Border Collie colors, merle, gold, sable, blues, tri, lilac,chocolate

COLORS and PATTERNS

Border Collies
come in most
colors:

Black and white

Chocolate

Sable

Lilac

Blue

Gold
ee red (called
gold by AKC or
Australian red)

Merle (merle is a
pattern not a
color so your
dog can be any
color and have
the merle pattern
too!)

Brindle

Tri (can be in
combo with other
colors)

Here is a link to
explain more about
color genetics

Blue and white pup born here
now living at CuChulainn
Border Collies

G Force Denim N Diamonds a slate blue merle border collie

Newborn litter of pups.
Black and white, blue and
white, slate blue merle and
blue merle.
Litter born at G Force Border
Collies

2 G Force Border Collie puppies both are

Chocolate male owned by G Force Border Collies

Tan points also called Tri. Tri can
be present in all colors as well as
dogs with the merle pattern.

Ticking is common in Border
Collies in varying degrees. Ticking
is a dominant gene so it is very
common in certain lines.

Irish Spotting or Piebald?
There is a difference Irish Spotting is from the
shoulders forward and piebald goes back
farther. If a solid colored dog has a white patch
on the back of it is a piebald even if the face of
the dog is classically marked. So if you breed
that Piebald to a white factored dog you will get
a lot of white on your puppies.

G old	Blue	Chocolate	Lilac
M erle	Brindle	Sable	Black

Blue eyes

If you are interested in a BC and have seen the ads for "rare colors" and you are thinking "cool a rare
color" let me explain. It is my opinion that a breeder who charges MORE $$ for a pup of a different color
is not a good breeder. We have not met one good breeder who charges different prices based on color
or gender of puppies. Now that is not to say breeders do not charge different prices for non breeders /
breeders or to repeat purchasers. Breeders who are breeding for color so that they can charge more
are not breeders I would buy from. Rarely do you see these color breeders doing hip and eye testing.
(well they may say they do but can they provide proof!)
You should get a pup based on more than the color of the puppy. In Border Collies there are no rare
color. There are colors that are not seen as often but they are not rare. Any breeder who wants to
produce color can easily do it if they have basic knowledge of color genetics. It is not rocket science it
is basic color genetics. Most of these "color" breeders will have ads that say "rare lilac" or "rare blue"
do these breeders know anything about the dilute gene? Usually not.
Border Collies come in most colors but here in the USA you will see more black and whites out and
about but there are many colors all over the USA.

Merle: Breeders who want you to think merles are rare must not realize if you breed a merle you will get
merle pups in the litter. That also goes for brindle and sable not rare.

The colors except lilac you simply need to breed dogs who carry a color. To get lilac the parents must
carry both chocolate and blue to produce it.

ALSO PLEASE remember merle is NOT a color. Merle is a pattern.

The ee red AKA Gold is a masking gene and the dogs true color and any pattern on the dog as well. So
if a dog is gold you will not see the merle pattern so be aware that your pup may be a merle. Masking
gene remember. :-)

Don't be fooled into paying more for any color. Below is a little info about a few colors or patterns hope
this helps for those who want to know the difference. I am working on making this easier to read. If you
have a dog and want me to put his her picture here let me know and I will add your dogs photo with
credit.