reach a certain age. I remember reading something like that once.


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## Gypsy (Feb 13, 2006)

A hidden or phantom merle occurs when a merle dog has a puppy which has merle coloring at birth but it fades. This is one place dangers come in with breeding merle chis as if someone gets this chi and doesn't realize it's a merle they could breed it to another merle and have health problems.


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## MSBOOTS (May 4, 2006)

Gypsy said:


> A hidden or phantom merle occurs when a merle dog has a puppy which has merle coloring at birth but it fades. This is one place dangers come in with breeding merle chis as if someone gets this chi and doesn't realize it's a merle they could breed it to another merle and have health problems.


Sorry, I am new at this and not a breeder just a pet owner who is learning.
What kind of health problems? Just Curious.


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## stephybooboo (Apr 2, 2006)

i thought it was a ploy to get more money thanks for clearing it up for me!


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

MSBOOTS said:


> Sorry, I am new at this and not a breeder just a pet owner who is learning.
> What kind of health problems? Just Curious.


A phantom (or hidden) merle is still a merle. If you breed a merle to a merle, you will end up with lethal whites, because of the double merling. Many puppies are born without eyes, defective organs, etc.

If you breed a merle to a non merle, it is completely safe.


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## peenutts mom (Mar 9, 2006)

STUPID QUESTION TIME:

what do you mean by merle ? 


I understand what the other post & why you cant breed them together..

I just thought merle was a color...

sorry..
Therese


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## ~Jessie~ (Oct 30, 2005)

peenutts mom said:


> STUPID QUESTION TIME:
> 
> what do you mean by merle ?
> 
> ...


Hehe, no question is a stupid question. 

Merle isn't actually a color, it is a pattern. The merle gene is a dilution gene... that is, it dilutes the coat. If you have a black dog, the merle gene will randomly dilute the coat, leaving a bluish grey color where there was black, with black spots. It will also dilute eye color... there are many merles with blue eyes. The merle gene can occur in many coat colors... chocolate chis will become lighter colored with chocolate spots. 

For example, my Chloe is a blue merle. If it wasn't for the merle gene, she would have black and tan spots, instead of the merling pattern on those spots.


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