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Merle French Bulldogs – Everything You Need To Know

Merle French Bulldogs – Everything You Need To Know

Merle French Bulldogs (AKA Merle Frenchies) are the new trending dog breed due to their highly unique and remarkable coat markings as well as their tendency to have striking blue eyes. It is not a surprise that the aesthetics of the breed paired with their playful and easy going temperament makes them highly sought after! Nevertheless prospective owners need to be aware of the health dangers of the merle gene, especially for double merle Frenchies and the ethics surrounding this breed.

If you are interested in Merle Frenchies keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your burning questions about this dog breed!

What Is A Merle French Bulldog?

A Merle French Bulldog is one that carries the merle gene resulting in mottled patches of different colours and patterns on their coat as well as affecting eye colour and skin pigmentation on the nose and paws. The patterns on the coat can either occur in solid or piebald forms and the most common colours are red merle and blue merle.

What Makes A Merle French Bulldog?

Merle is a genetic pattern of a French Bulldog’s coat that dilutes random sections of the coat to a lighter colour that leaves patches of the original colour remaining. It occurs when a French Bulldog carries the “M” Merle allele and a negative “m” copy of the Merle allele. A Merle French Bulldog is (M/m).

It is problematic when two French Bulldogs that are carriers of (M/m) are bred together as there is a 25% chance for each puppy born to be homozygous (M/M) for the merle trait. (M/M) carriers are also called double merle and a high percentage have severe vision or hearing problems.

What Does A Merle French Bulldog Look Like?

A Merle French Bulldog has a mottled patterned coat, affected skin pigmentation on their nose and paws, and either blue or odd-coloured eyes. The two main colours of the merle coat are blue merle and red merle.

In addition to altering the coat colour, the merle gene also changes the dark pigment in French Bulldogs eyes, changing their eyes to partially or fully blue or odd-coloured. As for skin pigmentation, the merle gene can change French Bulldogs paws and noses to light pink.

Despite their captivating looks, prospective Merle French Bulldogs owners need to be aware that they are a result of poor breeding practices and they are likely to suffer from deafness and blindness.

Read Also: Lilac French Bulldogs – Everything You Need To Know

Such a pretty face🌸new pics of Tippie❤️ | French bulldog puppies, Blue french  bulldog puppies, Bulldog puppies

What Is A Double Merle French Bulldog?

A Double Merle (M/M) French Bulldog carries two copies of the dominant “M” allele. They are a result of bad breeding practices as they are affected by ocular defeats and deafness. These dogs are also called ‘lethal whites’ as they have little to no colour in their coat.

Double merle French Bulldogs have created a lot of controversy in the dog world with many official bodies refusing to register dogs that are a product of merle-to-merle breeding.

Read Also: 21 Facts You Need To Know Before Getting A French Bulldog

Are Merle French Bulldogs Purebred?

No, Merle French Bulldogs are not purebred as the merle gene does not naturally occur in this breed. Merle French Bulldogs are a result of selective breeding and are created by breeding one French Bulldog with another dog that carries the merle gene such as a Chihuahua. The merle French Bulldog is not recognised by the American Kennel Club as a pure breed.

Double merle (M/M) French Bulldogs will always pass on a copy of Merle to their puppies and should not be bred together. Responsible breeders who want to produce merle puppies should mate a Merle (M/m) French Bulldog with a non-Merle (m/m) French Bulldog. Roughly 50% of the litter will be Merles and none will be Double Merles.

Read Also: Blue French Bulldogs – Info, Facts, FAQs & More

Merle and tan French bulldog puppies - TomKings kennel

Are Merle French Bulldogs Unhealthy?

Yes, there is an increased risk of health problems in Merle French Bulldogs. The merle allele increases the risk of impaired hearing and blindness. The risk increases drastically for homozygous (M/M) French Bulldogs, also known as Double Merles, as they carry two copies of the M allele.

Common Merle Health Problems

  • Hearing Impairment – up to complete deafness
  • Vision Impairment – up to complete blindness
  • Skin Cancer – an increased risk due to the lack of pigmentation on skin
  • Micropthalmia – rare condition causing small and often non-functional eyeballs (high risk for Double Merles)

Deafness

In a study of multiple merle breeds it was found that:

  • 2.7% of merles with one M allele (M/m) were deaf in one ear
  • 0.9% of merles with one M allele (M/m) were deaf in both ears
  • 10% of Double Merles (M/M) were deaf in one ear
  • 15% of Double Merles (M/M) were deaf in both ears

How Long Do Merle French Bulldogs Live?

A Merle French Bulldog on average live for around 10 years if they do not have any health issues or other problems. Nevertheless, the genetic predisposition of merle French Bulldogs makes them at risk of having vision and hearing deficiencies, especially for double merles. Factors such as exercise and diet also influence the lifespan of a Merle French Bulldog.

*Pro Tip: If you want to know about the genetics of your dog, take a dog DNA test. One of the best DNA tests on the market today is the Embark Vet Dog DNA Test (Get 10% off Two Kits With Code MULTIPACK2)

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Merle French Bulldog Breeders

If you are looking for a French Bulldog breeder, consider PuppySpot where you can use our discount code for $300 dollars off any dog! Check out the adorable Goldendoodle puppies that are currently available here!

PuppySpot is a dog adoption website that connects breeders with prospective pet owners. They have a zero tolerance policy for puppy mills which is why they screen every breeder annually! They have placed over 200,000 puppies in homes and offer various trusted, USDA-certified transportation options to deliver your puppy to your home safely! You won’t regret having a look at their Frenchie puppies here as they are so cute!

Merle French Bulldog Colors

The three main colours of Merle French Bulldogs are Blue Merle, Red Merle and Isabella Merle. The difference between a Blue Merle and a Red Merle French Bulldog is that a Blue Merle is a black Frenchie with a merle pattern while a Red Merle is a liver (brown) Frenchie with a merle pattern. There are also Harlequin merle and Tweed merle French Bulldogs however these are even rarer.

Blue Merle French Bulldog

What You Should Know About The Merle French Bulldog

Red Merle French Bulldog

french merle bulldog,www.neurosurgeondrapoorva.com

Isabella Merle French Bulldog

Congo: Male Lilac Merle (Isabella Carrier) French Bulldog - Premier French  Bulldog

Read Also: Find Out What Colour Collar You Should Get Your Dog Here!

What Is A Harlequin Merle French Bulldog?

A Harlequin Merle French Bulldog carries the merle gene and the co-dominate modifying gene for harlequin. A harlequin merle has a mainly white coat with large black patches of full pigmentation. The genetic sequence causes nearly all the the grey or marbled patches of a typical merle coat to be replaced with white.

See Also

What Is A Tweed Merle French Bulldog?

A Tweed Merle French Bulldog carries the Tweed merle modifier that turns the grey in a blue merle or the light brown in a red merle into a variety of grey, brown and tan shades. Some breeders say that tweed and harlequin merle are the same pattern however other breeders claim that there is a “true tweed” gene where the coat does not have any white patches. Nevertheless, this is an extremely rare French Bulldog colouring.

What Is A Cryptic Merle French Bulldog?

A Cryptic Merle French Bulldog (also known as a phantom merle) is a French Bulldogs that has very small patches of merle or none at all. These French Bulldogs appear to be non-merle however they may present the merle genotype and produce merle offspring.

A cryptic merle French Bulldog can have one copy of the Cryptic allele and one negative copy of the merle allele (m/CR) or they can be a Double Cryptic (CR/CR) carrying two copies of the Cryptic allele.

Read Also: White French Bulldogs – Pictures, Facts, FAQs & More

She is a proud merle (French Bulldogs) #FrenchBulldog #Frenchie | Merle  french bulldog, Cute french bulldog, Really cute dogs

How Much Does A Merle French Bulldog Cost?

Merle French Bulldogs are one of the rarest and most expensive French Bulldog coat type, costing anywhere between $6000 to $15000 USD depending on the breeder.

Why Are Merle French Bulldogs So Expensive?

The reason why Merle French Bulldogs are so expensive is because they require artificial insemination and a caesarean section for birth. The additional knowledge of safe and ethical merle breeding practices also contributes to the exorbitant price. Responsible Merle breeding, mating a Merle (M/m) with a non-Merle (m/m), leads to a litter that is only 50% merle, reflective of the rarity of the breed.

Are Merle French Bulldogs Rare?

Yes, Merle French Bulldogs are rare because it is not a naturally occurring gene in the breed. Merle French Bulldogs are a result of crossbreeding with merle Chihuahuas to introduce the merle gene into the breed.

Additionally, Merle French Bulldogs are rare because they have some health concerns due to their genetic condition and many breeders are reluctant to breed merle dogs because of this reason.

Read Also: Everything You Need To Know When Taking A Puppy Home by Car From The Breeder

French Bulldog Puppies Available(blue And Blue Merle Tan In Litter) in  Chichester PO19 on Freeads Classifieds - French Bulldogs classifieds

Can You AKC Register A Merle French Bulldog?

No, you cannot AKC register a merle French Bulldog because they are not recognised as a purebred Frenchie. The French Bulldog breed standards were written over 100 years ago and the only recistable colours are fawn, white, black brindle, cream and piedbald.

Merle French Bulldog Names Ideas

  • Stormy
  • Dusty
  • Comet
  • Indigo
  • Topaz
  • Luna
  • Sonic
  • Smurf
  • Freckles
  • Smudge

Conclusion

The merle Frenchie is a beautiful dog breed due to their distinctive coat patterns and striking eyes. While they are great companion dogs, their genetics puts them at high risk of having serious health issues.

If you are intending to purchase a merle French bulldog, you need to ensure you get one from a reputable breeder (breeders who mate a merle (M/m) with a non-Merle (m/m) French bulldog) and be prepared for ongoing costs surrounding health issues.

Further Reading

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