What is a Double Merle French Bulldog? Is it Ethical to Produce it?
You may have heard about the double merle French bulldog, but do you have any idea what exactly is it? Why do people call it double merle? People call it double merle when the dog contains two copies of merle genes. That’s the reason they lose pigment, making their appearance completely white. Let’s discuss how a double merle French bulldog is born? And how it looks different from a single merle? Side effects of being double merle, and a lot more.
How is a Double Merle French Bulldog Born?
If two merle French bulldogs are bred together to give birth to a new merle puppy, then there are 25% chances that the newborn puppy will be a double merle. Such dogs contain two copies of merle genes. Let’s explain with the help of diagrams.
Breeding two merles
In this diagram, “m” represents the non-merle dog, and “M” represents the merle dog. Every single merle dog contains one copy of the merle gene and one copy of the non-merle gene. Breeding two merle dogs will have the following results.
- Now, look at the first box in the image. Only this box contains “MM,” which means there are only 25% chances that the newborn French bulldog will be double merle.
- 2/4 boxes contain “mM,” which means 50% chances that the newborn puppy will be single merle.
- Only the 4th box contains “mm,” which means there are 25% chances that the newborn puppy will be non-merle.
Breeding one merle and one non-merle Frenchie
As you can see, two boxes contain “mm” and two contain “mM.” So, there are 50% chances that the newborn puppy will be non-merle and 50% chances of merle puppy. There is a 0% chance that the newborn French bulldog puppy will be double mere. That’s why you need both merle parents to give birth to a double merle.
The Appearance of Double Merle French Bulldog
If they are double merle, it doesn’t mean that they will have double stripes on their body. In fact, these bulldogs have an almost white coat with few color marks. There is no pied or piebald pattern on their body, as these patterns remove due to merle gene copies. Similarly, there is no pigment in their body. These dogs also have bright blue color eyes.
Are There Any Side Effects of Producing Double Merle French Bulldogs?
There are a lot of side effects of producing double merle French bulldogs, as these dogs suffer from many health problems. Due to the removal of pigment cells, these dogs can have hearing or sighting problems. These dogs can be born fully or partially deaf; this condition can affect one or both ears. They can also be born blind or may suffer from other eye problems like their eye may be covered with coloboma or cataracts.
Final Verdict
There are 25% chances that the new puppy will be double merle if both merle French bulldogs are bred together. These dogs can have several health problems; that’s why breeders should have proper knowledge about breeding. He/she should know about mating two suitable dogs to minimize chances of giving birth to a double merle French bulldog. He must perform several genetic tests before mating two dogs.
