Blue Merle with Bi Blue?

L

LullusHuo

Forums Novice
Alright, I'm getting ready to purchase a gorgeous Bi-Blue female. I want her to make pretty puppies with my males, because in my life I've never seen a pregnant dog or itty-bitty puppies. I can recount dozens of kitty litters to you though!

Anyway, my ultimate concern is, the main dog I want to breed her with is my hefty Simba, a Blue Merle who has a thick long coat, a blue eye, and the sweetest disposition I've come across yet. The question is, I've forgotten...Can you breed a Bi-Blue with a Blue Merle? Or is that a recipe for disability disaster? :uhoh:
 
LullusHuo said:
Alright, I'm getting ready to purchase a gorgeous Bi-Blue female. I want her to make pretty puppies with my males, because in my life I've never seen a pregnant dog or itty-bitty puppies. I can recount dozens of kitty litters to you though!

Anyway, my ultimate concern is, the main dog I want to breed her with is my hefty Simba, a Blue Merle who has a thick long coat, a blue eye, and the sweetest disposition I've come across yet. The question is, I've forgotten...Can you breed a Bi-Blue with a Blue Merle? Or is that a recipe for disability disaster? :uhoh:
Click to expand...

No...that is a recipe for double merles.
The safest stud is a bi-black or tricolor.
 
And my understanding is double merles are MUCH more likely to be deaf and/or blind. Something that I am sure you don't want to risk.
 
Hi. I noticed the thread and saw that you were from Arkansas, too! Where from Arkansas are you from? :biggrin2:

Bi blue + blue merle = no.
 
Yes you do not want to breed two blues together due to the disastrous health risks that can result..

Before breeding you want to make sure you've done the appropriate health testing. For starters CERF, VWd, Thyroid, OFA, and an added bonus would be MDR1. Once those tests are done and your dog is atleast 2 years of age, what do you hope to improve with this breeding? What are their faults? What are their virtues? Will the pedigrees compliment each other? Or are they so far apart you stand the risk to have the unknowns pop in? Do you know the sire and the dam on both sides? What have they been producing?

Breeding two dogs together is not something to be taken lightly and because they are cute..and on that note im stepping off my box...
 
Breeding merle to merle greatly increases the odds of getting a double dilute, which are generally deaf, have significant hearing impairments, and we suspect they also tend to have auto-immune issues. We have had a few come through rescue, one didn't even have eyes. We had her eye sockets sewn shut because the flies were getting in.

Basic color genetics is the first thing you need to learn before breeding your dogs. Dogs also are not generally bred for "color", they are bred for quality, with color being just another consideration. Health testing is important, you don't want to produce a vWD affected puppy, then explain to it's new owner why you couldn't be bothered to test.
 
Can I just ask, what are your reasons for breeding? Just to see a dog pregnant and puppies is not really a reason.

There are just too many unwanted pups in this world to be breeding without a good reason.

By good reasons I mean;
Breeding to improve the breed using dogs that have achieved something (show titles or agility/obedience titles).

Breeding selected animals for the breeders personal needs (ie. developing a line of agility dogs) but then finding high quality homes for the remaining pups.

And lastly, breeding good quality, healthy pups (health-tested) for pet homes from stock that has also been health-tested and where the breeder has an established waiting list.

I'm not trying to be unkind, but breeding is a costly, time-consuming and potentially hazardous (for mum dog) process. If you breed a dog you should go in with your eyes open, your dogs should be of sound temperament and all health tests should have been done to ensure they will not pass on genetic faults. Finally your dogs also should be close to the recognised standard, else you are altering the breed.

I see this a lot with labradors around here. They are bred without tests being done and end up with joint problems or they are these enormous dogs that are completely wrong for the KC standard. And then of course there are the number of puppies who end up abandoned in rescue centres because they couldn't be found homes.

Please think about this carefully, you have two years before your pup will be ready to breed anyway, that is plenty of time to do research and find a suitable stud - not just one that is handy and looks good.:wink2:
 
LullusHuo said:
Alright, I'm getting ready to purchase a gorgeous Bi-Blue female. I want her to make pretty puppies with my males, because in my life I've never seen a pregnant dog or itty-bitty puppies. I can recount dozens of kitty litters to you though!
Click to expand...

Totally not a reason to breed.

I agree with everything labgirl stated.
 
If you want to see a pregnant dog or itty bitty puppies, why dont you try finding a breeder that will mentor you and perhaps in time allow you to help whelp a litter or pups or at least watch. Or Perhaps you could foster a pregnant dog, you would not only get to witness the miracle of birth, but also be helping out a dog in need.
 
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