The Merle French Bulldog has an attractive and unique appearance in mottled patches. However, they do come with some controversy. Fans of pure French Bulldogs are not in favor of Merle French Bulldogs.
At first look, I fell in love with the Merle Frenchies’ beautiful pattern, but I soon learned it is a controversial topic among French Bulldog owners. But still, let’s know everything about these beautiful dogs.
What is a Merle French Bulldog?
Understanding that Merle coat color is not a recognized French Bulldog color variation is crucial. Merle coat coloration is not found in purebred French Bulldogs. Merle Chihuahuas have frequently been crossed with other breeds to add the color pattern.
Merles have a genotype of Mm, meaning they have one M allele and m alleles compared to non-merles. You should expect to receive half of the litter to be Merle when breeding a solid color.
The Frenchie’s base coat’s color creates a Merle pattern. As a result, the black spots are still present and give the puppies their Merle trait. Although their fur can have countless different markings, dark brown or black markings are the most prevalent. White, cream, or fawn are typically the most prominent colors, often blended with dark hues.
Characteristics of Merle French Bulldog
The Merle French Bulldog appears to be an active muscular dog with heavy bones, a smooth coat, and a medium or small size that is compactly built. The cute puppy has an expression of alertness and curiosity and is always interested.
The back is bent with a slight fall close after the shoulders; short and strong, broad at the shoulders and contracting at the loins.
The tail is often straight or sometimes screwed (but not curly), short, hung low, deep root and fine tip, carried low in repose. Any modification, other than the removal of dewclaws, is considered mutilation and unnatural.
1. Merle French Bulldog’s Size and Weight
The male Merle French Bulldogs usually grow from 10 inches (27 cm) to 13.7 inches (35 cm), whereas the females grow from 9 inches (24 cm) to 12 inches (32 cm).
The Frenchie males weigh 20 to 30 pounds, and the females weigh 17 to 28.
2. Coat and Color of Merle French Bulldog
The coat of the Merle French Bulldog is short and smooth. While it is affected by the recessive gene that causes dark spots on the fur seen across the skin, creating a striking pattern.
The Merle pattern will display smaller patches around the face and larger faces all over the body. Merle coats have no uniform pattern so Merle will have a unique look. Unlike other color genes, the Mere gene requires only requires one copy of the gene to be present.
Double Merle
While the Merle pattern only requires a single dominant Merle gene, it can also have two copies of this gene. When this happens, it is referred to as a Double Merle, which unfortunately comes with many health issues.
The Double Merle has no extra effect on the coat, but it only affects the genes and health of the puppy. Due to this, it is highly irresponsible and discouraged to breed a Merle dog with another Merle due to a 1 in 4 chance of producing a Double Merle.
The other variations of Merle French Bulldogs include:
Black Merle
The Black Merle Frenchie occurs when the dominant gene is black, pushing out the other coat colors. The dominant gene shines through the three Frenchie colors, black, tan, and fawn, giving the Black Merle its color and name.
Lilac Merle
The Lilac Merle French Bulldog is the most uncommon and hence the most difficult to locate. The base coat colors of chocolate and blue combine to create the Lilac shade. Once more, the blue hue is subdued, revealing the lilac hue. The Lilac Merle also has light eyes, which remain that color throughout their lives and are the most prone to cause health issues.
Blue Merle
Despite being a black Frenchie whose base color has been somewhat diluted to give its hair a blue tint, the Blue Merle French Bulldog is sometimes called a blue-gene dog breed. French Bulldogs with blue-merle coats have distinctive eyes. They get to keep their lighter eye colors than typical French Bulldogs and their sparkling blue eyes from puppyhood into maturity.
Chocolate Merle Bulldog
Chocolate Merle French Bulldogs have light-colored bodies and dark brown speckled patches. Puppies with choco merle DNA are also uncommon and difficult to find.
Isabella Merle French Bulldog
The rarest breed of Frenchies is the Isabella variety. Similarly to lilac Frenchies, they combine blue and chocolate, but their grey shade is more of a champagne color. Breeders have also mixed in the Merle gene, producing the Isabella Merle French Bulldog, but these dogs are extremely rare.
Fawn Merle French Bulldog
Fawn Merle French Bulldogs come in various colors, including blue, lilac, and chocolate. These Frenchies’ dark patches are less noticeable than those of other merles since they are slightly darker than their light fawn base color.
3. Personality and Temperament
Like all Frenchies, Merle French Bulldogs are renowned for having wonderful personalities. They are the ideal companion dogs since they are obscenely affectionate and always want to be with their owners.
Frenchies adore everyone they encounter and are incredibly amiable with children and other animals. They are like little clowns who make everyone laugh by acting funny. Thanks to their laid-back personality, Merle Frenchie will easily fit into your lifestyle no matter where you reside.
4. Merle French Bulldog Facial Features
Merle Frenchies have a large square head. These dogs have sparkling blue eyes, which is a rarity among dogs. Sparkling Blue eyes are unique, but Merle Frenchies can have brown or odd-colored eyes as well.
The eyes are not bulging out or sitting too deeply into the head.
Bat-like ears are an iconic feature of the French breed. The ears start wide at the bottom and become round yet pointy at the top. Any changes to Frenchie’s signature ears will cause them to be disqualified.
The lower jaw is nearly fully hidden by a wide upper jaw hanging over the sides. The brindle Frenchie’s extra skin on the neck wrinkles up, giving it a lovely and cuddly appearance.
What is the Cost of Merle French Bulldog?
As you might expect, colors considered common for the breed have the lowest prices, while colors which are unique and harder to produce are also more expensive. When it comes to Merle French Bulldogs, they are already in a higher price range, but depending on the color variation, their prices may further vary a lot.
For example, fawn merle Frenchies are valued the lowest starting from $5000, while Isabella Merle Frenchies’ prices can go up to $12,000. Permanent blue eyes also increase costs; breeders usually charge $500 per blue eye.
Here are the prices of some Merle French Bulldogs:
| Coat Pattern | Without Blue Eyes | With Blue Eyes | ||
| Male | Female | Male | Female | |
| Fawn Merle | $5000 | $4500 | $5500 | $5000 |
| Black Merle | $5700 | $5200 | $6200 | $5700 |
| Blue Merle | $8000 | $7000 | $8500 | $7500 |
| Lilac Merle | $7500 | $8000 | $8000 | $9000 |
| Chocolate Merle | $7000 | $7000 | $7700 | $7500 |
| Isabella Merle | $11,000 | $11,000 | $12,000 | $12,000 |
The Lifespan of Merle French Bulldog
The average lifespan of a Merle French Bulldog is 8 to 10 years, but it can live up to 12 years with proper care. Frenchies are sensitive dogs meant to be pets, not working or guard dogs. It is advised to take precautions and not strain them.
The lifespan of the Merle French Bulldog is affected by diet, hygiene, environment, health, and genes. Since Merle genes carry health issues, it shortens the life of the Merle Frenchies.
Some of the most common health issues regarding French Bulldogs include:
- Allergies
- Deformed Eyes (Small Microphthalmia)
- Missing Eye Or Eyes (Anophthalmia)
- Wandering Eye
- Starburst Pupil (Coloboma)
- Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome (BAS)
- Skin Fold Dermatitis
- Ear Infections
- Corneal Ulcers
- Back and Spine issues
Diet & Food for Merle French Bulldog
A Merle French Bulldog needs a protein-rich diet twice a day. In addition, the diet must also contain a small amount of fat, fiber, and vitamins.
Protein is necessary to build and maintain muscles, whereas fats help keep the immune system healthy. Vitamins and minerals are also required by the body to function properly.
You can feed your Frenchie dry kibbles or anything the vet prescribes.
Pros and Cons of Having a Merle French Bulldog
Like any other dog breed, Merle French Bulldog also has pros and cons. Here is a list of all the pros and cons a Merle Frenchie can have.
Pros
- Merle Frenchies have a unique coat that makes them stand out of the group.
- The coat color does not affect the personality of a dog. And as far as anyone will say, french bulldogs have the best personality.
- Merle French Bulldogs have short coat that does not shed daily, making them low maintenance.
- French Bulldogs only need a little walk every day to remain active. Meaning you can be lazy and still take good care of your French bulldog.
Cons
- Merle Gene carries health risks and that can shorten the life of the Merle Frenchie.
- Merle Frenchies are unique, making them expensive, costing between $4,500 and $12,000.
- All French Bulldogs carry the risk of health issues, but merle Frenchies have a higher risk due to their recessive genes.
- Frenchies with this pattern are more prone to skin problems and overheating.
Tips for Taking Care of Your Merle French Bulldog
Some people think the right way to keep your pup is different, which may be true for their situation, but here are some tips that might help you and your Frenchie grow stronger and healthier than any other dog.
A Proper Nutritious Diet
By proper diet, I mean a diet full of protein, fats, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. Keep in touch with your vet for better advice.
You should keep regular intervals between meals and feed them the right amount. Anything less or more will upset their stomach.
Health Care Keep up
Even though Frenchies are mostly healthy, they can still contract diseases and need proper care. You should visit your vet every three months or six months if your dog is healthy.
If you ever feel your dog is acting weird or showing signs of any health condition, go to the vet immediately. Provide your dog with timely vaccinations and other shots.
Exercise to Stay Active
Take your lazy French Bulldog outside for a thirty-minute walk to refresh its mind and body. Such a short walk is no difficult task; anyone can do it.
You can also play fetch inside the home for recreation. In essence, french bulldogs, including Merle, are lazy dogs and don’t need much exercise. So you don’t need to take them for exercise that often or do too much exercise.
Just make sure they are staying active to keep the body regulated.
Obedience and discipline training
Disciplines and obedience are important for your dog to be a good boy. You must start from a young age and train them properly.
First teach them basic commands such as sit, stand, stay, down, go, and come. After they have mastered all of this, they can move on to more advanced training such as fetching, swimming, and playing dead.
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Blue Merle French Bulldogs so Expensive?
Blue in Frenchies is very rare and highly desirable. The blue color is caused by a recessive gene that requires two copies to be passed on by both parents.
On the other hand, despite being a dominant gene, the Merle gene is very rare to produce. Combined, a Blue Merle French Bulldog is extremely rare and expensive.
Is a Merle French Bulldog natural?
Merle French Bulldog is not a natural coat combination in Frenchies. It was caused by breeding a Merle Chihuahua with a Fench Bulldog, making it a crossbreed.
People who love purebred French Bulldogs hate Merle Frenchies as they are impure and carry many health issues.
Is a merle dog purebred?
French Bulldog was first produced by mixing a Merle Chihuahua with a French Bulldog, making a hybrid dog. They are part of the French Bulldog breed but are looked down upon due to health issues connected with the Merle gene.
Conclusion
If you want a French Bulldog, it is best to get another standard-colored Frenchie as they are regulated and have less chance of developing health issues. Getting a Merle French Bulldog is risky as it can develop health issues and die early.
It is also very expensive and overhyped by people who do not understand the Frenchie breed. Often breeders will breed and sell double merles to ensure the litter will have a merle puppy. I hope you get a purebred Frenchie and avoid getting scammed.
