r/MiniAussies

He’s in biting everything stage, but overall super smart and looking forward to plays with older sibs and new obstacle course.

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some honest advice from people experienced with Australian Shepherds, merle genetics, and/or double-merle dogs.

I’m currently considering taking home a red merle Australian Shepherd puppy from an accidental litter, but I’m concerned about the fact that both parents are merle.

To be clear, to my knowledge this was not an intentional breeding. The dogs belong to a friend-of-a-friend, and the pregnancy/litter was accidental. The family cannot keep all of the puppies, and I’ve been told that if homes aren’t found, some/all of the puppies may end up in a shelter as soon as Sunday.

I have my heart set on the red merle female pictured below — and I’m trying to make the most responsible decision possible rather than letting myself get attached and ignore potential health concerns.

The parents:
Both are merle.
The mother appears to be a red merle.
The father appears to be a blue/black merle.
I don’t have genetic testing information on either parent.

The litter:
There are several puppies with very heavy white markings, as well as red merle and tri-color-looking puppies. I initially assumed the amount of white might tell me something about which puppies were/weren’t double merle, but I’ve since learned that coat appearance isn’t a reliable way to determine merle genotype.

The puppy I’m considering has substantial white markings, but she also has quite a bit of red/brown pigmentation on her face and body.

I’ve been especially concerned about hearing and eye abnormalities associated with double merle, because I don’t want to knowingly take on a puppy whose health limitations would make the lifestyle I want for her unrealistic.

Here’s where my situation gets difficult:
I’m currently in another state. I cannot have genetic testing done before Sunday, and the family doesn’t have the money to have the puppies genetically tested. If I decide to take her, I would have to fly in and get her by Sunday.

I’ve looked very closely at photos of her eyes. In the pictures, both eyes appear present and similarly sized, and I don’t see an obvious severe eye abnormality. She appears to interact normally, but I obviously can’t diagnose hearing or vision from photographs.

My lifestyle is also a big part of why I’m trying to make the right decision. I’m a very active person and an avid rock climber and I regularly climb outdoors several times a month. Ideally, I’d love for my dog to eventually be my adventure companion, coming with me on the approaches to outdoor crags, joining me on shorter/easier runs (around 3–5 miles), hiking and camping, and coming along on trips to the lake or beach. I’m not expecting a puppy to immediately do any of these things or to participate in strenuous exercise before she’s physically mature. I’m thinking more about whether, as an adult, she could realistically enjoy and participate in that kind of active lifestyle.

So my main questions are:

Based on these photos and the fact that both parents are merle, how concerned would you be that this puppy is double merle?

Do her eyes look concerning to anyone experienced with merle-associated eye abnormalities, or do they look reasonably normal from what can be seen?

If she does have some degree of hearing or vision impairment, how much could that realistically affect her ability to participate in an active lifestyle like hiking, running, and going to climbing crags? I would absolutely love her regardless and would be willing to make accommodations for any limitations she might have. I’d still want to include her in my adventures whenever it was safe and enjoyable for her. My biggest concern is whether there are impairments that could make activities like these unsafe, stressful, or unfair to her, rather than simply requiring me to make some adjustments.

Would choosing one of the tri-color puppies be a significantly safer choice, or can a puppy’s appearance in this litter NOT tell me whether it inherited one or two copies of merle?

Is there anything I can realistically check myself before Sunday that would give me useful information about her hearing or vision?

I completely understand that nobody can diagnose a puppy from Reddit photos, and I will have her examined by a veterinarian if I take her.

I’m just trying to make the most informed decision possible with a very short deadline. I genuinely love this little girl already, and I’d love to give her a home rather than have her potentially end up in a shelter, but I don’t want my emotions to cause me to make a decision that’s unfair to the puppy or incompatible with the life I want to give her.

Photos of the parents, the puppy I’m considering, and some of her littermates are attached.

I would really appreciate honest opinions, including if you think I should walk away. I’m looking for informed advice, not reassurance.

Both have nubs, not related either. Bigger one (Boy) was my very 1st puppy and smaller (girl) was my 1st “rescue”.

My boy is turning 6 on Monday 😩🥹