Merle Poodle – A Unique Breed Information
Introduction
If you want to get information about merle poodles, their sizes, food, genetics, and health problems, then you are in the right place. Here, you will get the complete information about the merle poodles.
These pets have a striking coat and are available in three different sizes: standard, miniature, and toy merle poodles. These poodles may suffer from serious health issues like eye problems and deafness. Let us deeply dive into the world of Merle Poodles and explore much more exciting information!
Merle Poodle Controversy
There is a lot of controversy among breeders about the merle gene. Poodles were first bred in Germany in the 1800s. The initial task is to take work from these poodles as water retrievers. They gained popularity in 1935 when they were declared the best AKC’s pet.
This news spread like fire, and everyone wants a poodle. In this way, they gained popularity in the US. However, the Merle gene in poodles was found in the 1970s. Many people hold the opinion that these poodles were outcrossed by Merle-carrying dogs, which is why they are not purebred.
The supporters of Merle Poodles say that this gene is found in poodles due to gene mutation, so they are purebred. However, the American Kennel Club (AKC) does not recognize these poodles as purebred.
Merle Coat Genetics in Poodle
The color and pattern in merle poodles depend on the merle gene (M). This gene has a dominant trait of color and pattern. It is due to this gene that the poodle’s coat contains dashes and spots. This gene combines with the other genes to develop various colors of poodles. Some of them are red, chocolate, and blue merle poodles.
When two merle poodles are crossed, the offspring suffer from many health issues. It is due to the combination of two merle genes. The merle poodles contain double merle genes suffer from blindness and deafness. If you want to buy a Merle poodle, then first check whether he is a double Merle or not.
Appearance of Merle Poodle
Merle poodles are very attractive and have a beautiful pattern coat. The coat may be a combination of various colors, such as red, blue, black, brown, and gray, with big spots and dashes. The coat needs regular grooming to maintain its look and shine.
These poodles have long ears and beautiful eye color. The eye color depends on the dominant gene (M). The majority of them have blue eyes, and the minority have black or brown eyes. Moreover, the tail is long along with curls.
Size of Merle Poodles
These poodles come in 4 different sizes. They are named according to their size. There are teacups, toys, miniature, and standard Merle poodles. Their sizes are as follows:
Weight of Merle Poodles
The weight of poodles depends on diet and health. If your poodle is suffering from some disease, then it is obvious that its weight is as low as we are expecting, so it is important to take care of your poodle. However, the weight of healthy poodles is as follows:
Characteristics of Merle Poodles
Easy to Train
The poodles are very smart and intelligent and always tend to make their owners happy. They can easily be trained and serve as perfect pets. In the beginning, they need certain exercises, but they learn these exercises quickly in a week or more.
Friendly Behavior
Merle poodles are very friendly. They are smart, intelligent, and have an excellent smelling sense. They may also serve as a security guard as they bark in case of any stranger. They play happily with children. Their friendly behavior makes them superior to other poodles.
Social
Merle poodles are very social animals. These poodles enjoy a lot in the company of other poodles. They interact with other human beings and play with children. This cooperative nature of these poodles made a merle poodle the best pet.
The Life Span of Merle Poodles
The average lifespan of all poodles is a bit different. Standard poodles have a lifespan of between 12 – 15 years. The lifespan of mini and toy poodles is high as compared to standard Merle poodles. The lifespan of poodles also depends on their diet and health. A healthy poodle lives longer as compared to an unhealthy poodle.
Temperaments
Merle poodles have positive temperaments and are very friendly. They are considered to be the second smartest dog breed in the world. Border Collies stand on top. They are very energetic and social. These poodles enjoy a lot in the company of other poodles.
Poodles love to play games such as hide and seek and tug of war. Some poodles are lazy and calm because of weak training sessions. Regular training sessions make them healthy and fit. Always adopt positive reinforcement training sessions because punishment develops fear and anxiety in poodles.
The temperaments of poodles also depend on the traits of their parents. Merle poodles require daily walks to remain healthy and regular grooming to look attractive.
General Care of Merle Poodles
Daily walk
Merle poodles require a regular morning walk that lasts for about 1 – 2 hours. This morning walk makes them healthy and strong. Daily walks improve the digestion of food, regulate blood flow, and reduce fats. Moreover, it terminates many health diseases.
Playtime
Merle poodles love to play games such as hide and seek and tug of war. They not only enjoy these activities, but they become mentally and physically stronger by playing these games. They also love to play with challenging toys. However, toy or miniature play less as compared to standard poodles.
Proper time
Poodles are active, but they get bored easily, which makes them destructive. In this case, they bark continuously, so the owner is required to serve them at the proper time. If you are a busy man and don’t have much time, then don’t buy a poodle. Otherwise, hire a professional man to take care of your Merle poodle.
Poodle Diet
A poodle diet should contain all the essential nutrients. Nutrients such as fats, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals are important for poodles’ health.
Poodles require 25 – 30% protein intake from food. Proteins play an important role in every organism. Proteins are the building blocks of the amino acids.
Carbohydrates are an energy source for poodles. This energy makes the poodles active and energetic. The fats provide insulation. However, excessive fat is not for poodles. Fats play an essential role in the development of the brain and in maintaining immune function.
Vitamins and minerals play an important role in poodles’ health. They are essential for vision, nerve function, collagen production, skin health, energy production, bone health, and immune function regulation. A deficiency of vitamins leads to many diseases. Make sure that the food you are giving to poodles is vitamin-rich or not.
Avoid giving spicy and dry foods to your dogs as this develops many abdominal and stomach diseases such as bloat. Don’t stick to only dry food or wet food. Give them both according to the poodle’s needs and the doctor’s suggestion.
Grooming
Every poodle needs regular grooming to look attractive. Their grooming needs vary according to their coat. Merle poodles require a weekly bath to remain safe from dirt and germs. Bought a brush according to your poodle coat. Poodles require regular brushing to prevent mats and tangles.
Trim the nails of your poodle every month. Buy a poodle shampoo to wash poodles’ coats. To avoid any dental issues, clean the teeth of poodles daily with mouth solution.
Use ear wipes to clean long ears. You don’t need any expert to do this regular grooming. You can do it yourself because their maintenance is not very tough.
Poodle Training
Poodles require daily training sessions to remain active and energetic. Start with the basic obedience training sessions. This includes several commands such as sit, come, go, heal, and many more. It is recommended that positive reinforcement be adopted because merle poodles are very sensitive and do not bear harsh behavior.
When your poodle performs well, please him with a treat. This positive behavior increases confidence in poodles. The other essential training of poodles is socialization. Take your poodle on regular walks and expose him to many different dogs. Try to interact poodle with your relatives and friends. This practice increases the poodle’s confidence.
Merle poodles are highly intelligent and wise, but their mental health requires regular exercise. For this purpose, you can use puzzle toys, although some agility courses are also available. Puzzling games and brain-challenging exercises make Poodles healthy and sharp.
It is recommended not to repeat the training regularly. Try to train poodles with different methods. It is because poodles get bored with repeated training sessions and start barking when they become anxious.
Consistency is the key to success, so be consistent with your poodle training. You can also enroll your poodle in puppy kindergarten if you don’t have much time to train your poodle. In this way, the poodle never forgets any command and remains healthy and energetic.
Merle Poodle Breeding
As discussed earlier, the breeding of merle poodles is controversial. Some said that they were purebred, while others said that they were not purebred; however, when a poodle contains Merle gene M and crossbreeds with a poodle that doesn’t contain gene M, then the chances of offspring has Merle increases.
If you want to buy merle poodles, then first confirm whether the poodle is merle or not because many breeders sell simple poodles with false claims of merle poodles. Also, confirm that the poodle is not double merle because such offspring suffer from many health diseases.
Kinds of Merle in poodles
Red Merle
Red Merle poodles contain a red coat with dark spots. The red color varies in intensity from light to dark. They have beautiful brown eyes that contrast with his red coat, which makes him much more attractive.
Tricolor Merle
Tricolor merle poodles contain a white coat with irregular spots on it. These poodles are called tricolor merles because of brown markings on the face, ears, and legs. These poodles are attractive and have brown color eyes.
Blue Merle
These color pattern poodles contain a black coat with blue color markings that make them unique and attractive. These poodles have white fur on their faces and oval black eyes.
Cryptic Merle
These color pattern poodles are unique and rare. These poodles have a solid base. The color pattern of these poodles is invisible due to their large fur. They are smaller-sized poodles with black eyes.
Chocolate Merle
These poodles contain a brown color coat with chocolate markings that are present in various parts of the body. The eye color of these poodles is brown, which contrasts with the coat color.
Harlequin Merle
These poodles are also double-merle because they contain two merle genes and suffer from many eye and ear problems. These poodles have white fur with irregular merle patches. Their eye color is brown.
Double Merle
When two poodles of the same merle gene crossbreed, the resulting offspring is a double merle. These poodles suffer from many health diseases, such as ear infections and blindness. These are white fur poodles with black eyes.
Tan Merle
These poodles contain blue coats with tan spots on the chest, eyebrows, and cheeks. Because of this color variation, they look attractive. Their eye color is brown.
Health Problems in Merle poodles
Merle poodles are very smart and intelligent, but they face many health issues due to improper food and care. Here, we discuss some health issues, their symptoms, and treatments.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy
It is a type of eye disease in which photoreceptors of the eye are destroyed, and retina atrophy occurs. This disease occurs due to gene mutations such as the merle gene. This disease affects both eyes and leads to blindness. This disease mostly occurs in merle poodles.
Here are the symptoms of the disease:
There is no proper treatment for this disease. However, antioxidant supplements are used in the treatment of this disease. It is recommended that you give these supplements to your Merle Poodle only on doctors’ advice.
Hip Dysplasia
It is a type of disease in which the hip and socket joints are not aligned correctly. This disease occurs in merle poodles at the age of about 7 – 8 months.
Symptoms of the disease are as follows:
Treatment
Treatment of this disease depends on the condition of hip dysplasia. If the disease is milder, then proper medication, weight reduction, and bed rest are required. Anti-inflammatories, joint supplements, and sometimes X-rays are also used in the treatment of this disease.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is the most common disease of the central nervous system in merle poodles. It causes seizures in your poodles. The poodle feels confused and anxious and doesn’t know what is going on around him.
Symptoms of this disease are as follows:
Treatment
Treatment of this disease requires proper medication. Phenobarbital, Imepitoin, Dilantin, and Primidone are also used in the treatment of this disease. Always consult Vet before giving any medication by own.
Von Willebrand’s Disease
It is a type of disease in which merle poodles are not able to blood clot properly. The symptoms of this disease include bleeding from the nose, gums, mouth, and intestine.
Some people use thyroxine supplements to cure this disease.
Bloat
It is a type of disease in merle poodles in which the stomach rotates about 180 degrees, cutting off its blood supply and trapping gas inside it. This disease is called gastric dilation, volvulus, or bloat. The symptoms of this disease are vomiting, distress, and stomach expansion. Gastropexy and probiotics are the treatments for this disease.
Sebaceous Adenitis
It is a type of skin disease that results in the destruction or inflammation of the sebaceous gland. Its symptoms include lesions, flaking, and scarring in the skin. Vitamin A supplements are also used in the treatment of this disease.
Addison’s Disease
It is a type of adrenal gland disease in which the disease decreases the production of corticosteroid hormone. The symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, anxiety, and low heart rate. Oral medication is provided by doctors to cure this disease. Always follow Vet prescription.
Deafness and Neurological Issues
Many merle poodles suffer from deafness and neurological issues. About 80 % of poodles suffer from seizures. The symptoms of this disease include ear infections, drooling, stiff limbs, difficulty in breathing, and strange movements. Phenobarbital, Imepitoin, Dilantin, and Primidone are used in the treatment of these diseases. Yes, standard, miniature, toy, and moyen poodles with merle patterns are merle poodles..
Best Names for Merle Poodles
When you buy a Merle poodle, then another step is to choose the best names that reflect the Merle pattern poodle. This process is quite difficult and confusing. To solve your problem, here are some names that will help you choose the name of your merle poodle.
Names of Merle Poodles
Misty
Mosaic
Bubbles
Tinsel
Ziggy
Cosmos
Merlin
Asher
Oreo
Sky
Marble
Pippin
Sable
Luna
Fizzle
Belle
Speckles
Patches
Nimbus
Cobalt
Muffin
Nimbus
Star
Orion
Opal
Stormy
Twix
Zara
Smudge
Aurora
Dotty
Olive
The above-mentioned names give you an idea of Merle Poodle’s names. You can select your merle poodle name according to your likeness. It all depends on you.
Tips Before Buying a Merle Poodles
If you want to buy a Merle Poodle, then follow the following points:
Conclusion
Merle poodles are smart and intelligent dog breeds with beautiful colored coats. There is still a debate about these poodles, but their presence is not being rejected. Many people love Merle poodles.
Merle poodles suffer from many health problems, so before buying, first check their health situation. In this article, I hope you will get the complete information about merle poodles.
