# My Girl Zora



## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

I posted this in the new member introductions, but this is my girl Zora. She is an Australian Shepherd.


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## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

Gigit said:


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Is she a merle x merle or just mismarked? She is gorgeous by the way. I have an Aussie too.

I bet in real life her eyes are striking (more so than in pictures). We have one on the farm that is fairly white with stunning blue eyes.


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

Sadly, she is the result of a merle to merle breeding and is a double merle, and not the first from the same breeder. 

I am now friends with an owner of one of Zora's double merle siblings from an earlier litter, so this breeder has knowingly bred even after having produced a double merle previously. This was done intentionally to breed white blue eyed puppies for more money. Zora is deaf, but she does great with hand signals.


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## lauren17 (Apr 14, 2009)

Welcome, I love seeing more aussies on the board ! She is gorgeous!

Its awful that there are people out there that will breed merle to merle intentionally. You'd think it would be more difficult for them to sell these puppies let alone charge more for them but I guess enough people don't know about lethal whites still.


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## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

Gigit said:


> This was done intentionally to breed white blue eyed puppies for more money.


This makes me sad. I wouldn't imagine spending more money on a mismarked puppy (cute or not) because its against breed standards, and in this case, the standards are there for a reason as we see in your girl. I cant believe people actually do that. Intentional merle x merle breeding is something I just don't think I can condone.

On the plus side its great to hear Zora does so well with hand signals. I wondered earlier if she was deaf because of the white ears and my suspicion of merle x merle breeding. I do some hand signals with my Aussie Kodi and even though he hears completely fine he actually listens better to the hand signals than the voice commands. 

Do you ever have trouble getting her attention? Does she ever startle at things brushing her that she may not have noticed? I've never met a deaf dog, please excuse my ignorance on them .


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

They don't charge more money for the double merles, just the blue merles with blue eyes. The double merle's they get they offer up to good homes for a $100 donation fee. The entire thing makes me want to puke. The only good thing to come out of this is the fact that I have Zora now and she's the best dog in the world! 

She does startle, which is cute. She jumps up when you brush against her if she doesn't see you first. Sleeping is great as she sleeps like a log. I don't have trouble getting her attention so long as I can get her to look in my direction. She is a very good "listener."

A deaf puppy is challenging, at least I should say, Zora was a challenging puppy, but once taught their commands, it's hard to tell her behavior from a dog with hearing, she's a very good girl. The only downside is I can't ever have her offleash, as I have no recall. She lives a great life, as you can tell by her photos she is happy and healthy!


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## stacey101 (Sep 20, 2010)

Oh she is beautiful !


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## Slartibartfast (Sep 29, 2011)

Zora is beautiful!

Please excuse my ignorance, but what does merle mean?


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

Blue merle means a blue/gray coat with black speckles. A double merle is predominately white.


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## GottaLuvMutts (Jun 1, 2009)

Gigit said:


> The double merle's they get they offer up to good homes for a $100 donation fee.


Where does the "donation fee" go? Is it any different than selling the double merle pups for $100?


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## Slartibartfast (Sep 29, 2011)

Gigit said:


> Blue merle means a blue/gray coat with black speckles. A double merle is predominately white.


Why is it bad to breed merle to merle? Does that increase the propensity for deafness?


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

It can cause the ears to have too much white, or even worse the eyes, and white (albino) leads to blindness and/or deafness.


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## Gigit (Dec 30, 2011)

Here she was as as puppy


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## KodiBarracuda (Jul 4, 2011)

All of those pictures are cute, but I LOVE the middle one! Great contrast with the white on the green and those darling blue eyes again.


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