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Trying to understand sheltie colors/breeding..

Discussion in 'Sheltie Colors' started by Minniesmom15, Sep 22, 2013.

  1. EJHUNTL

    EJHUNTL Forums Enthusiast

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    Thanks for the photo of breeze as a puppy- she looks quite a lot like Hanna. Now I have to go see if you have any photos of her as an adult.
     
  2. Calliesmom

    Calliesmom Moderator

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    I thought so- she's grown up pretty:yes:
     
  3. kari692003

    kari692003 Forums Novice

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    people need to quit judging

    I think they are beautiful....no matter what the others say!
     
  4. EJHUNTL

    EJHUNTL Forums Enthusiast

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    My Hanna is a sable merle - here is a link to lots of my photos of her on Flickr. Notice how the sable is patchy looking with bits of dilute colour. Both of her eyes look brown but the right one has a hint of blue along the top edge - it's seldom visible unless the angle is right and her eyes are really wide open. Her mom was a blue merle and dad was a sable.

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/10https://www.flickr.com/photos/109688174@N02/9688174@N02/
     
  5. Cyllian

    Cyllian Forums Regular

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    Simply it is just a dilution just like for the blues just not as easy to pick up on.

    The standard gives such a wide variety for sable coloring that on some of them the difference between dilute and just an non merled golden color is not that apparent. Especially as they get older and the coat grows out if the base color and the dilute are real similar they may not be noted as being merled at all.

    The best time to tell if a sable is merled or not is when they are very young pups and for most the markings are still apparent. It is at this time that you can note the spots of the base color more easily. Usually there is some merling on the ears or head which remain apparent even after the coat has grown out but not always.

    Hannah, Cranberry and my own Jester are more easily seen then most as their patterns are still very visible. Even if Jester had no apparent markings he would be suspect as his eyes are both almost completely blue.
     
  6. BarbV

    BarbV Forums Celebrity

    Correct....sable merles are only disqualified if they have blue eyes. I don't know why that is, but something that I think should be pursued and corrected.
     
  7. Lightplum

    Lightplum Forums Sage

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    because if they have a blue eye then they are not sables. lol. We only have specific classes and it must fall within that. Otherwise its a dq.
     
  8. Cyllian

    Cyllian Forums Regular

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    Yes....but rules can change. Collies for example have them with blue eyes in akc and ukc has them also as shelties being able to be shown. Not that I care one way or other personally.

    It is specifically because they are graded as though they are sables. There does not seem to be a merled sable designation. So they must have brown eyes just like the non merled sables do.

    Seemed to me it is because the blue eyes in the non merled is another suggestion that they are not pure bred... kind of like brindle coloring.

    Sable merles though are pure bred just have the merle gene just like the blue merles this is the reason they have blue eyes some times. The eye color on them is sometimes diluted to blue. Just never know where the splashes of genetic bleach so to speak are going to hit.

    Why there has not been a change to akc rules when it is known what their blue eyes come from I can not say. Since many do not like the color I suppose it could be just a political type of thing kind of like chw. CHW dogs do not have anything wrong with them save they are over 50% white. Standard does state the dog must not be more then 50% white or they are supposed to be penalized to the point it is not worth showing them.

    The only thing that I find puzzling about it is the fact that the blue eyes come from merle gene which is completely accepted. If the dog is blue merle/bi blue they are allowed the blue eyes.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2014
  9. ClantyreSheltie

    ClantyreSheltie Forums Sage

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    Huh? Why not? They are still brown, yes?
     
  10. BarbV

    BarbV Forums Celebrity

    Weird....I could not open these pics. Said I didn't have enough privileges?????? Anyone else have this problem?
     

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