BLUE MERLE: they have white and tan markings, so technically they are blue Merle color. Eyes may be blue, brown or marbled. The action of the merle gene randomly dilutes black areas yielding a dog with a blue and black patchwork pattern as individual as a fingerprint. The same is true of red merles. There is considerable variation among the merles in the amount and darkness of the blue areas. Some have a dilute spot or two. It would appear that there are modifying genes that affect how much blue is present. British breeders of Rough Collies have successfully selected for blue merles that are nearly all blue with very little black. In Aussies there has been little if any selection for more or less blue coverage, so many litters contain a variety. Sometimes a blue merle is overall muddy, brownish, or has a reddish dilute spot. There is no way to tell by looking if he's a red carrier, and these features are not an indication of carrier status. The red allele is not known to exist in the Rough Collie gene pool, and breeders of blue merle Rough Collies have to deal with the same off blue hues and dilute spots. Ideally a blue merle has an undercoat the same color as the guard hairs. Some have tan or buff colored undercoats, rendering an overall muddy appearance
RED MERLE: they have white and tan markings, so technically they are red merle color. Eyes may be blue, amber, brown or marbled.
Red merles show all the variation that blue merles do, and some have merled areas that can be surprisingly light in color. There is not yet a generally accepted term for the merled area of a red merle. It can vary in color from a light champagne to a sugar & cinnamon mixture to a lighter shade of red than the base body color. Some are a rich warm sienna red, while others are a cooler burnt umber or liver red. The merle coverage can vary from near totality to cryptic, just as it does with blues. Tan points do not necessarily match the darkness of the dog's coat. Some blacks have sand colored tan points, and some very light merles have dark ones. All are equally correct with respect to color.
Red merles show all the variation that blue merles do, and some have merled areas that can be surprisingly light in color. There is not yet a generally accepted term for the merled area of a red merle. It can vary in color from a light champagne to a sugar & cinnamon mixture to a lighter shade of red than the base body color. Some are a rich warm sienna red, while others are a cooler burnt umber or liver red. The merle coverage can vary from near totality to cryptic, just as it does with blues. Tan points do not necessarily match the darkness of the dog's coat. Some blacks have sand colored tan points, and some very light merles have dark ones. All are equally correct with respect to color.
RED TRI: They are red with tan and white markings. Eyes may be blue, brown or marbled. Red Aussies result from being homozygous for the red allele, and they can vary considerably in tone and shade of color. As with red merles, the body color of a red solid can vary from fairly light to so dark that the dog must be examined in the bright sun to see that it is a red and not a black. The tone can be a warm sienna or a cool burnt umber. Probably modifying genes determine the exact shade the red will be. Reds are caused by the recessive gene at the B locus, (bb). There are thought to be up to 3 different mutations of b, but it's hard to visually distinguish. The tan point pattern is very prevalent in Aussies, and it varies considerably in its coverage. Some individuals have no apparent tan points at all, and some have huge amounts of tan that resemble a coppery mask on the face. Some individuals have smudges of their body color on the tan areas of the toes and muzzle (smutty tan points). In some dogs the tan coverage is crisp and complete like a Doberman, and in others the tan points bleed into the body color (running copper). The actual color of the tan points can vary from a creamy sand to a deep copper.
BLACK TRI: They are black with tan and white markings. Eyes may be blue, brown or marbled. Black is one of the four main colors in the Australian shepherd. Here are some examples of the variability in appearance of Aussies whose body color is black. Some have generous trim and some have no copper or white trim at all. Both trimmed and untrimmed Aussies are fully acceptable in the Aussie standard. Self blacks and blacks with minimal white tend to be found more often in working lines. Tan points do not necessarily match the darkness of the dog's coat. Some blacks have sand colored tan points, and some very light merles have dark ones. All are equally correct with respect to color.
BLACK Bi: They have white, but no tan markings. Eyes may be blue, brown or marbled. Black is one of the four main colors in the Australian shepherd. Here are some examples of the variability in appearance of Aussies whose body color is black. Some have generous trim and some have no copper or white trim at all. Both trimmed and untrimmed Aussies are fully acceptable in the Aussie standard. Self blacks and blacks with minimal white tend to be found more often in working lines.
RED Bi: They have white, but no tan markings. Eyes may be blue, brown, amber or marbled. Ticking is a common pattern in Aussies. It's the presence of flecks or spots of color in white areas. Dogs which lack ticking have clear white areas. White markings can be compared to spraying white paint over a dog, obscuring what color is underneath the paint. Tick marks are like finger smudges in that white paint revealing the color that is underneath. Ticking is inherited as a simple dominant gene. Modifiers determine how big, how many, and how round the tick marks are. Although ticking is a dominant pattern, it is not evident unless there is a white area for the trait to be expressed in. On a self colored dog or a black and tan the gene for ticking may very well be present but without white it exists unseen. Any offspring with white markings who have inherited the ticking gene will show the tick marks. Ticking can be present in both solids and merles and is independent of the merle gene.
BLUE OR RED MERLE Bi: They have white, but no tan markings. A mix of two colors
Some individuals have no apparent tan points at all, and some have huge amounts of tan that resemble a coppery mask on the face.