Lilac merles?

[Margaret M Wheeler]

One of the studies on dogs, I think it was one that focused on neotony, argues that dogs left to themselves to breed they will return to the phenotype of the wild dog that is found the world over: a medium sized brownish/muddy coated pointy nosed prick eared? slinking around the edges of the slag heap and of course extremely common looking little creature. So, it should be that when color is routinely left out of consideration as far as breeding choices go the breed will lose white, merle, red or any "typey" color. Hence working dogs will "drift" toward solid color dark coats.

 

My sense is that particular color patterns get carried on in working dogs because they are ocassionally bred for unintentionally or as a kind of coin toss method when important working criteria are at a stalemate. I have known working terrier people to use such irrelevant characteristics as "tie breakers" of sorts. Sometimes, especially with a bitch's first litter choosing a stud can become a six of one half a dozen of another proposition with regard to important working characteristics. Not knowing what she's going to produce and having a choice between two equally promising choices of stud dog, the breeder thinks "what the heck the kids like that tri-color head so I'll go for that".

 

However, all that said I am actually quite surprised at the number of typey color patterns I see among working border collies because I haven't met a working border collie breeder who would breed a their bitch to a dog without being absolutely certain that this was the only dog that suited her as a working dog . If these breeders don't have such a dog at hand, then the bitch is not bred.

[juliepoudrier]

Well said, Bill.

 

J.

[SoloRiver]

I think the reason that we associate odd colorations with show lines is that there are many show (and backyard and puppymill) breeders that are trying specifically for certain unusual colorations and will breed to try to concentrate the genes that produce these colorations without regard for the effect that these practices might have on working ability or even basic health of the pups.

 

Exactly. Unfortunately, "pretty color" can often be used as a proxy for "bad breeding." The fact is that you just don't get a lot of fashion colors without selecting for them on purpose, and if you're selecting for color, you're not selecting for what really matters.

 

I have run into enough people who think "red dogs can't work" to believe that this is a commonly-held stereotype among people with working dogs, though. If a dog is already trained and proving itself, that's one thing, I don't know anyone who would discriminate against that dog merely because of its color. But I don't know many people (of course, there are exceptions -- hi Diane!) who would choose, say, a red pup over a black and white one or a black tri. "Why take chances?" is what one person told me.

 

That said, I believe the reason the "[colored] dogs can't work" stereotype even exists is due to both sampling error (the population of colored dogs is smaller, and therefore it's less likely that outstanding individuals will be found within it just because there are fewer dogs to work with and choose from) and the bad breeding problem addressed above. I can believe that there might be a statistical correlation between "red" and "crappy worker." However, I think the causal effect isn't something inherent to the color red (or merle, or sable, or what have you), but rather because red dogs are more likely to be poorly bred.

[wc]

Cute colored, and marked puppies sell!!

so a person looking to make money with a marketable product wants lilac, chocolate, red, etc, breeds for this. People like unusual colors and names too.

A person looking for a useful dog doesn't care what it looks like, but what it does, no worries if the ears match, the collar is white enough, the pattern, coat, whatever.

How many of us went for looks with our first border collie, before we knew what a good dog was.

[Mary & Dogs]

It has been my experience that people with working dogs like to have a good looking dog, too. If they can get both. But the working ability would win out if the less attractive dog was a good dog and the pretty one didn't work as well. I've seen lots of really nice looking working dogs. And I've seen lots of dogs that weren't really good looking until you saw them work. There is nothing more beautiful than a working dog doing its job - the way they move is so incredible.

 

Not to disagree really, but I kind of doubt that any of the really big time handlers will show up with a lilac merle dog. Its just the idea of the thing. They would get laughed at.

 

I've seen some red dogs (double recessive) and tris and black and white and white and black and heavily ticked - but I've never seen a lilac merle on the trial field.

 

I have personal preferences when it comes to looks. I like the half white face. I also like heavy ticking. If the working ability and temperment of the dogs were all equal I would go with the half white face. I also like big ears that stick straight up.

 

But its the working style that is the most important thing. Once I know that's there and the dogs are healthy and have good temperments, then I would go with the looks I like.

[Mary & Dogs]

I went out on the net and looked under border collie breeders and sure enough there are breeders who advertise lilac colored dogs.

 

Purple border collies? Well, it would be unique.