ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LEARN

 Topaz came from a litter where there should not have been a tri color produced. Her mom was a trifactored sable and her dad was a double merle. I had sent her DNA to UC Davis school of veterinary medicine as they are very up to date on their genetic testing. I was assuming that the breeding Topaz came from she had to be a cryptic merle, which means she carried a gene for blue merle but did not express it, she was definitely a tri color. In her last two litters she never even produced a sable merle, which to me seemed strange. 

I did some more research and found that a cryptic merle, with the Mc gene could only express normal color and would breed as a normal solid color which she was, a tri color. So when she was bred to a sable she had all sable pups, not even a sable merle. So her litter now is all sable and tri factored sable. I am assuming that I could breed her to a blue merle but I still am not willing to try that. On the chance of getting a defective pup, it is not worth it. In breeding two blues you are taking a chance of producing a pup that could be defective in hearing and sight. Although many will be normal, but even one defective pup is one too many. 

Genetics is  fascinating to study, much of which I still don't understand,the basics yes but so much research has been done with the merle gene it boggles the mind. This is when I would love to call my friend Kathleen to see what she thinks. She and I would talk things like this over for hours. I sure do miss her.

I am taking a break from breeding for awhile, I want to see how I feel if I don't have pups around. I know that I will miss producing, quality, healthy companions for the people who love Shelties. I don't show anymore but I do still breed, looking for that one outstanding pup of show quality. I feel good knowing I can produce the quality and traits that I am looking for. Plus a very healthy companion that will be able to do any type of dog sport. Or just be an awesome companion!

I will spend time training my two young girls, this should be very rewarding. Maybe put some trick titles on them and just plain have fun. 

I will be keeping the little boy from this litter as long as he does not get too big. I have not kept a boy in a long time and I am looking forward to it. I would love to find a good handler for him  but I am jumping the gun. I need to see how he turns out first. Something to look forward too, that is what keeps you going with the dogs.  

BEST FRIENDS, GRANDAUGHTER AND WALTER!