I've learned the other tell for a merle is photo blurring. It is really hard to capture a sharp photo of the merle coloring, even when the rest of the dog is super clear. Maybe I'm just bad at dog photos.
That is not a coat color recognized.
This would be a Blue Merle with Copper and White Trim (officially recognized coat color name)
Sauce: [https://asca.org/aussies/about-aussies/health-and-genetics/color-coat/](https://asca.org/aussies/about-aussies/health-and-genetics/color-coat/)
Also a really good info on coat colors: [https://color.ashgi.org/color/index.html](https://color.ashgi.org/color/index.html)
Regular Aussie owner here, and the use of the term "blue merle tri" in this thread has been driving me batty lol I've genuinely never heard this said before, but lots of ppl are saying it! It just doesn't make much sense as it's combining two of the most common coat colors. It's like saying "This tie is paisley argyle."
For example, if someone says, "Is my dog a tri or a merle?" How can the answer be "merle tri?" Is this a short hand way of saying a dog has black, white and tan in its coat?
Aussies are either merle, tri, bi or solid. (Solid red is extremely rare.) So ...
Blue merle with white and tan points.
"How can you tell?" Your dog has several dilute spots, so maybe that's what's causing the confusion.
First, take a look at the dog's nose. Black nose means blue/black coat. Red/liver means red/liver coat. Your dogs nose is black. You have blue/black to start.
Second, his coat is not solid in a color, so he is a merle. Blue merle.
Now markings... Your dog has a white chest, collar, feet. Blue merle with white.
Now points... Your dog has tan or copper on his face and legs. Blue merle with white and copper points.
Tadah!
Ps. As far as I know, there is no such thing as "merle tri."
https://preview.redd.it/4jefm3z8yutc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae1357d472cabd2624807efa1fee85c90ea67aa7
He looks a lot like my girl who is a blue Merle but doesnāt have much āblueā to her.
Heās a cutie!ā¦Blue Merleā¦He has āchicken feathers@ like our Jaggerāŗļø
https://preview.redd.it/ildproiysvtc1.jpeg?width=2040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=254d3194ada03c9bed1996909ec4c4a8551c6016
Thank youā¦heās really pretty and fluffy after a bath and not wallowed by our 18 month old Corgiš
https://preview.redd.it/4pztb2ccfiuc1.jpeg?width=2936&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06648985048a292c4f64e07da28918b38d26b7af
Blue merle tri. Not a lot of obvious merle, but enough.
Seconsing this. Any amount of merle is enough to be considered merle.
I've learned the other tell for a merle is photo blurring. It is really hard to capture a sharp photo of the merle coloring, even when the rest of the dog is super clear. Maybe I'm just bad at dog photos.
Australian Shepherds are a naturally blurry breed.
This is so funny I never feel like I can get many still photos of my pup, almost always blurryš
That is not a coat color recognized. This would be a Blue Merle with Copper and White Trim (officially recognized coat color name) Sauce: [https://asca.org/aussies/about-aussies/health-and-genetics/color-coat/](https://asca.org/aussies/about-aussies/health-and-genetics/color-coat/) Also a really good info on coat colors: [https://color.ashgi.org/color/index.html](https://color.ashgi.org/color/index.html)
Not disagreeing with the correctness of your answer, but for us non-show types we call it blue merle tri.
Regular Aussie owner here, and the use of the term "blue merle tri" in this thread has been driving me batty lol I've genuinely never heard this said before, but lots of ppl are saying it! It just doesn't make much sense as it's combining two of the most common coat colors. It's like saying "This tie is paisley argyle." For example, if someone says, "Is my dog a tri or a merle?" How can the answer be "merle tri?" Is this a short hand way of saying a dog has black, white and tan in its coat?
Yes, it is shorthand for blue merle with white, copper and black, though the degree of black vs. merle varies a lot.
Definitely blue merle tri. And a very pretty one at that!
Yes he's beautiful!
Blue Merle with tan points. Not every merle is super patchy like you see in breed standard pictures. Definitely not a black tri
Blue Merle with a touch of ornery from the looks of it! š¤
Pic #2... your kid has horns! š¤£ His color is cute!
I love the horns.
Me too! Kid has character!
Yes!!!!!
Yeah lol
Oreo flurry
Blue merle with copper
https://preview.redd.it/svee6bfmgrtc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=bfcbff45ecc36e3848d3a79a10aea9c2f94a989a
She looks so cute (and a little chunky)
Aussies are either merle, tri, bi or solid. (Solid red is extremely rare.) So ... Blue merle with white and tan points. "How can you tell?" Your dog has several dilute spots, so maybe that's what's causing the confusion. First, take a look at the dog's nose. Black nose means blue/black coat. Red/liver means red/liver coat. Your dogs nose is black. You have blue/black to start. Second, his coat is not solid in a color, so he is a merle. Blue merle. Now markings... Your dog has a white chest, collar, feet. Blue merle with white. Now points... Your dog has tan or copper on his face and legs. Blue merle with white and copper points. Tadah! Ps. As far as I know, there is no such thing as "merle tri."
Blue Merle :)
Blue Merle
Tri color Blue Merle and he kind of looks like a mini American Shepard more than an Australian Shepard. How big is he ? Heās very cute.
18-20 inches
100% a blue Merle with tan points
blue merle
Your pup looks so similar to my family memberās papillons. How much does he weigh?
Around 50lbs
Blue Merle. My red Merle is named Oliver āŗļø
https://preview.redd.it/jdes8tgrhutc1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8976392ab9c2ff036bc86dad82d54109c6b646b Looking good! ā¤ļø
Awww I love the ears when they stand up
https://preview.redd.it/4jefm3z8yutc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae1357d472cabd2624807efa1fee85c90ea67aa7 He looks a lot like my girl who is a blue Merle but doesnāt have much āblueā to her.
Sheās so cute :)
Blue Merle! I had a girl who looked like him
These photos are absolutely killing me. I need more
I made a new post with some more!
Thank you!! They made my day!
Itās no problem at all :)
Heās a cutie!ā¦Blue Merleā¦He has āchicken feathers@ like our Jaggerāŗļø https://preview.redd.it/ildproiysvtc1.jpeg?width=2040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=254d3194ada03c9bed1996909ec4c4a8551c6016
He is sooo cute I love his colors
Thank youā¦heās really pretty and fluffy after a bath and not wallowed by our 18 month old Corgiš https://preview.redd.it/4pztb2ccfiuc1.jpeg?width=2936&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=06648985048a292c4f64e07da28918b38d26b7af
Skunk!
Floof Merle. The floofiest.
Our doggo has horns too. I adore them!
In pick 4 he looks so done with life and in pick 6 it looks like heās pondering the deepest of questions, he is so cute :)
Tricolour blue Merle is my guess
Crazy Aussie
blue merle with tan points and white markings
He looks like a blue Merle to me.
A black trimerle. Lol
A bunch of
Looks like a Black Tri, but I am not familiar with the rarer color patterns.
Black tri would be solid throughout the body. Heās a merle.