Merled Eyes?

[Lahree]

I just got done talking to Ellie's breeder for over an hour. Ellie is doing great and evidently growing by leaps and bounds. She is supposed to get her photos taken of her next weekend when she is 7 weeks old. I will post them as soon as I get them.

The breeder says because she is the smallest in her litter that she doesn't have the puppy coat that her littermates have and that makes her look smaller, too. She said all the puppies will lose their puppy coats at around 12 weeks so that everyone will be "even" with their coats at 12 weeks.

The breeder says that Ellie has mostly brown eyes with a spot of blue in each eye. I feel really shallow for saying this, but it kind of bugs me a teeny bit. Because I had sable vs. sable merle reversed in my head, I just expected that my puppy would have brown eyes just like my other two animals had. I know you can't show a sable merle with merled eyes (not that I was planning on showing--I asked for a pet puppy). I have never seen merled eyes before and I don't know if the blue spots in her eyes will be bright blue or dark blue? Or does that vary? Does anyone have a merled eyed Sheltie?

 

[Narmowen]

I just got done talking to Ellie's breeder for over an hour. Ellie is doing great and evidently growing by leaps and bounds. She is supposed to get her photos taken of her next weekend when she is 7 weeks old. I will post them as soon as I get them.

The breeder says because she is the smallest in her litter that she doesn't have the puppy coat that her littermates have and that makes her look smaller, too. She said all the puppies will lose their puppy coats at around 12 weeks so that everyone will be "even" with their coats at 12 weeks.

The breeder says that Ellie has mostly brown eyes with a spot of blue in each eye. I feel really shallow for saying this, but it kind of bugs me a teeny bit. Because I had sable vs. sable merle reversed in my head, I just expected that my puppy would have brown eyes just like my other two animals had. I know you can't show a sable merle with merled eyes (not that I was planning on showing--I asked for a pet puppy). I have never seen merled eyes before and I don't know if the blue spots in her eyes will be bright blue or dark blue? Or does that vary? Does anyone have a merled eyed Sheltie?

I have a blue with merled eyes. Luke's the blue boy, with one dark brown eye, and one eye with 1/4 blue (bright blue.)

Molly (his mama), is also a blue with (what I consider) merled eyes. One dark brown, and one dark brown with a light brown spot (it stayed blue longer than the rest, but eventually turned brown). It just looks like a sparkle.

She might not have blue eyes, or merled eyes. The eyes (from what I've seen) are slower to change on a merle, so she might end up with brown eyes.

 

[Lahree]

I have a blue with merled eyes. Luke's the blue boy, with one dark brown eye, and one eye with 1/4 blue (bright blue.)

Molly (his mama), is also a blue with (what I consider) merled eyes. One dark brown, and one dark brown with a light brown spot (it stayed blue longer than the rest, but eventually turned brown). It just looks like a sparkle.

She might not have blue eyes, or merled eyes. The eyes (from what I've seen) are slower to change on a merle, so she might end up with brown eyes.

So, it's possible that the eyes may change to completely brown? The breeder says that the blue in her eyes is "not that noticeable," so it kinda sounds like it's not a bright blue, but I may be inferring that from her saying "it's not that noticeable." Do merled eyes ever have brown and dark blue spots?

 

[Crestlynn]

So, it's possible that the eyes may change to completely brown? The breeder says that the blue in her eyes is "not that noticeable," so it kinda sounds like it's not a bright blue, but I may be inferring that from her saying "it's not that noticeable." Do merled eyes ever have brown and dark blue spots?

Yes, I have several blue merles that have blue and brown in the same eye. And as far as noticable, it really depends on how big the spot is. The color of blue can also differ and some of it has to do with how light the merle is. In other words (in the case of blues) the darker the silver is usually the darker the blue in the eye. If the blue merle coat color is a very light silver, the eyes are the lighter icey blue.

This does NOT mean that all blues have blue eyes or merled eyes and it the what I am saying is not definate...just an observation of someone that has had many, many blue merles with blue eyes

 

[BarbV]

I love blue merle eyes!

Personally, while I love the soft look of a brown-eyed baby, I find the blue eyes so striking!

 

[Lahree]

Yes, I have several blue merles that have blue and brown in the same eye. And as far as noticable, it really depends on how big the spot is. The color of blue can also differ and some of it has to do with how light the merle is. In other words (in the case of blues) the darker the silver is usually the darker the blue in the eye. If the blue merle coat color is a very light silver, the eyes are the lighter icey blue.

This does NOT mean that all blues have blue eyes or merled eyes and it the what I am saying is not definate...just an observation of someone that has had many, many blue merles with blue eyes

I appreciate your imput. Me, personally, have only seen dogs with one brown eye and one blue eye, but never brown and blue in the same eye (I know, I lead a very sheltered life and I don't get out much, lol!). I guess it's a wait and see thang. I just never expected this because of the whole incorrect sable vs. sable merle thing I had in my head when I put a deposit down on Ellie. I thought I was getting a sable not a sable merle. It's kind of like ordering a custom car (let's say a Mustang) and you order a dark green because you have had that color in the past and just loved it, but when you see photos of the car you ordered you actually ordered a light green with a racing stripe. You are still getting the kind of car you love, but you have to get used to the idea that the color is different than you expected.

 

[BarbV]

Take deep cleasing breaths!

She's a beautiful girl and you will raise her as your own! I think you'll grow to love her colour! My forever pup, Timber, was a Mahoghany sable, and though lovely, I always wished that he was lighter. I got my wish with Bacca who is a lovely red sable, with very little black.

Either way, she'll be your girl - blue or brown-eyed. Just remember that you can't replace Honey and neither should you ever try.

In my own case, I'm glad that Bacca turned out red instead of mahoghany because I really did not want to replace Timber at all. This way, I only slip sometimes and call him Timber

Take care
Barb

 

[Narmowen]

I appreciate your imput. Me, personally, have only seen dogs with one brown eye and one blue eye, but never brown and blue in the same eye (I know, I lead a very sheltered life and I don't get out much, lol!). I guess it's a wait and see thang. I just never expected this because of the whole incorrect sable vs. sable merle thing I had in my head when I put a deposit down on Ellie. I thought I was getting a sable not a sable merle. It's kind of like ordering a custom car (let's say a Mustang) and you order a dark green because you have had that color in the past and just loved it, but when you see photos of the car you ordered you actually ordered a light green with a racing stripe. You are still getting the kind of car you love, but you have to get used to the idea that the color is different than you expected.

Like I said earlier-my Luke has 1 dark brown eye, and 1 brown eye with a quarter of it blue! (A bright, icey blue!)

If the breeder says that it's not that noticable, then it could be going away on it's own.

 

[Lahree]

Take deep cleasing breaths!

She's a beautiful girl and you will raise her as your own! I think you'll grow to love her colour! My forever pup, Timber, was a Mahoghany sable, and though lovely, I always wished that he was lighter. I got my wish with Bacca who is a lovely red sable, with very little black.

Either way, she'll be your girl - blue or brown-eyed. Just remember that you can't replace Honey and neither should you ever try.

In my own case, I'm glad that Bacca turned out red instead of mahoghany because I really did not want to replace Timber at all. This way, I only slip sometimes and call him Timber

Take care
Barb

You are so, so right! It probably is the best thing in the world that she is not going to be exactly like Honey and Jazz in color. Too much potential for comparison. She'll be my own princess. The breeder had such wnderful stories about her! She is getting so much socialization! Talking to the breeder for an hour just proved to me what everyone said about her was right--she is SO knowledgable! She also told me that she refused to sell two of the puppies from Ellie's litter this week because the pepole who wanted them were not a good home situaton for her pups. Gotta love that.

Oh, also--she told me that Ellie is the very last one to leave the food bowl--certain, that although she has licked the bowl completely clean, there may be some more food coming. How could I not love THAT? She's like ME!

 

[Lahree]

Like I said earlier-my Luke has 1 dark brown eye, and 1 brown eye with a quarter of it blue! (A bright, icey blue!)

If the breeder says that it's not that noticable, then it could be going away on it's own.

If it stays, it'll just add to her personality.