Collie Colors?

[dogluver4]

Hello forum!

I was wondering if Collie's had or "came in" the same colors as shelties do? I love this one color called Sable Merle and want a collie in that color....

Thanks

[KatzNK9]

From AKC's website: www.akc.org (http://www.akc.org)

Collies:

Color
The four recognized colors are "Sable and White," "Tri-color," "Blue Merle" and "White." There is no preference among them. The "Sable and White" is predominantly sable (a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany) with white markings usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail. A blaze may appear on the foreface or backskull or both. The "Tri-color" is predominantly black, carrying white markings as in a "Sable and White" and has tan shadings on and about the head and legs. The "Blue Merle" is a mottled or "marbled" color predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings as in the "Sable and White" and usually has tan shadings as in the "Tri-color." The "White" is predominantly white, preferably with sable, tri-color or blue merle markings.


Shetland Sheepdogs:

Color
Black, blue merle, and sable (ranging from golden through mahogany); marked with varying amounts of white and/or tan. Faults-- Rustiness in a black or a blue coat. Washed-out or degenerate colors, such as pale sable and faded blue. Self-color in the case of blue merle, that is, without any merling or mottling and generally appearing as a faded or dilute tri-color. Conspicuous white body spots. Specimens with more than 50 percent white shall be so severely penalized as to effectively eliminate them from competition. Disqualification-- Brindle.


I'll be interested to see if others post other colors recognized (or currently being established) by other dog registries.

[PomeranianCrazy]

I'm glad you made this thread, I've been researching Collies all day.

[xcolbi]

I was wondering what all the merle colours were too. For Aussies and BC's though. ;)

[KatzNK9]

Sheltie & Collie Colors Explained (http://www.snovali.com/other/colors.htm)

[dogluver4]

Sheltie & Collie Colors Explained (http://www.snovali.com/other/colors.htm)
That was a great link!!!! Thanks!!!!! So they do come in the same colors..thats great to know!!!!


Thanks KATZ

[skunkstripe]

I was wondering what all the merle colours were too. For Aussies and BC's though. ;)


I like this link for the Aussies:
A Field Guide To Coloration of Australian Shepherds (http://www.ashgi.org/color/index.htm)

[xcolbi]

Thanks, skunkstripe! :D

[mysterydog1]

There was a very old thread about this with a lot of cool pictures...
*goes to find*

[lassie]

this is the UK standard on colourings

COLOUR
Sable, Sable and white, Tricolour and Blue Merle.
Sable: any shade of light gold to rich mahogany or shaded sable. Light straw or cream coloured highly undesirable.
Tricolour: predominantly black with rich tan markings about legs and head. A rusty tinge in top coat highly undesirable.
Blue Merle: predominantly clear, silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black. Rich tan markings preferred, but absence should not be penalised. Large black markings, slate colour, or rusty tinge either of top or undercoat are highly undesirable.
All should carry typical white Collie markings to a greater or lesser degree. Following markings are favourable – white collar, full or part, white shirt, legs and feet, white tail tip. A blaze may be carried on muzzle or skull, or both.


here in the UK we only have the 3 colours!

[dogluver4]

this is the UK standard on colourings

COLOUR
Sable, Sable and white, Tricolour and Blue Merle.
Sable: any shade of light gold to rich mahogany or shaded sable. Light straw or cream coloured highly undesirable.
Tricolour: predominantly black with rich tan markings about legs and head. A rusty tinge in top coat highly undesirable.
Blue Merle: predominantly clear, silvery blue, splashed and marbled with black. Rich tan markings preferred, but absence should not be penalised. Large black markings, slate colour, or rusty tinge either of top or undercoat are highly undesirable.
All should carry typical white Collie markings to a greater or lesser degree. Following markings are favourable – white collar, full or part, white shirt, legs and feet, white tail tip. A blaze may be carried on muzzle or skull, or both.


here in the UK we only have the 3 colours!
Thanks lassie :thumb: Yes, I think we as well only have 3 standard colors too. But with shelties, there is a Sable Merle color, and they usually have one blue eye, both blue, or both brown. And only Sable Merles with Brown eyes qualify to be in a dog shows.

I've never heard of a Sable Merle collie, and was wanting to see if Collies are ever that color.

Thanks

[sheplovr]

Good Post!!! I had a Collie many years back, name, Briggett, sable n white of Am Show lines. Barked terrible, all day but I did not exercise her, tied her up to a runner, Wrong??? Did not know better that long ago, had 3 small children in Ohio we lived.

[lassie]

sable x blue merle is highly undesireable here, although i do know of somebody who did it.

[lassie]

But with shelties, there is a Sable Merle color, and they usually have one blue eye, both blue, or both brown. And only Sable Merles with Brown eyes qualify to be in a dog shows.

really , thats interesting!

[mysterydog1]

There is also white dogs. with such and such colored heads. I no nothing about them more than that though.

[agilityk9trainer]

I own a Sable Merle sheltie and a Color Headed White. There's a pic of my CHW under the Introductions section titled "New Member."

I would believe collies could have sable merles as well. The merle gene colors whatever dominant color the dog is. So, if you have a tri colored dog with a merle gene, he becomes a blue merle. A sable dog with the merle gene becomes a sable merle. Sable merles are not desirable for the conformation ring (talking shelties here), however, because the merle gene washes out the sable colors. Personally, I like the washed out sables with the dark sable blotches. It makes for a very interesting coat. However, there have been sable merle champions.

My CHW is a sable merle as well. His body is white, but he has a sable merle head.

Now, if you breed two merles together, you get what sheltie people call a "double merle" or what Aussie people call a "lethal white." These dogs are also very white with light gray patches. Unfortunately, these dogs are often put to sleep as they are often both deaf and blind. IMO, it is unethical to breed two merles together for this very reason, but some breeders do it because if they get a good breeder that's a double merle, the entire litter will come out blue merle (if bred to a tri).

Here's a link to an informative page about color genetics.

http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/Genetics/Merle.html

I don't know for sure, but I would suspect the same genetics apply to collies.

[mydogs]

To bad you don't have whites they are awsome :)

[Aussiepaws]

I was wondering what all the merle colours were too. For Aussies and BC's though. ;)

I think I can answer that question for you.
Aussie come in Red, Black or Merle, and there are variations of those colors.
Red solid,
Red Bi (red with white markings),
Red tri (tan points with white markings)
Red Merle ... variation of red coloring with white or no white

Black solid
Black bi - just white markings
Black Tri - tan points with white

Blue merle similar to the red only with variations of blue grey with tan points and white or what they call a self merle with no tan points or white.

While there can be sable Aussies on occassion that is considered a fault and not a showable color. Now their close cousin the English Shepherd does alow sable and black tris but merles are unacceptable.

[Aussiepaws]

really , thats interesting!

I've heard that blue eyes in collies would be unacceptable in the show ring. Where as in Australians shepherds all eye colors are acceptable, including odd eyes or eyes with blue or brown flecks.

[Aussiepaws]

For those who are interested in Aussie colors here is an excellent site that explains the unique variation in accepted and unaccepted coloration including markings and eye color

http://www.ashgi.org/color/blue_merles.htm