Keep Poodles Purebred
The Poodle Council does not support anyone who endeavours to cross-breed or breed Merle Poodles. Real Poodle lovers do not make designer breeds.
No reputable breeder of Poodles will sell to those who wish to breed merle poodles or those who support the breeding of merle mix poodles.
MERLE Poodles
are not Purebred Poodles!
If your Poodle is Merle it is not a true purebred Poodle!
Merle Poodles are not natural, this means that the gene has been introduced into the poodle pool by another breed of dog, making merle poodles not purebred even if they look and act like it. Some people believe their dog is purebred poodle after DNA testing that seems to support this claim, but it is guaranteed that if they traced their dog’s heritage back they would eventually find a (great-)grandparent of another breed who introduced the merle gene to the family. In order to get a merle poodle puppy, you must have a merle parent to breed with a regular poodle. It will never occur naturally.
The Royal Kennel Club refuses to register the colour Merle in this breed as it is known to have proven health issues and we do not want these incorporating into Poodles.
Double Merle puppies can be born deaf and/or Blind, missing ears, eyes and malformed ears and eyes.
Merles face auditory and ophthalmologic problems – both visual and internal. They can also have problems with their cardiac, skeletal, and reproductive systems. Double merles are almost guaranteed to face these issues in their lives, if they’re not already born with them. Many of these diseases are not ones that can be treated easily. That’s why concern surrounds merle poodles.
Because merle poodles are exactly the same breed as regular poodles, all the health problems they can face are compounded. Start with the ones common for regular poodles, then add on the health problems faced by merles specifically. That makes a merle poodle at risk for more health problems than its plain-coated contemporaries.
Unethical backyard breeders are promoting these colours as ‘RARE’ Don’t be fooled into purchasing one of these puppies and often paying outrageously high prices!