Red Merle Australian Shepherd Guide (Fun & Serious Facts)


Are you planning to adopt a new Australian shepherd dog? It’s a great idea. The Australian shepherd is one of the best family-friendly dog breeds. The breed is friendly, affectionate, loyal, and energetic. This breed is originated from the western United States, not Australia.

You will find Australian shepherds in different coat color variations. The main coat colors are black, blue merle, red, and red merle. No matter whether you choose the Australian shepherd with black, blue merle, red, or red merle coat color, the personality of each of them will be the same.

The price of Aussies with different coat colors is different. It is basically based on the demand for particular coat color and its availability. If the demand for a particular coat color is very high, but its supply is less, then it is obvious that the Aussie with that coat color will be priced high.

Aussie’s coat color is one of the factors which affect the price. Apart from this, other factors include the breeder’s reputation, pedigree, and location. Depending on these four main factors, the price of an Aussie dog may range somewhere between $600 and $1000. The main factor that affects the price is the demand for a particular coat color. Let say, if red merle coat color variations are in high demand, but the breeders have limited availability for that red merle color variation, then it is obvious the breeder will charge more for Aussie with that coat color.

If you are confused about whether you should get an Australian shepherd with red merle coat color variation, then this post will help you.

What is A Red Merle Australian Shepherd?

When we talk about red for a red merle dog, the picture of the fire engine red color must be coming to your mind. But, when we talk about dogs, red coat color does not really mean the complete red, fire engine red color.

When it comes to dogs, if we talk about red coat color, it refers to something from very light cinnamon or champagne color to a strawberry blonde color shade. Apart from this, it may also refer to colors that come close to copper, rust, or even the shades of brown-red. In short, when describing a dog’s coat color, red does not really mean the fire engine red color.

The same applies to red merle Australian shepherd. The color red in Red Merle Aussie does not mean the dog is of complete red color.

Apart from colors, Australian shepherds can also be divided into their coat variations. Depending on the genetics, the coat colors and variations may differ. No matter whether it’s black, blue merle, red, or red merle coat color, all of them are found in different coat variations.

Red Merle Australian Shepherd Variations

You will find red merle Australian shepherds in different variations. These variations include red merle tri-color, red merle & white, and solid red merle. Red merle Australian shepherds’ shades are much more like Blue merles. The only difference is different color merle effects.

Red Merle Tri Aussie

As the name suggests, this color merle Aussie has three different color combinations on its coats. The base coat color of Red merle Tri Aussies is Red merle. The Red Merle Tri Australian shepherd has red spots on top of a buff (a light orange-brown) to the silver base color. It has white markings on its face, chest, belly, and legs. And, you will also find copper highlights on the face and legs of a Red merle Tri Aussie dog.

Red Merle and White

As we have seen, red merle tri Aussie consists of three different colors. Talking about Red merle & white Aussie, it’s just red merle and white colors. Differentiating between a red merle tri Aussie dog and red merle & white Aussie dog can be difficult. A newbie may find it difficult to tell which one is red merle & white and which one is red merle tri. Aussies with these color variations have sometimes the base color that looks very similar to white.

Solid Red Merle

This one is another variation of a red merle Australian shepherd. The solid red merle Australian shepherd dog looks much more like a red merle tri Aussie and a red merle & white Aussie. The red patches on the body of a solid red merle Aussie could differ in sizes, colors, and shapes. It can be tiny spots or large patches depending on the dog. There’s so much confusion between red merle & white Aussies and solid red merle Aussies. Many people say solid red merle is actually red merle & white Aussies, but if we take a look into details, we can understand the difference.

Australian Shepherd Temperament

From an Australian shepherd dog, you can expect the temperament of affection and friendliness. Aussies are a loving, friendly, intelligent, and great companion. When it comes to playing and activities, the Australian shepherd dog would be the best.

If you are planning to adopt a new Australian shepherd, the important thing you need to keep in mind is activeness. Make sure you and your family members have an active lifestyle. The reason is simple. Australian shepherds are very playful and they are happy when they have always something to do. They have huge energy inside them. To help them stay happy always, it is so important to provide regular exercise and physical activities.

If you are looking for a couch potato, then the Australian shepherd is not for you. This dog breed is for someone who has enough time to spend with his/her dog and can always keep his/her busy with different interesting tasks.

The loving and friendly nature of Australian shepherds makes them one of the best dog breeds for families. Due to their playful nature, they are also great for kids. Your Aussie will always be ready to play with your kids. However, make sure to provide socialization training to your Aussie at an early age so that it can get along with everyone in the family.

Australian shepherds have high herding instincts or prey drive. If you have kids or small animals at your home, it is essential to provide socialization training at an early age. Due to high herding instincts, Aussies are likely to chase small animals and even kids. The best way to control the high prey drive or herding instinct of an Australian shepherd is by providing intensive exercise & physical activities regularly.

You should expect the same temperament Aussies of all color variations and patterns. A particular color variation Aussie does not have any special temperament.

Red Merle Australian Shepherd Temperament

Before adopting any dog, the thing person checks out is the temperament of that dog. As temperament could differ from one dog breed to another, it is essential to know the personality & temperament of different breeds and then select the right one.

Note that the temperament of red merle Australian shepherds is not different than Australian shepherds with other color variations. No matter whether you adopt a red merle, red, blue merle, or black Australian shepherd, the temperament of all these Aussies with different color variations is the same. Not just coat colors, we are also talking about patterns and patches on the body of your dog. The changes in the colors and patterns of the Australian shepherd do not change its temperament.

Many people say that Australian shepherds with red merle coat colors have a unique temperament as compared to Australian shepherds with other variations.

But, this is not the truth. There is no scientific proof setting that this is the truth. The coat colors and variations do not change the temperament of an Aussie dog.

The chances are you may be purchasing a red merle Australian shepherd dog just because you have heard that this Aussie variation comes with a unique temperament. Instead, you should be willing to own this color variation Aussie because you love Aussies with this coat colors.

Make sure to be careful about the breeders who tell you that their red merle Aussie puppy has a unique temperament because of its color variation. As we have seen, this is not true. The chances are they are misinformed. Or, they may be lying just because they want to increase your interest in their puppy and charge extra bucks from you.

In short, don’t expect any special or unique temperament from a red merle Australian shepherd dog. It will be the same as any other Aussie. We have talked about Aussies temperament above, you can check out.

Things You Should Know About Red Merle Australian Shepherd

If you are planning to adopt a red merle Aussie, there are certain things you need to know. This will give you an idea of whether you should adopt an Australian shepherd of this color variation or any other. Here are certain things to know about red merle Australian shepherds:

1. There are three possible variations of Red merles

You will find Australian shepherds of different colors: black, red, red merle, blue merle, etc. If we talk about red merle Australian shepherds, they are found in three variations. Those three variations are red merle tri Aussie, red merle & white, and solid red merle. Among these three, red merle tri Aussie and red merle & white look very similar. You may have difficulty finding the differences between them. The patch size, color, and patterns could vary depending on the individual Aussies.

2. Red merle Australian shepherds do not have a unique temperament

There is a myth in the mind of so many people that red merle Aussies have a unique temperament as compared to other Australian shepherds variations. No matter what color Aussie you select or what variation of red merle Aussie you select, you won’t get any special or unique temperament with the Australian shepherd dog. If any breeder claims that his red merle Aussie puppy has a unique temperament, it means he/she is lying to charge extra money from you.

3. Their merle color gene can cause various health problems

For Aussies, merle color gene can be an issue. This becomes a more big issue when both parents of the Aussie puppy have contributed to the gene. This is known as ‘double-merle.’ This can cause different health problems like eye problems. You will find that Aussie with double merle has eye defects such as abnormal eye development, missing eyes, or eyesight loss/blindness in one or both eyes. Another health problem you may find in a red merle Aussie from the double merle is deafness. It is so important to choose a trusted breeder so that you can receive a healthy red merle Australian shepherd.

4. Other health conditions

As we have seen, merle patterning Aussies are likely to have health issues related to eyes and hearing. Among these two, hearing is the big issue you will find in Aussies with double merle. Apart from eyes and hearing problems, other health risks are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, cataracts, and epilepsy. Again, if you want to get a healthy Australian shepherd, make sure to select the best and trustworthy breeder in the market. If a particular breeder is selling the Aussie at a cheap price, the chances are the dog has some health issues. Choosing a trustworthy breeder will make sure the dog does not has these types of health issues.

Final Thoughts

So, this guide was about red merle Australian shepherd. You will find Aussies with red merle, red, black, and blue merle. These are the four main coat colors. Aussies with other coat colors are white (excessive white), dilute, and yellow. The red merle color variation of the Australian shepherd is beautiful and amazing.

No matter which coat color the Australian shepherd you select, you won’t find any difference in the temperament of the dog. Their general temperament includes intelligence, friendliness, affection, and activeness. However, the Australian shepherd merle color gene can cause health problems related to eyes and hearing. Hence, to get a healthy red merle Aussie, make sure to select a trustable breeder.

 

Tab Winner

Hello my name is Tab Winner. My wife and I have been around Australian shepherds for 20+ years and we definitely love them. We currently have a pair of Toy Aussies one is a Tri-color and the other is a blue merle that are both 10 and 11 years old.

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