A merle coat is one of the most gorgeous in the dog world, an enticing swirl of colors which grants each dog a unique and distinguishing pattern, which often involve dark splotches of a color overlaying a lighter shade of the same hue.
While merle coloring is not restricted to pitbulls, the allure of this coat is attractive to the lovers of this breed and many current and would-be pitbull owners covet these astonishingly beautiful animals and many are willing to pay great expense to have a merle pitbull of their own.
As such, there are a wide-spectrum of questions about merle pitbull acquisition and even concerns raised about what causes these unusual color schemes.
Fortunately, you can find the answer to those questions right here.
1. What is a Merle Pitbull?
“Merle” refers to the color pattern on a dog’s coat. It describes a coat that is one color throughout with splotches of another color. It’s considered very attractive in a dog. Merle is a genetic marker that results in differences in pigmentation so it can be achieved through breeding. Merle is not the same as brindle.
A merle pitbull, therefore, is a pitbull bred to have this unique color pattern present.
2. What Causes Pit bulls to Have Merle Coats?
Without going too deeply into complicated genetics, the merle coat (also called dapple) is actually the result of a genetic mutation which any dog could potentially exhibit, but in most breeds it has been completely bred out due to the prominence of auditory and visual impairments that result as a side effect of the allele in question.
Merle occurs commonly in a lot of breeds, but the pitbull is not one of those. Instead, breeders have encouraged the gene’s growth due to the attractiveness and unusual nature of the coat, which is highly prized by pet lovers.
Which means that there are opportunities for magnified profits for breeders as people are willing to shell out great sums of money to have one of these beautiful animals.
3. Merle vs. Brindle
Where merle is random and results in splotches or spots, brindle is generally more uniform. This occurs when a brown dog has small stripes of black or brown. It can look tiger-like. Some brindles have uniform patterning throughout the dog whereas others have patches that are brindle.
4. Many other dogs have merle coloring
Plenty of breeds see evidence of merle coloring, not just pits. Common breeds that have the merle gene include:
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Australian Shepherd
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Catahoula Leopard Dog
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Shetland Sheepdog
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Collie
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Old English Sheepdog
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Welsh (Cardigan) Corgi
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American Pit Bull Terrier
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Great Danes
Of these, it’s most common in the Australian Shepherd and Catahoula Leopard Dog.
5. How is Merle Coloring Achieved in a Pitbull Litter
In order for a pitbull to have merle coloring it must have a specific genetic marker: the merle gene. Some people have mixed pitbulls with Catahoula Leopard Dogs to gain the coloring. Generally speaking, a pitbull is not purebred if it has this coloring. First, since it does not occur naturally in the breed, the gene must be introduced somewhere down the breeding line. Second, a pit with merle coloring can no longer be registered or recognized in an effort to discourage breeding for the color.
6. Merle Pitbulls are Not Recognized
The American Dog Breeders Association and many other reputable organizations have stopped recognizing merle pitbulls. The reason is simple: the merle gene isn’t simply about coloring. It also brings with it significant risk for reduced vision and hearing in dogs.
By purposely breeding dogs for the gene great risks are taken with the puppies health.
7. Are Merle Pit Bulls Unhealthy?
In most cases, they are just as healthy as any other member of their breed. However, they do face an increased risk of health issues, but this often occurs as low as 3% of the time in pitbulls which possess the mutation.
That in itself is not a terrible risk, and not generally much cause for concern. If your merle pitbull is healthy, he should continue to be fine.
However, it is important to know how he was bred because there are circumstances which we will discuss soon which can lead to significantly higher risk for these health issues.
8. What Kind of Health Problems Do Merle Pitbulls Have?
When facing afflictions from the merle mutation, these dogs usually face auditory and visual problems.
While the main auditory issue is deafness, in the visual department, merle breeds can experience the inability for pupils to dilate, night blindness as well as complete blindness, off-centered eyeballs, iris fissures, missing eye tissue, extra eyelids, or even being born with no eyes at all.
In addition to these health-related problems, they may face immune system deficiencies (source).
9. What Is a Double Merle Pit Bull?
This is the aforementioned circumstance which can cause pitbulls to face a significantly higher risk of illness, ailments, and a significantly reduced lifespan.
Double merles are pitbulls which result from the breeding of one merle pitbull with another merle pitbull. The idea behind the mating is that based on genetics and the extreme popularity of dapple pitbulls, mating two such animals increases the chance of producing merle puppies.
This is true. Breeding between the two will result in all merle offspring; however 25% of those will acquire an extra helping of the merle gene, which is what is called “double merle”.
That quarter of the litter faces disaster as they suffer a 50% higher chance of suffering the birth defects attributed to the merle gene, the halved life span, and while they may have some spotting, their coat will usually be white and not the coveted swirl that makes the merle species so highly sought.
These issues are so horrible and prevalent that double merles have been given the moniker, “lethal whites”. This practice also raises significant controversy because these animals are being exposed to increased risks for the sake of monetary gain.
10. What Is a Merle Pitbull’s Lifespan?
Average pitbull life expectancy is an average of about 12 years. You can reasonably expect a merle pitbull to also experience a similar range of years, unless it is a double merle, which means that its lifespan will likely be cut in half.
11. Why do Merle-colored Pitbulls Exist Despite the Risks?
Breeders who are looking for high sales know that merle-colored puppies fetch a high price. So much so that the 25% risk of a double-merle puppy being disabled isn’t going to affect their revenue stream much. For them, it’s worth the risk.
Pitbull litters generally run 5-10 puppies. That means breeders can assume one or two puppies will be unsellable out of each litter. Considering the price that comes with a merle, it’s worth it to them.
12. Are Merle Pitbulls Rare?
Yes, which is why they can be so expensive. They are perhaps more common than they used to be because breeders enjoy the exceptional profits that merle pitbull pups can bring.
13. How Much Do Merle Pitbulls Cost?
If you want the allure of the dapple coat, you are unfortunately going to have to shell out a lot of money for it.
Typically prices of merle pitbulls can be triple the price of a non-merle, but top of the line options can surpass $10,000 dollars and even reach three times that price!
14. Should I Buy a Merle Pitbull?
No. And, we recommend taking it a step further: you should not refer to these dogs as “merle pitbull.” This naming convention makes it sound like it’s a special, good quality in a dog when, in fact, it is not. Use “merle-colored” in your nomenclature and avoid those selling these dogs. Merle-colored pitbulls are not special or rare. They are bred at a high risk and likely have littermates who were discarded because they were born without vision or hearing. Any breeder doing this is not someone who loves dogs.
That said, if you see a merle-colored pit at your local shelter, by all means bring him home! Generally speaking, dogs bred for color have genetic health conditions. This is why your local shelter dog is one of the best options out there.
15. What Bloodline Is a Merle Pitbull?
The merle is a color adaptation based on a mutation, so the bloodline of the merle is based on which type of pitbull it is and has nothing at all to do with whether it is dapple or not.
In fact, merle pitbulls are not recognized at all by the American Dog Breeders Association and similar organizations.
16. How Big Will a Merle Pitbull Get When Fully Grown?
Remember that this is not a special breed of pitbulls, but simply a pitbull that has a genetic mutation which affects the color of its coat and possibly its health.
They often average between 30-60 pounds which is typical of all types of pitbulls, which is considered a medium-sized canine.
17. What is a Merle Pitbull Temperament and Personality: Are Merle Pitbulls Good Family Dogs?
Once more, merle simply relates to the coloring and gene mutation and is not indicative of the breed itself.
Pit bulls get a bad reputation for aggressiveness and attacks on humans, but it’s important to realize that it is because many of them have been trained to be that way. In other words, they are a victim of their circumstances and how they were raised, similar to what can happen to a human.
Generally, the breeds are considered to be very family friendly with a great love of humans and even have a calmer temperament than most other dog species.
They are a healthy and athletic breed that aims to please and loves a good snuggle. They can be very affectionate and kid friendly, which can make them great pets (source)!
18. Do Merle Pitbulls Shed?
All pitbulls are fairly consistent shedders, but since they only have a single coat that will be a consistent amount of shed year round.
19. Are Merle Pitbulls More Aggressive?
Any pitbull that is more aggressive than others is usually the result of conditioning. These animals are no different from any other pitbulls except they have the potential to face greater health problems.
20. Are Merle Pitbulls Smarter?
They are just as smart as any other pitbulls and, just the same, can become even smarter if they are given the opportunity to learn.
21. What Is the Rarest Pit Bull Color?
While the merle pitbull is considered rare because of its mutation, what is generally considered the rarest color for pitbulls is actually blue or the “blue fawn” variant, which has a silvery appearance.
The reason for the rarity is that it involves the perfect combination of two recessive color variants to exist.
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Yes! Thank you! They absolutely should not be bred or referred to as pit bulls. They are NOT pit bulls. They a mixes and if they have papers then they are hung papers. Anyone breeding “merle pit bulls” is just another backyard color fad breeder and should not be supported.
No doubt merle and human aggression
are disqualifies for the apbt
I totally disagree with you I have a Merle colored Pit Bull and he’s beautifully Blue base with Black spots bred from Old Family Red and a Blue brindle female
No. And, we recommend taking it a step further: you should not refer to these dogs as “merle pitbull.” This naming convention makes it sound like it’s a special, good quality in a dog when, in fact, it is not. Use “merle-colored”
AND IGNORE THE HEADLINE TO THIS ARTICLE?!? 🤪
Stop labeling mutts as pitbulls Stop killing innocent dogs.
So let’s not forget to also throw in the Australian Shepherd,Catahoula Leopard Dog,Shetland Sheepdog,Collie,Old English Sheepdog,Welsh (Cardigan) Corgi when talking about not breading. Not just the Pittbulls
There’s a difference in breeds that carry merle naturally, like Aussies and Catahoulas, and then breeds that do not, like pit bulls. The point is that merel is not a pit bull color. Merle means that the dog is a pit bull. No matter if the mix is far enough back to test as a purebred. No matter if the dog has papers. Merle automatically means that it is not a pit bull. Someone has bred a pit with another breed and then hung papers. That’s the problem.
Because if Someone has a Merle Australian Shepherd there seems to be nothing wrong with that! But as soon as one has a Pittbull of any color or bloodline the dog and the owner get judged!
No not judged but its the truth in order to get the merle gene to start they where mixed/breed to a different breed to get that gene.
The merle gene can be bad…breed to merle colored dogs deaf and/or blind pups will come.
With the merle gene you have to be very careful what type of meds are given because they can and will kill the dog.
Sadly all these irresponsible breeds create dogs lie on the papers
Research this breed its a money making business cause fools will always not truly understand genetics.
And sadly they have mixed so many breeds destroying them all for greed.
Do real research pitt bulls merle is not a color for them.
Ankle biters are the reason cause ankle biters are the aggressor of all fights or even larger dogs. I’m a American Blue pitbull terrier owner hes short and stocky…and as gentle as they come…good with kids and other animals. I’m sure he can shred something to peices but I have not raised him like that…no tug o war…to provoke or manifest the terrors that is expected of him. Hes playful but yet does know the proper rules of engagement…but does after everything of smelling butt and hes the one running around like the lil ankle biters…people it’s all in how you raise them….please media stop pumping fear into people’s hearts and minds. Like Black people and pitbulls are the same… but pitbulls have more rights than we do.
Oh mine is a service animal at that!
How did you get your dog to become a service dog?
It does not say anything about a pit bull’s temperament in this article, only that breeding for a desired color to make a buck is unethical…it’s hard enough to find homes for the millions out there and now we have people breeding more of them with more health issues resulting in more dumped dogs
You can’t tell people what is a good dog to smh
Pitts are highly susceptible to the parvovirus and the easiest place for them to get it is from a dog park, so think about it. I have 2 one has had parvovirus and so has my yorkie when she was 6oz. It takes a lot of work meds sleepless nights and care to get them through it. If you dont do the work ot will kill them. When my yorkie got it the vet had told me she was too small to fight it and she would die. I told him to give me the medication anyway and I also used Gatorade or pedialyte to keep her hydrated. She is now 13 years old. I put in 2 weeks of work on her and 8 days when my 2 year old Pitt got it from a dog park.
Amy dog is highly susceptible to catching the parvo virus. Especially if not given the vaccination shots that protect it from the virus. So now I must ask why did your 2 year old catch it? Was it not vaccinated? If the answer is no then why would you have it at a dog park in the first place? Don’t label one breed as being more susceptible to the virus bc that is false. The most susceptible to catch parvo are puppies of any breed.
NO pit bulls should be bred! STOP the scourge. This is the real pandemic!!
And if you are a pit nutter you should AGREE they end up abused and in shelters. Half of all pitbulls euthanized by age 2. If they are the best dogs, answer me, WHY?? You people are INSANE!
You should not have bern bred
What a fucking ignorant person. That’s not a real statistic whatsoever. People like you are the problem with the world, not these dogs.
u shouldn’t breed!!! pitbulls are the best pet/ animal / best friend/ and breed. its uneducated people like urself that are unaware of the intelligence, loyalty and strength of these beautiful animal. these pet owners who surrender or lose their rights to keep them are incapable of the responsibly caring for them. u are just stupid 🙂
I have a Merle Pitbull and I consider myself lucky since I rescued her and paid only 100 to my friend for the gas to go get her. I have been offered thousands for my dog. Took her to the vet for hearing and vision test. Passed with flying colors! I do plan to get her tested annually but my vet said, “she is a fine specimen” . Sorry not sorry, I want another! (Only if it’s a rescue)
Merle means the dog is a mix. Not a pit bull. Please don’t use pit bull as a blanket term. Your dog is a bully mix.
Merle bully’s have been recognized by ABKC as “blotched” you can register them, they can not compete though.
This is the loop hole that is hanging papers, think about why you cannot show them 🤦🏻♀️ it’s not that you can it’s that people do it anyway but the fact they cannot be shown speaks a thousand word, breed it paper it then keep it on the down low smh
First there is no such breed as a pit bull. They are either Shaffer terriers or american bullys. The phrase pit bull is a great disservice to a highly intelligent and lovable breed of dogs. Second to the intelligently challenged individual that said they are a virus. I can see that you have never met this breed. They American bully and the Shaffer terrier are nicknamed nanny dogs. The reason for this is that they will protect and nurture a young child like there own. I am the proud owner of a classic American bully with white and merl coloring. This amazing 3 year old girl was almost put down because of people with bully fear. The funny part is she is scared of her own shadow and would never hurt a fly. We have her registered as a hearing dog for my wife and a diabetic alert dog for me. She learned both of these skills in less then 6 month and has a soft mouth like a retriever.
What? What is a Shaffer terrier? The American Pit Bull Terrier, or pit bull for short, is a recognized breed. American bullys were created using pit bulls. What on Earth are you talking about?
Another fucking know-it-all that’s completely wrong Staffer Terriers, ‘bullies’ lol . Hilarious. APBT is what they are. They are not Merle and if you have a Merle, then you have a cross with Catahoulla Leopard Dogs.
NO ADOPT A BABY FROM THE SHELTER…SAVE A LIFE THAT WANTS A FUREVER FAMILY !!!
These are American Bullies not Pitbulls we breed the best of them if anyone is interested burrnationk9s is the place for you.
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The best Merle Pitbull I’ve seen so far is Phantom from http://www.swagkennels.com
Phantom is an XL Bully. Not a pit bull.
I don’t know what these are, but what they are NOT is APBT .
Stop ruining my Catahoulas by corrupting them with pitbulls!
It’s really amazing to see how quickly this comment page turned from sharing information about merle pit bulls to individuals making statements about how people should or shouldn’t do this or that. It was an article giving some good information about merle pit bulls. Please stay on the subject matter and keep in mind that it is not about us.. It’s about them.
I have to agree with a comment above, other breeds are merle but we dont read articles about them. Its always about pits or dog that look like pits. Doesn’t matter whats going on with-in the breed, people latch on to something in order to make excuses to put the breed down. How bought an article relating to how to properly raise them, thing to do and not do. Its sad that in this world media still reports on all the bad things, instead of the good. The recommendation is always the easy way out, well s**t if it has this issue kill it.
No, you should not buy a merle pit bull. You should also take it a step further, and not buy ANY pit bull. They’re dangerous, destructive, and terrible pets.
I have a “Merle Pitbull” and mine is as healthy and beautiful as they come.
Did you people forget that a pitbull is a naturally mixed breed of dog. You have to take 3 specific dogs to make a pitbull
What? Not true at all. The American Pit Bull Terrier is a recognized breed and has been for over 120 years.
Most of you need to go to APBR and read their thoughts on Merle Pitbulls. They did a decade long study of Merle Pitbulls compared to other Pitbull types. Most of the health issues, etc. we’re no more than any other Pitbull. Merle Pitbulls were bred by The Godfather of the Pitbull breed way back in the 1800’s.
i disagree i love my merl pit he can be testy at timess different of corse he almost human in more ways then most humans its kray his peronality is beautiful
No dog is pure bred. They are all mixed to make certain breeds. Pitbulls are awesome. I breed merle pits myself. I dont breed double merles because the risk is higher.
I have bred several other breeds of dogs as well and guess what? Some have been deaf and some blind. Some have lived long and some have had shorter lives.
Merles are amazing and beautiful. I dont breed them for the buck, i breed them because i love how each one is so colorful and unique. The different pattern are beautiful and to make it even better im a bully lover period.
I love and take care of my pets, litters etc. But one thing i cant stand are animal activists. An animal is still an animal. They are not humans. I cant stand extemist. People gripe over merles, pits, dog abuse, animal shelter cruelty. Its an animal!!!!!! You say that but i bet most people who say that will wear a tbone, hamburger, chicken, bacon and others up. And u know what. Thats fine!!!! You kniw why? THEY ARE ANIMALS.
Love your post! ❤️
i do agree with you about how all dog breeds are mutts and where all mix bred for looks and abilities. i don’t not however agree that any animal should have to suffer in either shelter abuse to personal owner abuse. an i truly don’t understand how you can “love” your animals if your okay with others suffering and that truly shows your true colors. i think that we should have a better farming system and people should cut down on the amount of meat they eat but every animal can feel pain, and feel afraid just the same as me and you. have you forgotten that we are animals too? do you stand for the abuse of children or of any other person? no they can’t speak English but saying its okay to ignore animal abuse is just cruel.
😳 if you folks “Know” so much why all the bickering 🤷🏽♂️ Most of you are Band wagon Jumpers and clueless. If you know anything about “Pittbulls” or its true history half the shit you guys spewing is from someone else’s lack of knowledge which makes you just as ignorant.🤣
One name “Colby”! Mr. Colby is one of the very best Dog Men of his time or any other era, and he had a few “Merle” bulls in his stock. Now those folks back then were the front runners for today’s modern “Bullies” no such thing as “Pure” everything was created during a specific time and place and continued to evolve over time.
Folks like to use words like “Exotic” “Rare” if that was the case why are kennels In-Breeding 3 generations to Out-Breed in the 4th generation!? Because they are evolving or as some of you folks like using the term
“ Backyard Breeding” why!?
To change Color/Structure and Function !
Do you think that the fore-fathers of the APBT just found this dog, then another to continue the breed !? 🤣🤣🤣 “NO” they cross-bred numerous dogs to get it …. just like what folks are still doing today. You want Truth and Closure!?
DNA your dog through UC Davis or Embark, then go back and read your comments and re-asses your statement !
Coming from a special traits breeder of 20+ years, this article is fairly inaccurate and misleading. You can draw the Merle trait out and keep dogs healthy by only breeding a Merle to a non Merle. Breeding two together will create puppies with health issues. Inhumane breeders that don’t care about the quality of their dogs or bloodlines, and only care about the money, could try to breed 2 Merle’s together to get more per litter, which they think will make them more money. The truth is, non Merles sell for almost just as much anyway if you have good quality bloodlines and healthy animals…. and that’s why it’s important to know what you’re doing, otherwise you shouldn’t be doing it at all.
Hello! We rescued a “Boxer mix” from a shelter that is merle. Pepper is beautiful. We thought since they said Boxer mix, that she was mixed with a Catahoula to get the Merle. She is now 2.5 years and 43lbs. We got her DNA tested through Embark and she is 79.8% Pit Bull Terrier and 20.2% Staffordshire Terrier. She does not have any other breeds in her through her great grandparents. She is healthy and currently has no issues with sight/hearing. Just wanted to comment my results since it was said that Pits cannot be Merle – they must be mix bred. She is a great dog that realizes that I am the pack leader and does fine with other dogs and her Boxer brother.
It blew us away when we received the results of Pit Bull because Pepper does not have the block head or the strong muscle stature of Pit bulls I have seen online. She is 43 pounds with longer legs too.
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A pitbull is a mutt, made by breeding multiple breeds of dogs!! So yes, a merile pit is still a pit!!
My Pepper is a bueti
okay you lil SEXY
I just had a whole litter of Merle pit bulls both parents are healthy and great dogs niether carried the color pattern yet they all came spotted beautiful so idk who is right or who’s wrong but I love em
Is this really how people are today? You read a article about the color of a dog not it’s temperament; but somehow it gets turned to none fact bull shit from a bunch of folk who doesn’t know shit of what they are saying..God bless you all and I hope you all find the true joys of this breed and of life as well…
I have a full blooded pit bull puppy she is this pattern neither of the parents are like her in color she’s the only one out of this akc registered kennel so you missed me with that bs she is healthy and extremely intelligent