Dog Community

anyone very familiar with the UKC?

Posted : 5/24/2007 1:14:38 PM

i've been seeing a lot of APBT in my area with "merle" coloring and blue eyes. this doesn't meet the breed standard, but seems to be an increasingly popular choice. i'm sure these dogs are BYB and certainly not registered.

what i'm curious about is the flexibility and evolution of breed standards, if such a thing exists. (it would seem quite a contradiction if it does) I ask specifically about UKC because i know they recognize the APBT, where the AKC doesn't, and i'm wondering what, if anything, they would have to say about this trend. i'm sort of hoping they would denounce it, but i don't know, which is why i ask.

brookcove

Posted : 5/24/2007 1:31:03 PM

That's kind of odd. If it's not in the breed standard, merle isn't a variety that can just "pop up" - it's dominant. Someone had to be out there maintaining lines of purebred merle APBTs, or else it's coming from an outcross.

In breeds where a dominant color or pattern isn't standard, it makes a lot of sense to be suspicious when it does arise! It's one of the only times color might make a huge difference.

I'm trying to think what terriers or mastiffs carry merle. Great Dane is the only thing I can think of offhand. Cur breeds get it from their herding dog ancestors - Catahoulas are a good example.

Blue eyes can come from anywhere, since they are recessive.

jenhuedepohl

Posted : 5/24/2007 2:06:13 PM

They may be [linkhttp://www.dogbreedinfo.com/catahoulabulldog.htm]Catahoula Bulldogs[/link] or CathoulaBulldog/pit crosses. Its a popular mix, particularly in the south. They use them hog hunting and Hog Dog Trials. From the little I know, pits are used to actually grab on and hold hogs, while catahoulas are bred to "bay" or corner the hogs and are disqualified from a trial for holding more than three seconds.

badrap

Posted : 5/24/2007 2:18:48 PM

Copied from the UKC breed standard for APBT:

Serious Faults: Bulging eyes; both eyes not matched in color; blue eyes

Disqualifications

[font=arial][size=2]Unilateral or bilateral cryptorchid. Viciousness or extreme shyness. Unilateral or bilateral deafness. Bobbed tail. Albinism. Merle. Long coat.

Copied from Wikipedia (not the most reliable resource, I know)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heterozygote]heterozygote[/link]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incomplete_dominance]incomplete

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene]gene[/link].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merle_%28coat_colour_in_dogs%29#_note-coile][1][/link]

The UKC website makes no mention of merle being a result of a mixed bloodline, but I understand that more than likely I would have to be.

So I guess that answers my question, because evidently "merle" is a result of crossbreeding, which would disqualify the dog from membership.

Interesting. And thanks.

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