What is a Merle Labradoodle?
Merle Labradoodles
Beautiful and Unique Coat Colors
One of my great joys in raising Australian Labradoodles is being there the day they are born and seeing the colors in each litter. This is one of the most fascinating moments to me of the entire process, and there is a special place in my heart for the Labradoodles that are merle. Don’t get me wrong, coat color has nothing to do with the temperament and health qualities desired in the Labradoodle, but they are just so beautiful and unique. Ethical breeders like myself take steps to avoid breeding two merle dogs together to prevent any health problems. Responsible breeding practices prioritize the health and well-being of the dogs rather than just focusing on coat patterns.
Merle is a Coat Pattern
Many people ask me what a merle Labradoodle is. Well, merle is a coat pattern usually called ‘color.’ A merle Labradoodle is one that starts with a base coat color of black or chocolate; apricot and caramel coats do not display the merle pattern. The Merle gene will take that base color and randomly dilute it to any shade lighter than the base color. There is not a pattern in the Labradoodles’ merle coat, they can have large patches of light and dark, and they can have a coat that looks almost solid. Maybe that is part of the thrill of seeing each new pup born.
The Merle Coat Colors
The black-based Labradoodles are usually called blue merles because the coat looks bluish in color, while the chocolate-based coats are called chocolate merles. In addition to being a merle Labradoodle, the dogs can also show the parti factor with white patches or predominantly white bodies. They can have phantom or sable markings in addition to the merle colors as well.