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 Roughly
28,000 Chihuahuas are registered each year with AKC but less
than 2% are registered by active AKC breeder/exhibitors. Unfortunately,
it seems like that makes our voice the minority when it comes
to the purity of the stud book, historically the main focus
of the AKC.
According to respected geneticists, Dr Malcolm Willis among
them, the merle color pattern did NOT naturally mutate in
the Chihuahua breed. So why would anyone risk introducing
outside genetic faults into a supremely healthy breed? Was
it accidental or was cash the motivation? Consider that many
are marketing merle puppies as a “rare deviation” at higher
prices than excellent show prospects from AKC show breeders.
Many of these merle-colored Chihuahuas are very poor representatives
of the breed. Why? Well that's what happens when dogs are
cross bred. You get undesirable characteristics of the breed
that was used in the cross. Sadly they are all being registered
as Chihuahuas. Some breeders are not concerned, claiming after
4 generations they are purebred. But a club must ask AKC for
carefully monitored permission to crossbreed for the improvement
of the breed, as was granted for example to the Basenjis.
Continued registrations of merle Chihuahuas dispute that rule.
When one looks at the current trend in designer mutts it seems
that the AKC would be concerned about losing registrations.
Brindle coloration has recently been added to the "rare"
colors for pugs, merle has been added to cocker spaniels,
poodles and miniature pinchers and those genetically foreign
colors are being registered. Why is such obvious cross breeding
allowed to be registered as purebred? This is a question one
must ask AKC. In fact, now might be a good time to ask as
AKC has announced it is actually considering registering mongrels.
 Breeds
that are traditionally merle have limited the colors so that
the dogs can be bred in a healthy and humane manner. Merle
is perfectly acceptable in these breeds and genetic education
is available. Sadly no one knows how merle will affect the
gene pool of the Chihuahua because it is one of the few AKC
breeds whose standard allows all colors. The effect on type,
particularly the “saucy expression” called for in the standard
all but disappears when one is confronted with the cold blue-eyed
stare of a merle.
Of special concern, some geneticists have said that mixing
the piebald gene and the merle gene is likely to cause the
same defects as merle to merle breeding, one of the worst
being pigmentation related deafness. The problem here is that
some breeders cannot differentiate the piebald coat pattern
from other spotting genes. Studies conducted with dapple dachshunds
(another breed that allows several color choices) have confirmed
that “single merles” can and do have the same defects as their
“double merle” counterparts.
What will happen with the defective puppies? Are they bucket
fodder or will they continue to genetically infect the breed,
passing defective dogs to unsuspecting buyers? Rescue operations
are already overloaded with our breed and sadly, this can
only add dogs to their ranks.
All this being said why would anyone add this to a gene pool
where it had never existed? It can not improve the breed.
Perhaps they are bored with all the other lovely colors in
the Chihuahua that are not linked to physical defects? These
are things one must ask before breeding this pattern and claiming
it to be a pleasant color variant. That is not a reason to
cross breed. There is no breed improvement with the addition
of this pattern. Some will claim bad patellas are the worst
problem in our breed. While that is a concern, even a bad
patella can be surgically corrected to give the dog quality
of life plus, we can breed away from the trait. Deafness is
a permanent defective feature, part and parcel of the merle
gene and its pigment-reducing characteristics.
Most of the breeders involved with merle Chihuahuas have never
bred quality dogs before taking on this pattern. How can they
expect to take a cross breed and bring it up to the standard
that exists in today's show ring? One would hope judges will
not award such dogs merely because they want to see an unusual
pattern flourish in a breed where it has never existed.
 Several
countries including Germany and Australia have banned or refused
the registrations of merle Chihuahuas. The Canadian Kennel
Club has allowed the Canadian Chihuahua Club's request for
a disqualification. The UK and South Africa are now discussing
the situation. Breeders in other countries also believe adding
this pattern will bring with it many defects. That plays into
the hands of Animal Rights Activists who want to ban breeding
altogether because people are purposely breeding dogs that
have known defects. Are foreign breeders more informed than
their American counterparts or did they have a big heads up
by watching merle cross breeding unfold in this country?
Reputable breeders of the future may have to resort to expensive
genetic testing to insure they are not adding this pattern
to their lines. With all colors allowed in Chihuahuas, there
is more of a chance to have the phantom or hidden merles.
For now, lines have been drawn in the sand and for concerned
Chihuahua breeders “no merles bred here” will be a badge of
honor and commitment to a breed that does not need this color
pattern or its known defects. Any color “marked or splashed”
is not a license to cross breed!
The Chihuahua Club of America will be voting on several standard
revisions, including one to disqualify the merle pattern from
the show ring.
UPDATE: The standard was revised as follows; Blue eyes or a difference in the color of the iris in the two eyes, or two different colors within one iris should be considered a serious fault.
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