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We made a trip to Marymoor Dog Park and saw an amazing number of dogs. Along with the usual number of goldens, labs and huskies were a few that really stood out. One of them was this sleek border collie: he had a coat that was part blue merle and part black and white (there's a name for that, but I can't remember it now). Really a striking patternation!

merlebc

Another dog whose coat I really admired was a collie mix that also had a mish-mash of red merle and collie markings:

mottlecollie

At another dog park (Calicougar will recognize this one!), I added another breed to my life-list of dog breeds I've met: a Kuvasz!

kuvasz

The owner was impressed that I guessed correctly!

Here is the compete Flickr set

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Part black and white = piebald. That is one gorgeous border collie!

His markings were so asymmetrical that he looked like different dogs depending on how he was facing!

So, not even going to say hi? :>

At least you were here for some of the "fun" snow...

My total bad! Steve got sick in the middle and that allowed me to totally slack. Email me your phone number-- my username at gmail dot com!

The part black and part white is sometimes referred to as Harlequin in dogs. Both of those collies are very pretty. The strangest dog I've met in person is a Dandie Dinmont Terrier (this a bichon frise smashed with a schnauzer smashed with a daschund). Next comes the Peruvian Incan Orchid dog.

There's a name for a coat that is a normal coat with some merle patches, but I can't remember what it is. I'll have to ask the friend with the Aussie that has one of those coats.

Best dog breed name ever: Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog! I've seen a few of these, but they're hard to ID unless their coats are exactly to standard. Unfortunately most of them have had owners who can't quite control them and they tend to be a little to enthusiastic/agressive in their play.

ooooh pretty dogs!!!!

There may be other names for a blue merle which has lots of black markings, but genetically it is no different from any other merle. So the first collie is a (lovely) blue merle who happens to have a big black patch. The merling gene takes a black dog and dilutes some but not all of the coat, leaving black patches in varying degrees, usually but not always small ones. Rarely, a dog will show very little dilute color, to the point where you can't tell or can barely tell visually that it is in fact a merle and not a black (resulting in tragedy if it is bred to another merle, because the gene is defective in its homozygous form). These are called "cryptic merles" at least in collies and shelties.

As I understand, piebald, skewbald, harlequin, bi-black etc. are terms for spotted coat patterns that do not include merle. (heh. You can tell I've been reading up on this stuff, as I have a little merle pup who I plan to eventually show and breed. )

This site is neat. Collie/sheltie-centric, but has some nice genetic info.
http://www.snovali.com/other/colors.htm

I have *no idea* what's going on in the genes of the second collie. If it is collie/heeler, maybe it has both the blue merle gene and the heeler roaning gene? Or perhaps merle over tricolor...which usually leaves a LOT more blue on the dog, but in this case the dog has bigger brown points than some? Neat looking animal, whatever it is.

"Cryptic merles"!!! That's the term I was looking for! Of course, I was wrong in the context-- I guess he is just a merle (oh, but -what- a merle!) Your merle sheepdog is adorable, by the way. Too adorable: he will RULE YOU!

The owners of the second dog just called him an All-American. She had such distinctive collie features (head, fur) that if I had to guess, I'd say collie-cattledog. Heeler is a good guess, too. But I just love the smearing of merles and collie colors!

I love the term!!! I hope one never crops up in my intended breeding program, but it's a great term. I love merle dogs.

Oh, Coba and I are already well into the process of explaining what we expect of one another in this life. He has already managed to convince me to break a rule I've always kept with dogs, and let him sleep in my bed at night. Occasionally, under the covers and with his own pillow.

That is a stunning dog!

The blue merle border collie has convinced me that Apache needs to go on a diet. That, and she's become a table/counter thief and just ~~stole~~ ate a pound of chedder. Devil-dog!

Eeeeeeeeeeeevil! :)

Wow, the reddish collie dog almost has markings like an African Wild Dog. And the blue merle is delicious! Blue merle is one of my favorite dog colors.

They were also both really nice dogs-- the merle bc was ball-crazy (you can see it in his eyes-- very steely!

Someone I used to game with had a very leggy border collie whose blotchy brindle coloring made her look -just- like a wild dog (but with pointier ears).

Stunning blend of dogs!
Neat :)

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