White Border Collies: The Dangers of Double Merle Collies.

The Border Collie is a purebred dog originating from the Anglo-Scottish border. While most Border Collies feature white markings, some Border Collies are totally white. All-white may be a striking coat but it is not always a good sign. The Border Collie may be a “Double Merle” or as they are colloquially referred to — a “Lethal White”.

If you want to know more about White Border Collies, keep reading this article to find out the answers to all your questions about this coat color!

Cover Image Credit: @indieypipa via Instagram

Table of Contents

Can Border Collies Be White?

Unfortunately Border Collies can be totally white. This is a sign that they carry two copies of the merle gene and are a ‘Double Merles’ or ‘Lethal Whites’.

Two Border Collies that are carriers of the merle gene should never be bred together as there is a risk that there will be Double Merle Border Collies in the litter. Unethical breeders may mate two Merle Border Collies together as it guarantees that the litter will have Merle dogs but it also means that the litter will have Double Merle dogs.

It is very controversial breeding Double Merles as there are lots of health issues associated with carrying two copies of the merle gene. Hence, most official bodies refuse to register dogs that are a product of merle-to-merle breeding.

The responsible way to breed a Merle Border Collie is to mate a Merle Border Collie (M/m) with a non-Merle (m/m) Border Collie. Roughly 50% of the litter will be Merles and none will be Double Merles.

white border collie (double merle border collie) — White Border Collie via @hear_no_evil_australia // Instagram

What Does A White Border Collie Look Like?

A Double Merle (M/M) Border Collie has little to no color in their coat as they have inherited two copies of the dominant “M” allele. Unfortunately, Double Merle Border Collies are affected by severe ocular defeats and deafness. They may be deaf in one or both ears and may be blind or have totally lost an eye.

Are White Border Collies Rare?

All-white is the rarest Border Collie coat color as it is not desirable at all. You’ll hardly ever see Border Collies that are white head to toe as it is a sign that they are a Double Merle which means they could suffer from deafness or blindness.

On the other hand, white markings on Border Collies are not rare. Most Border Collies have some kind of white marking on their fur. White markings are recognised by most kennel clubs around the world including the American Kennel Club (AKC). Recognised coats that feature white including: white & black, white & red, white & blue, white & blue merle as well as white & red merle.

Here are all the seventeen AKC recognised Border Collie colors:

Black
Blue
Blue Merle
Brindle
Gold
Red
Sable
Sable Merle
White & Black
White & Red
Red Merle
White & Blue
White & Blue Merle
Lilac
Saddleback Sable
White & Red Merle
White Ticked

What Is A White Factored Border Collie?

A White Factored Border Collie carries the “white factor” gene which means that they will have white markings on their coat. Most Border Collies are white factored and will have a predominantly black, red and merle coat with varying amounts of white over their bodies.

White markings are determined by the genes of the S-locus. These genes prevent the production of pigment in certain areas of the dog’s coat, causing their skin to turn pink and their hair to turn white.

Types of White Markings

There are many different types of white markings that dogs can have including ticking, residual white/white trim, Irish spotting, piebald and extreme white patterning.

Most Border Collies are Irish spotted meaning that white markings are on their legs, chest, neck, muzzle and tip of their tail.

White Markings On Border Collies

While you don’t want to have an all-white Border Collie, Border Collies that have white markings are perfectly healthy and also very common. In fact, white markings are a hallmark of the breed and almost all Border Collies have at least a small amount of white on them.

Black and White Border Collie

Black and White Border Collies have the most common coat pattern. It’s probably what you picture when you think of a Border Collie. Black and White Border Collies are mainly black, featuring white markings on their chest, neck, legs as well as a white blaze marking on their face.

Red and White Border Collie (AKA Brown and White Border Collie)

Red and White Border Collies are the same as Brown and White Border Collies. “Red and White” is just the official name color.

Red and White Border Collies look a lot like the typical Black and White Border Collie but instead of solid black patches, they have solid red (brown) patches. These patches can range from a rusty red brown color to a dark chocolate color. They also have white markings on their chest, neck, legs as well as a white blaze marking on their face.

Grey and White Border Collie

The official name for Grey and White Border Collies are “Blue Merle Border Collies.” Many people refer to them as “Grey and White Border Collies” as these are the predominant colors in their coat.

Sheepadoodle Generations Guide (F1, F1b, F1bb, F2, F2b, F2bb, F3 etc.)

Blue Merle Border Collie feature patches of black, grey, white and tan in their coat in a distinct mottled pattern as they carry the merle gene. Their body, tail, ears and sides of their face usually feature the merle pattern and they may have a large white patch over their chest. They also have white markings on their tail, legs, muzzle and down the middle of their head. Blue Merle Border Collies usually have black noses and can either have brown or blue eyes.

Size

White Border Collies get to a height of 18 to 22 inches (45.7cm to 55.9cm) tall and weigh between 30 and 55 pounds (13.6kg to 24.9kg) when fully grown.

Temperament

White Border Collies are a high energy, intelligent and extremely hard working dog. For these reasons, Border Collies do very well in physically and mentally challenging environments such as farms where they can herd livestock and run around a lot.

Border Collies require a lot more exercise per day than other breeds. If you can’t provide them with lots of play and exercise, they may become destructive out of boredom. Border Collies are also very intelligent so they pick up tricks very quickly and are quite easy to train. They should be socialized from a very young age, especially around young children otherwise they may be inclined to herd them.

Lifespan

Border Collies have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years however all-white or Double Merle Border Collies may have a shorter lifespan due to their health issues.

There are many factors that affect the lifespan of a Border Collie including size, gender and whether they are desexed or intact. These variables mean they can have shorter or longer lifespans than the average.

You can give a Border Collie the best chance of living a long life by giving them plenty of daily exercise, feeding them healthy food and keeping on top of vet appointments.

Shedding

White Border Collies shed a moderate amount throughout the year and heavily twice a year during seasonal shedding when they lose their undercoat. Their coats consist of the outer layer of ‘guard hairs’ which are what give Border Collies their color while their undercoat is white and very dense. The heavy shedding lasts for 2 to 3 weeks during spring and autumn when they lose their undercoat. They are not hypoallergenic as they produce a moderate amount of dander which irritates allergy sufferers.

Name Ideas

White Male Border Collie Names	White Female Border Collie Names
Arctic	Bianca
Teddy	Princess
Alaska	Dior
Everest	Chanel
Blanco	Sophia
Louie	Bambi
Ghost	Marley
Wolf	Audrey
Buddy	Snow White
Ralph	Willow