Red Merle Border Collie (Ultimate Breed Guide)

Red Merle Border Collies have beautifully patterned coats featuring red, copper, beige and white. In addition to their pretty coats, these Border Collies often feature striking amber, blue or green eyes. It’s no surprise that these dogs are super popular because of their appearance!

If you are interested in Red Merle Border Collies keep reading this article to find out the all the answers to your questions about the coat pattern!

Cover Image Credit: Photo by Ayla Verschueren on Unsplash

What Is A Red Merle Border Collie?

Red Merle Border Collies have a red (brown), copper, beige and white coat in a mottled pattern. Most of their coat is a beige-grey and they feature red (brown), white and copper patches throughout it. They also usually feature a large white patch on their chest, neck, legs and muzzle and have light or dark brown noses. In most cases they have light brown or amber eyes however they can sometimes have green eyes. You can also get Blue Merle Border Collies.

Are Red Merle Border Collies Purebred?

Red Merle Border Collies are purebred. The merle gene is naturally occurring for Border Collies like it is for Australian Shepherds, Great Danes, Dachshunds and Corgis. While Border Collies can come in so many different merle patterns they are one of the rarest Border Collie coat types. This is one of the reasons why there is the misconception that they are not purebred.

For a lot of other dog breeds, the merle gene is introduced. This is the case for Poodles, Cocker Spaniels and Chihuahuas. As there are so many breeds where the merle gene has been introduced, a lot of people assume that it has also been introduced to Border Collie lineage however this is not the case at all.

Characteristics

Red Merle Border Collie Characteristics
Height	45cm to 55cm
Weight	13kg to 25kg
Temperament	Lively, hardworking, intelligent.
Activity Levels	High.
Exercise Requirements	1 to 2 hours per day.
Lifespan	12 to 15 years.
Coat	Red merle double coat.
Eyes	Brown, blue or green.
Shedding	Moderate to high.
Apartment Adaptability	No.
Good with Children	Sometimes.

Are Red Merle Border Collies Rare?

While the merle gene is dominant, it is still quite rare to see Red Merle Border Collies around compared to common coat colours like black and white. Blue Merle Border Collies are slightly more common than Red Merle Border Collies. Slate Merle and Lilac Merle Border Collies are a lot rarer.

Red Merle Coat Variations

Tri Red Merle Border Collie

Tri Red Merle Border Collie is just another name for a Red Merle Border Collie. All Red Merle Border Collies have three colours in their coat including red, white and beige.

Lilac Merle Border Collie

Lilac Merle Border Collies look a lot like Red Merle Border Collies however the dilute gene is expressed which makes their coats significantly lighter. Their merle pattern has hardly any red in it – it’s mainly cream, grey and beige-grey. They are also called Dilute Red Merle Border Collies.

Their body, tail, ears and sides of their face usually feature the merle pattern and they have a large white patch over their chest and neck. Lilac Merle Border Collies are usually created by breeding a merle Border Collie with a non-merle Border Collie that has two recessive dilute genes.

The reason why they are called ‘Lilac Merle Border Collies’ is because their super diluted red patches appear to be a light purple colour in the sun.

Do Merle Border Collies Have More Health Problems?

Double Merle Border Collies are likely to have more health problems. Two Merle Border Collies should never be 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 called double merle and are very likely to have ocular and auditory defects.

Normal Merle Border Collies like any Border Collie can have health issues but being merle does not necessarily mean that they are going to be unhealthy. It is very possible for a Merle Border Collie to be perfectly healthy.

What Are Double Merle Border Collies?

A Double Merle (M/M) Border Collie has little to no colour 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. Double Merle Border Collies are also called ‘lethal whites’ due to their colouring and health issues.

Double Merle Border Collies are the product of ‘merle-to-merle’ breeding and are very controversial if they have been purposefully bred. This is because Double Merle Border Collies will always pass on a copy of Merle to their puppies and should not be bred together. Most official bodies refuse to register dogs that are a product of merle-to-merle breeding.

Common Double 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)

Responsible Breeding Practices

Breeders who want to produce merle puppies should mate a Merle Border Collie with a non-Merle (m/m) Border Collie as the incidence of health risks is reduced. Roughly 50% of their offspring will be Merles and most likely none will be Double Merles. That being said, there is still a risk of producing Double Merles as a cryptic merle mutation exists. Breeders should perform DNA tests for the cryptic merle mutation before breeding.

Price

Red Merle Border Collies are more expensive than the average Border Collie as the coat colour is quite rare. Most Red Merle Border Collies cost between $2000AUD and $5000AUD+ however some can be even more expensive.

Size

Red Merle Border Collies get to a height of 45cm to 55cm tall and weigh between 13kg and 25kg when fully grown.

Temperament

Red Merle 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. Red Merle Border Collies require a lot more exercise per day than other breeds. If your household 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

Red Merle Border Collies have a lifespan of 12 to 15 years. 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

Red Merle 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 colour 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

Red Merle Border Collie Girl Names

Ruby
Sienna
Cinnamon
Ariel
Pippi
Anne
Autumn
Amber
Pumpkin
Maple

Red Merle Border Collie Boy Names

Blaze
Fox
Chilli
Jasper
Redmond
Pepperoni
Bandit
Rosso
Hunter
Bandit

Red Merle Border Collie vs Red Merle Australian Shepherd

Red Merle Border Collies look extremely similar to Red Merle Australian Shepherds however there are some key differences. In terms of appearance, Red Merle Border Collies are generally smaller and more compact than Australian Shepherds that are more muscular. They are usually a similar height however Australian Shepherds can be up to 7kg heavier. Both Merle Border Collies and Merle Australian Shepherds have angular ears however Border Collie ears are angular and raised while Australian Shepherd ears are angular and floppy.

They also both have a similar temperament as they are both herding dogs. Border Collies and Australian Shepherds are very loving and get along really well with their family members. Generally Australian Shepherds are a bit more friendly as Border Collies can be wary of strangers. You can see why so many people have difficulty telling them apart if they both have a merle coat!