Merle Pitbull: Facts, Origin & History (With Pictures)
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| Height: | 18–19 inches |
| Weight: | 35–70 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
| Colors: | Merle |
| Suitable for: | Active families who don’t mind a few extra health problems |
| Temperament: | Fun-loving, obedient, excitable, tenacious, people-oriented |
As any Pitbull-lover knows, these canines can come in many different colors and patterns. Just about anything goes, according to the breed standard—including merle.
Merle Pitbulls have a mixture of their regular coat color and a dilute color. This trait is caused by a single gene that affects pigment. Simply put, the pigment doesn’t get produced properly throughout the dog’s whole coat, leading to patches of diluted color.
Sadly, this single gene also causes several health problems, which has led to the color being controversial. We’ll give you the full scoop on this breed below, including the potential health issues to expect.
Merle Pitbull Breed Characteristics
The Earliest Record of the Merle Pitbull in History
Pitbull-style dog breeds had found their way to America since the colonization of the continent. Often, these dogs were revered for their fighting abilities, which made them useful for early settlers and later farmers. Naturally, the pit bull-style breeds converged in America and developed into a new American breed.
Sadly, because of its connection to dog fighting, this breed’s existence has always been a bit controversial.
The term “pit bull” was largely avoided by the American Kennel Club. Instead, the organization referred to the dogs as “Staffordshire Terriers” for most of their history under the false assumption that these dogs originated from Staffordshire, England.
How the Merle Pitbull Gained Popularity
Pitbulls have never been very popular in the United States. However, they are pretty popular outside of the country, especially in England and Australia.
That said, there are many unregistered dogs in the United States. These dogs are a favorite of backyard breeders, so it is hard to determine how many are actually owned in the United States.
This breed’s popularity had declined since WWII. Today, the breed is the 86th most popular dog in America—at least as far as registered breeds are concerned.
Formal Recognition of the Merle Pitbull
Recognition of the Pitbull is a bit complicated. The breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club in Britain in 1898. However, the breed wasn’t recognized by the American Kennel Club until 1936.
The AKC didn’t use the name Pitbull, though. Instead, the club chose the name Staffordshire Terrier, despite the dogs being most commonly named Pitbulls. The AKC opened its stud book many times to UKC dogs. However, they closed them completely after the 1970s. Over the decades, this has made the American dog quite a bit different from the British dog.
Top 5 Unique Facts About the Merle Pitbull
1. They aren’t very healthy
The Merle gene suppresses pigment, which leads to several problems. Merle dogs are very likely to have hearing and sight problems, for instance. Over half of the double merles and 25% of single merles are deaf.
2. They’re rare
Pitbulls don’t commonly have the merle gene. Because the gene is controversial, many breeders won’t breed merle dogs. Therefore, this particular color isn’t common in the least.
3. They’re banned in many places
Pitbulls have been affected by breed-specific legislation throughout the world. They’re banned in many places, including several cities in the United States.
4. What counts as a Pitbull is confusing
A Pitbull is a type of dog that includes several dog breeds, including the American Staffordshire Terrier. The UKC also recognizes the American Pit Bull Terrier, which is a specific breed of Pitbull dog. The AKC recognizes a similar breed but calls it the American Staffordshire Terrier, largely because they try to avoid the word, Pitbull.
5. They score high on temperament tests
Despite their somewhat negative reputation, these dogs score pretty high on temperament tests. In fact, they score similarly to Golden Retrievers and other popular dogs.
Does the Merle Pitbull Make a Good Pet?
While merle dogs can be very attractive, they’re at high risk for several health problems, including hearing and deafness. Their rarity also makes them more expensive. Therefore, it’s typically best to purchase a Pitbull with a different coloration.
Usually, the color of a breed doesn’t matter all that much. However, in this case, it absolutely does!
Other Pitbulls can make suitable family dogs. In fact, they were known as “nanny dogs” until just a few decades ago due to their ability to get along with small children. They’re energetic canines, though, so they require a decent amount of exercise. We recommend them specifically for more active families for this reason.
There are a lot of misconceptions about this breed. They perform well on temperament tests, which shows that they aren’t necessarily more aggressive than other dogs. However, they do make up a large portion of fatalities caused by dogs. Therefore, when they do bite, it tends to be worse than other dogs. (Though they don’t have the strongest bite, that record goes to the Rottweiler and German Shepherd.)
Conclusion
Merle Pitbulls have a unique coat that sets them apart from others. However, the same gene that makes them so attractive can also cause a range of health problems. Therefore, they’re a bit controversial.
Many professional breeders claim that merle dogs shouldn’t be bred due to the added health risk. However, many dog lovers seek to adopt these canines each year, so they keep getting bred.
The history of the Pitbull is also quite confusing. They were originally bred for bullfighting, and the American Kennel Club has tried hard to get away from this past. They’ve attempted to change the dog breed’s name, for instance. However, this breed is still widely known as the Pitbull.
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Featured Image Credit: Katrin B., Pixabay
