What is the difference between dapple and piebald?
Piebald vs Dapple Dachshunds
It is distinct from the white spotting and ticking genes. On a piebald Doxie, color patches follow a somewhat predictable pattern of spread. But dapple Dachshunds have a random light patches of color dispersed across their body.
A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white background is not pigmented.
Dapple dachshunds get their spots through the merle gene. It creates the dilute or dapple patches you see on dapple or piebald dogs. It's also the gene responsible for unusual coloring in dog eyes, like the Australian Shepherd's notorious blue eye color.
Merle, also known as dapple in some breeds, is a distinctive pattern of colours used to describe the coat of some dogs. Merle dogs can come in a range of colours, but the pattern is usually a splash of darker shades, marbled against a lighter background.
Like we said above, if you breed two dappled Dachshunds together you can have healthy puppies. However, if they are double dappled, then this can result in a variety of problems. They can really affect the Dachshund's quality of life.
About the Breed
Dachshunds can be standard-sized (usually 16 to 32 pounds) or miniature (11 pounds or under), and come in one of three coat types: smooth, wirehaired, or longhaired.
/ˈpaɪ.bɑːld/ (mainly of an animal) having a pattern of two different colours of hair, especially black and white: piebald ponies.
Can you breed Dapple to Piebald? The Dachshund breed standards do not allow for the mixing of the dapple and piebald patterns (or any other pattern) you cannot register a dachshund with more than 1 pattern.
You can also have Dachshunds with more than one pattern on their coats. For example a dapple piebald, or even a dapple brindle piebald. The blended patterns are very intricate and look lovely.
A DD dog will always have white markings, many in the same pattern that you would associate with a collie-type dog (band around the neck, white on paws, nose, and tail tip) and often has blue eyes, but may have one or both dark eyes.
How can you tell if a dog is dapple?
Double Dapples will tend to show large white areas on the body that are usually not symmetrical which is why they can be prone to be confused with Piebalds. A single Dapple will not show large areas of white and will not have micro eyes. Please also note that a single Dapple can have two blue eyes.
Dapple doxies are expensive than other dachshunds because they are rare to find. You have to work so hard to come across one. It also takes special care and attention to raise one, which further affects the price.
Merle is a genetic pattern that can be in a dog's coat. Merle comes in different colors and patterns and can affect all coat colors. The merle gene creates mottled patches of color in a solid or piebald coat, blue or odd-colored eyes, and can affect skin pigment as well.
While black is one of the main base colors of Dachshunds, a solid black is the rarest Dachshund color in the world. This is because a solid black coat is achieved when both parents have the same rare recessive gene. Usually Dachshunds with black genes also have the genes for tan points.
Additionally, it is recommended that merles should not be bred into lines that carry piebald (white dogs with spots) or extreme white spotting patterns (dogs that are mostly white with minimal spotting).
How Much Does A Dapple Dachshund Cost? Prices for these precious dogs can range anywhere from $400 to $1500. These pretty pups are often much more expensive than the typical Dachshund because breeders consider these dogs to be rare.
Dapples should only be bred to Reds or Creams with caution, a red dapple/cream dapple is very difficult to distinguish from a shaded red/cream and therefore may inadvertently be bred to another dapple in the future and produce double dapple puppies.
What are the Risks? There are lethal genes commonly associated with Double Dapple. The problems associated with the lethal genes in Double Dapples are varying degrees of vision and hearing loss, including missing eyes or “micro eyes”. Blindness and/or deafness can be caused by the Double Dapple gene combination.
The smooth-haired dachshund, the oldest style, may be a cross between the German Shorthaired Pointer, a Pinscher, and a Bracke (a type of bloodhound), or to have been produced by crossing a short Bruno Jura Hound with a pinscher.
Because the wire-haired Dachshunds have terrier in their lineage, they're often less calm than their long-haired cousins, who are the quietest and calmest of the three types.
Which Dachshund has the best temperament?
Miniature dachshund temperament, socialising and ideal home environment. Miniature dachshunds make for great family pets and are known for their curious nature and sense of humour. They love human interaction and like to be doted on.
Piebald dogs (who are sometimes referred to as “pieds”) are easy to distinguish from most coat patterns due to their random white markings. Sometimes described as “cowlike,” piebald coats typically feature asymmetrical white spotting with areas of color, making them extra unique in appearance.
The Piebald colouration is a white spotting pattern in which white patches appear on the body. The extent and position of the spotting can vary greatly. Probable differences in expression between breeds have been noted.
Let's start with defining the terms: Piebald and Skewbald: The piebald horse is one with large, non-uniform patches of black or white on their coats – that is, those two colors exclusively. Skewbald horses, then, encompass the rest of the spectrum, having coats of white and any other color.
Dapple Dachshund FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
The price to purchase a Dapple Dachshund from one of the breeders in your area can vary. Breeders may charge anywhere between $400 and $1,500. Due to their unique markings, Dapple Dachshunds are often more expensive than a standard Dachshund.
Red Dapple Dachshund
The red dapple is the rarest dapple Sausage dog. Their coat has a base color that can either be dark red or rust with swirling shades of darker pigments. Most of the time, the dappling isn't that noticeable on their coat.
A double dapple is the result of breeding two dapple dachshunds together. A double dapple parent will ONLY ever produce dapple puppies. Double dapples can be born with a variety of health problems, but most commonly, blindness and/or deafness. However piebalds do not have the same health problems.
An Isabella Dachshund is a light brown or fawn-colored Dachshund that carries a recessive gene from both parents that diminishes the chocolate color of their fur. Their entire body may be of one color and some may exhibit some patterns of cream or tan mixed in.
Advice for Breeders
So, it doesn't matter how many Dapples there are in a pedigree, you still have to have one Dapple parent to get any Dapple puppies. Given the potential health risks associated with Double Dapples, it is considered irresponsible and unacceptable to mate two Dapples together.
Dapple Dachshund
Merle Dachshunds are called “dapple”. The merle gene is quite rare among Dachshunds, and not seen too often. It can appear in all three coat varieties: long, short and wire-haired. The AKC breed standard specifically states that merle is an allowed coloring.
Is a merle the same as a dapple Dachshund?
One of the most unique coat color patterns in the domestic dog is merle (also known as dapple in the dachshund breed), characterized by patches of normal pigmentation surrounded by diluted eumelanin pigment. In dogs, this striking variegated pattern is caused by an insertion of a SINE element into the PMEL gene.
Dachshunds were bred to be hunting dogs, and like all hunting dogs, they tend to bark. Their bark can be loud, especially considering their small size. Many Dachshunds are sensitive to changes in their environments, which increases the likelihood of excessive barking.
Dachshund Average Lifespan
Due to their small size, the Dachshund has impressive longevity of 12-15 years while the average dog only reaches 10-13 years.
19) Dachshunds Are Fiercely Loyal
Dachshunds are loyal to their people. What is this? They love to snuggle with you on the couch, sleep with you in bed, and follow you around the house (including into the bathroom). They will be protective of their family members and sometimes one particular member of the family.
The Merle pattern plays the same role with pigment removal as the pied/piebald pattern, so Merle dogs that are also pied carriers should preferably not be bred other Pied French Bulldogs.
Cochleosaccular is the most common cause of deafness and is associated with coat color patterns. It is usually seen in dogs with the piebald color genes or merle color gene. It can cause deafness in either one or both ears and is seen more in association with blue eyes and a white coat.
Why are merle dogs so expensive? In a nutshell, merle dogs are expensive because puppy buyers are willing to pay a lot of money for them. The pattern is very sought-after, and the more demand there is, the higher breeders can set their prices. In addition, merle breedings can be quite rare in some breeds.
Pups with unique coat shades can lead to higher prices as they tend to sell quickly. Coat lengths and texture are also factors; long-haired Dachshunds cost more than short-haired ones, while wire-haired dogs price higher than both. Overall, rare Dachshunds with unique features tend to be more expensive.
Here's the thing: Piebalds only have brown eyes. They'll never have blue eyes, or one blue eye, or a blue tick in an eye. They only have brown eyes. They'll have a solid colored head that might (or might not) have a white blaze.
The original Dachshund coat colors were red (the most common) and black (the second most common), which is often mistaken for brown in its darker, rustier shades.
Is piebald dominant or recessive?
Inheritance. This condition is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern , which means one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to cause the disorder.
Piebaldism is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the congenital absence of melanocytes in affected areas of the skin and hair due to mutations of the c-kit gene, which affects the differentiation and migration of melanoblasts from the neural crest during the embryonic life.
The Blue Pied Merle French Bulldog price is $6,000 or thereabouts. The Blue Fawn Merle French Bulldog price is about $8,000.
Piebald dogs (who are sometimes referred to as “pieds”) are easy to distinguish from most coat patterns due to their random white markings. Sometimes described as “cowlike,” piebald coats typically feature asymmetrical white spotting with areas of color, making them extra unique in appearance.
Can you breed Dapple to Piebald? The Dachshund breed standards do not allow for the mixing of the dapple and piebald patterns (or any other pattern) you cannot register a dachshund with more than 1 pattern.
A DD dog will always have white markings, many in the same pattern that you would associate with a collie-type dog (band around the neck, white on paws, nose, and tail tip) and often has blue eyes, but may have one or both dark eyes.
Dapple and piebald are other names for merle coloring, which means they carry the recessive gene too.
Prices for these precious dogs can range anywhere from $400 to $1500. These pretty pups are often much more expensive than the typical Dachshund because breeders consider these dogs to be rare.
What are the Risks? There are lethal genes commonly associated with Double Dapple. The problems associated with the lethal genes in Double Dapples are varying degrees of vision and hearing loss, including missing eyes or “micro eyes”. Blindness and/or deafness can be caused by the Double Dapple gene combination.
A DNA test is available from the University of Minnesota, USA, and Orivet Australia. The mutation is autosomal recessive, and the test identifies Clear, Carrier and Affected dogs. We recommend that breeders breed and buyers ensure that at least ONE (1) parent is DNA tested CLEAR to avoid breeding AFFECTED offspring.
How do I know if my Dachshund has the dapple gene?
The dog may be genetically black or chocolate but the recessive red gene overrides it. It also masks dapple and brindle. Both parents must carry this gene to produce a puppy this colour. If one parent is a dapple then these puppies should be DNA tested to prove whether they are a hidden dapple or not.
Dapple gray, a type of coat colour seen on horses.