The Collie Club of America recognizes 4 colors in the AKC standard. Sable, Tri, Blue Merle and White. What about the Sable Merle???? There is a growing call for the Sable Merle to be included in the standard. This is not the first time this issue has come up and until they are included I am sure it will not be the last time.

While genetics have not changed our knowledge and understanding of it has. Some old time breeders still have it in their minds that the sable merle is a defective color and or the sable merle produces defective dogs. This is not true.

The Sable Merle is the same as a Blue Merle as they both carry the Merle gene. The sable Merle is a diluted/modified Sable and a Blue Merle is a diluted/modified Tri. Plain and simple. We have the Blue Merle included as a recognized color….. so should the Sable Merle be included.

Some people are not against the sable merle but are against the changing of the standard period. Well I think that is silly too!!! The Collie standard has changed and evolved since the first draft. The Collie of today resembles the collie of the first standard very little. The standard was changed to include Blue Merles and Whites……. This undying allegiance to a standard at the exclusion of a legitimate color is unfair.

The president of the CCA, Bob Futh,  has proposed a Standard Review committee and I believe that this committee is stacked against Sable Merles/or changing the standard at all.

I will post more info about this sable merle issue and the CCA as it happens.