French Bulldogs are among the most popular dog breeds all around the world. A unique variation within the French Bulldogs is known as the Merle French Bulldog. With their unique pattern of coat color, you can very easily distinguish them from other Frenchies. They have dark speckled spots spread over the entire body, with a light-colored coat.
The color pattern of these patches is generally black, blue, or lilac, but it can be of various colors. The color of their eyes is also unique. Contrary to the conventional French Bulldogs, their eyes are of blue shade. All this makes them an exceptional dog breed that you may proudly bring home if you are a Frenchie Lover.
What is Merle?
Before we move on to the details, let’s explore why they are named “Merle French Bulldog.” The reason is the existence of the Merle gene in them, which is inherited from the dog breeds having this specific gene. It is a genetic condition associated with color patterns in a dog’s coat. Breeding a French Bulldog with one having the Merle gene, such as Chihuahua, transmits dominant alleles in the Merle French Bulldog. It produces various color patterns on their coat, giving them a distinctive appearance. The coat color pattern and eye shade of the Merle French Bulldogs entirely depend on this specific gene and its dominant alleles.
What is a Merle French Bulldog?
Merle French Bulldog is a crossbreed that produces the characteristic colored coat. The traditional French Bulldog is bred with any breed with a Merle gene. The most common breed having the Merle gene is Chihuahua. So, as a common practice, a traditional French Bulldog is bred with a Chihuahua that produces the most unique type of dog, the Merle French Bulldog.
In a broader sense, the Merle French Bulldogs are just like the conventional French Bulldogs in terms of their adorable personality, friendly behavior, and loyalty. But at the same time, they bear some extraordinary characteristics, such as the color of their eyes and the unique color pattern of their coats. The standard French Bulldogs have a solid-colored jacket, whereas the base color of the coat of Merle French Bulldog is light, with speckled patches of variable colors spread all around their body.
Similarly, the traditional French Bulldogs have black eyes. In contrast, the Merle French Bulldogs come with blue-shaded eyes, thanks to the heterochromia iridium, which results in a change of color of one of the irises of the eyes, giving a unique bluish appearance.
The Merle French Bulldogs were originated in England. However, they gained more popularity in France within a short period.
Types of Merle Frenchies
Merle Frenchies come in many color patterns. However, three types of Merle French Bulldogs exist regarding the coat color pattern. It largely depends on the dominant gene color of the dog breeds having the Merle gene.
Black Merle French Bulldog
When the color scheme of the dominant gene is mainly black, it results in the creation of the Black Merle French Bulldog. In this case, some other diluted color patterns are also transmitted into them, which creates different types of Merle Frenchies. Black Merle Frenchies have a relatively dark coat base compared to other types of Merle Frenchies. Black spots are spread all over the body.
Blue Merle French Bulldogs
Blue Merle French bulldog is the most popular breed among the Merle French Bulldogs. They are the result of a predominantly blue gene. Due to this dominant blue gene, the black base coat color is much diluted, which gives a blue tinge to even the black base of the coat. Blue spots are spread all over the body. The eyes of this breed also become bluish.
Lilac Merle French Bulldog
Lilac Merle French Bulldog is very rare and expensive. It has to be produced very carefully, as it requires inheriting a copy of the Merle gene. But there is always a risk involved in such breeding. Avoiding two copies of the Merle gene may result in serious health issues. This is referred to as Double Merle. The dog produced through Double Merle is often born with diseases and health problems such as blindness, deafness, and many more.
Lilac Merle Frenchies are very similar to the Blue Merle French Bulldogs; hence, they are often mistakenly confused with others. They have a light ashy spot. Sometimes, the spots are silver in color, spread over the body with a light coat. Their eyes are mostly glowing red.
Chocolate Merle French Bulldogs
It is yet another rare type of Merle French Bulldog. Chocolate Merle French Bulldogs have dark brown patches all over their bodies and a light coat. Due to their unique genetic formation, they are quite rare and expensive. Just like Lilac, the Chocolate Merle Frenchies are very hard to find.
Fawn Merle French Bulldog
Fawn Merle French Bulldogs come in a variety of different color patterns. Its variations are blue fawn merle, chocolate fawn merle, and lilac fawn merle. Unlike the other Merle Frenchies, Fawn Merle Bulldogs have less prominent dark spots on their coat. The patches are just slightly darker than the light base coat color.
Isabella Merle French Bulldogs
Isabella Merle French Bulldogs are perhaps the rarest ones amongst the French Bulldogs. Just like the Lilac French Bulldogs, they are a combination of Chocolate and Blue Frenchies. However, their color pattern is more like that of a champagne color. These are produced by mixing a merle gene with the Isabella French Bulldogs. The result comes in the shape of Isabella Merle Frenchie, one of the rarest Merle Frenchie.
Pied Merle French Bulldogs
Yet another beautiful and friendly member of the Frenchie family. They have a specific Piebald color pattern on their body. A Pied Merle French Bulldog is mainly like the other Frenchies, but its coat is different from the others; it is white with scattered and colorful patches. “Pied Merle Frenchie” refers to the pattern, not the color.
Fluffy Merle French Bulldogs
Fluffy Merle French Bulldogs have relatively larger hair on their body, as compared to the other French Bulldogs, which gives them a fluffy look. Hence, their name refers to that fluffy coat. This unique appearance comes through the LH gene (Long Hair Gene), commonly called the Fibroblast Growth Factor. More interestingly, Fluffy Frenchies are available in many color patterns. Perhaps these are some of the most asked-for Frenchies. But at the same time, they are relatively rare and costly.
Health and Care of Merle French Bulldogs
Merle French Bulldogs are lovely and captivating. Due to their unique color patterns, they like to be members of your family, and you would also want them to be so. But they need some extra care for their grooming and health care.
Health Issues with Merle French Bulldog
The most common but serious issue is the inheritance of the double merle gene phenomenon. It needs rigorous and controlled breeding ethics to produce a healthy Merle Frenchie. Due to a slight error, getting two copies of the Merle gene is possible. If that happens, it results in severe health issues such as deafness and blindness. Hence, the responsible and expert breeders would take every possible care to avoid inheriting double merle. Merle-to-Merle breeding should be avoided so the Merle Frenchies don’t face such serious problems.
Grooming and Care
Proper grooming is essential for a Merle French Bulldog, like every other dog. At the same time, the captivating color patterns on their coats demand a bit of extra care. It’s important to maintain the health and charm of their colorful coats.
Here are some valuable tips on the grooming needs of a Merle Frenchie:
- Make it a daily routine to look after your Merle Frenchie, especially his coat.
- Regular brushing is essential for their coat to remove loose hair. This will also help avoid matting.
- Always use a soft brush or, preferably, a grooming mitt. Their skin is quite soft; hence, using a stiff brush may damage it.
- They need regular bathing, at least biweekly. Use dog shampoo, which should be specifically mild; that will help preserve the natural skin of your Frenchie.
- Ear infections are common problems with these dogs; hence, you must be very specific about cleaning their ears. Watch their ears regularly for any development of infection. In such a scenario, you may need to take your Merle Frenchie to the nearest vet before it gets serious.
- Crinkles on the body of Merle French Bulldog need special attention. Infection may develop if these crinkles on their body, especially on the face, are left unattended. So, keep them clean and dry to avoid any infection. Take care of it.
- Regularly brush their teeth. It improves their overall appearance and is very important for their general health.
- Please take care of their nails. Please don’t allow them to grow too much. Regular nail trimming is essential to avoid scratching or injury to the skin. It is also important that the nails are kept clean.
These are just a few tips that will help you properly care for and groom your Merle French Bulldog. However, you must also contact the veterinarian regularly to keep your dog healthy and vibrant. Remember, the Merle French Bulldog is an exceptional dog; hence, they need special care to maintain their colorful, vibrant, and charming appearance. Try to learn what they need, what is good for them, and what is not.
How do you choose the right Merle Frenchie breeder?
Choosing the right breeder is the first thing you must know before bringing home a Merle French Bulldog. If you search on social media, you will come across many breeders. But all of them might not be trustworthy, especially regarding the Merle French Bulldog.
So, consider the following points while choosing a perfect Merle Frenchie Breeder:
- The most trustworthy breeders are ethical French Bulldog breeders. If you plan to buy a Merle French Bulldog, always search for one near you.
- Ethical Breeders ensure the interests of the particular breed and do not compromise on this vital aspect, not even their business interests. They work dedicatedly for the production of pure breed and healthy Merle Frenchies.
- Avoid unethical breeders. The Puppy Farms are often managed by unethical breeders who are business-minded and are always ready to compromise on the health and purity of the breed. Never take risks with such unethical breeders.
- Always be aware of the scammers who are very active on social media. Don’t get trapped in their ill-intentioned promotions offered on social media.
How to Find an Ethical Breeder?
Here are a few signs of an Ethical Breeder:
- They are always ready to answer all our queries.
- They look after the puppies just like their kids.
- An Ethical Breeder will provide all the required documents for the puppies they sell.
- They are ready to provide you with the references of their previous clients.
- The price structure is just rational with these ethical breeders. They don’t offer irrationally lower prices.
How Much Does a Merle French Bulldog Cost?
The cost of the Merle French Bulldog puppy varies with its various types. It also varies with the age of the puppy. Generally, it may cost you between 3000 and 15.000 dollars. However, on average, it should be available at around 5000 Dollars.
The color pattern plays a vital role in the price range. Standard colors such as Black and Blue may be available relatively less, but rare varieties such as Lilac might be as costly as 120,000 Dollars.
Repute and experience of the breeder also have an impact on the cost.
Final Thoughts on Merle French Bulldogs
French Bulldogs are very popular all around the world. But the Merle French Bulldogs are even more popular than other members of the Frenchie Group. The reason is the unique, colorful patches on their coat. They come in Blue, Black, Lilac, Chocolate, and Fawn colors. The color patterns make them charming and good-looking dogs. They are unique in appearance; hence, they need extra care to keep them good-looking dogs. Some unique variations within them, such as Lilac Merle French Bulldogs, are expensive because they are rare and hard to come in. At the same time, they are prone to some severe diseases, such as deafness and blindness, primarily due to irresponsible breeding.
So, buy a Merle Fenchie only from ethical breeders and not be trapped by scammers.
