# Australian Shepherd colors? Blue merle vs. blue merle with tan??



## Michiyo-Fir (Jul 25, 2009)

I'm rather confused by the colors that Australian Shepherds come in?

I love the blue merle coloring but now I've noticed some of the blue merles have tan legs, points and cheeks while others are completely without tan? Are there proper names for these colors?

Also what other colors do Australian Shepherds come in? I think I've seen blue merle, red merle, and tri colored and sort of a copper color with white?


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## agility collie mom (Jan 26, 2008)

Here is a color chart that shows all the colors....

http://www.ashgi.org/color/color_chart.htm


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## Laurelin (Nov 2, 2006)

Merling works on top of colored areas. So a dog that is just merle and white is actually black and white (in the case of a blue merle). A dog with tan points is actually tricolor but they have a copy of the merling gene.

In shelties merle without tan is called bi-blue. With tan is just merle. 

As far as I know aussies come in black, red, red merle or blue merle all with or without white and/or tan. And of course double merles happen to but they are obviously discouraged by reputable breeders.


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Australian Shepherds come in four colors

Blue Merle

Black

Red Merle

and Red

Blacks with both tan points and white markings are commonly called Black Tris
Blacks with only white markings are commonly called Black Bi's
Blacks with only tan points are commonly called Black and Tan's
Blacks without markings are called Blacks OR Black Solids
(The above is the same for Reds)

Now with Merles it is a little different

Blue Merles with both white and Tan markings are commonly called Blue Merles
Blue Merles with only White markings are commonly called Blue Merles OR Bi Blues
Blue Merles with only tan markings are commonly called Blue Merles (sometimes with the added "without white)
Blue Merles with no markings are commonly called Blue Merles OR Self Blue Merles
(The above holds true for Red Merles as well.)

A Merle is a Merle and a Solid is a Solid regardless of tan points or white markings It's the base color that counts in Aussies not the markings.

A Double Merle is Aussies is refered to as a "Homozygos Merle"


The Level of dominance in the genes of the aussie are as follows
(when I refer to dominant here I am not talking about the carriage of the genes)

Solid Color is the first level
Merling covers and interacts with solid
tan points cover up both the above
Masking and Tarheels cover up all the above
White covers all of the above.

Tan Points are a Recessive gene
Merleing is a dominant gene
(I don't know how masks and tarheels are inherited but I suspect both are a dominant gene)


I think that all just about covers it.


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