Dog Coat Pattern: Merle

Merle is a pattern in dog’s coats where a dominant, darker color shows up as irregular blotches over lighter areas. The harlequin coat pattern seen in some Great Dane is a kind of merling.

Merle coats are regularly seen in breeds of dog such as the Border Collie and Shetland Sheepdog. While many Border Collies and Shelties display the more common blocks, patches and shades of color, a good number of them also show merling in their coats.

Blue merle coats are among the most common, but merling can also be red or liver. In some individuals, merling appears in all the areas that would otherwise be a solid dark color, while others may have some solid areas of dark color along with other areas affected by merling.

Although some merle coats may superficially resemble brindle coats, technically speaking, brindling is a lightly striped look, whereas merling consists of blotches.

List of Dogs With Merle Pattern Coat

• Australian Shepherd
• Border Collie
• Cardigan Welsh Corgi
• Miniature Dachshund (it’s called dapple in Dachshunds when merle occurs)
• Great Dane
• Smooth Collie
• Shetland Sheepdog

Not Recognized As Official Coat Pattern

• Chihuahua
• Cocker Spaniel
• Pomeranian
• Pit Bull

More Information on Dog Coat Color and Pattern

• Merle
• Merle Cocker Spaniels
• Pomeranians Merle Gene