Merle Bully: Uniquely Patterned Companion with a Loyal Personality
American Bullies Merle dogs are strong, medium-sized dogs that were first recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) in 2004.
They are very lovable and faithful dogs, and they can die for their owner. Their appearance makes them standard watchdogs.
They are very adaptable dogs. You can easily train them, and they will amaze you with their performance in sports and other physical training based on their intelligence level.
They have a little serious look, which came from their bully parents, but their merle color with different sizes of patches made their coat attractive and unique.
If you want to have this breed as your loyal companion, you are in the right place.
You can find all the information related to this breed and its other color variants, like blue merle bullies and ghost merle tri bullies, in this article.
History of the American bully Merle
The hustle to produce the American bully merle started in the 1980s, when many breeds were crossed with the American Pit Bull Terrier to attain size, muscularity, and temperament.
After a long time, in 2004, they were first recognized by the American Bully Kennel Club.
Before diving into the information related to the American Bullies Merle, let’s take a little glance at the parent breed to better understand it.
American pit bull terrier: This breed is also known for its energetic and slightly aggressive behavior.
They have strong bodies, and they are very loud and active watchdogs.
They want all-day activities to fulfill their exercise needs and nutritious food to maintain their energy.
They mostly have a healthy life span and live for almost 10 to 13 years.
Appearance of the American Bullies Merle
American bully merle, blue merle bullies, and ghost merle tri bullies are almost the same in appearance if we do not count their color and patch patterns.
Coat
The American Bulldog has a short, smooth, and glossy coat that is very easy to maintain.
It is not hypoallergenic because they shed a lot.
But their short hair makes them easy to comb.
They get their unique identity because of their coat, which comes from a gene mutation found in them.
This positive mutation provides a different pattern for each bully and makes them different from each other.
Color
They are found in different colors, like blue merle, red merle, chocolate merle, black merle, or ghost merle tri bullies.
Blue Merle Bullies
These bullies have a mixture of blue, black, and white, but the blue color is more prominent in them, and that’s why they are called blue merle bullies.
Their color is also determined by genetics. The Merle gene is a dominant gene, and it is responsible for unique patterns.
Ghost Merle Tri Bullies
These dogs have a unique color pattern that comes from the mixing of ghost merle and tri coloration.
It is usually similar to the basic merle pattern, but they have blended color patterns.
Ghost merle tri bullies are found in different colors, like black, white, or tan.
Body
American Bullies Merle has a wide chest and a heavy, muscular body with strong legs and a big, broad head.
They have small ears and a long tongue, which you usually see coming out of their mouth.
They have a wide, pinkish nose and a small wrinkle around their mouth, which are usually prominent during panting.
Eye color
They usually have blue or brown-colored round eyes.
But sometimes, because of mutation, they get one blue and one brown eye, which looks very cute on their merle coat.
Weight and Size
Merle bullies are medium-sized dogs with a weight of 30 to 60 kg, which totally depends on their age and their nutrition.
They are 13 to 20 inches tall in their adult years.
The Age of the American Bullies Merle
They usually live a healthy life, and their average age span is 8 to 3 years old, which is a very good life span if we compare it with other breeds of this size.
Liter Size of the American Bullies Merle
American merle bulls have a good production of puppies.
They have 8 to 10 puppies normally, but it also depends on their age.
Behavior of the American Bullies Merle
American bully merle athletic dogs. They love to exercise and do different physical activities.
They have a muscular body with very fine cuts, which give them an attractive, strong dog look.
But unlike other muscular dogs, they are very calm in nature and do not show aggressive behavior.
They are always finding ways to amaze their owner with their loyalty and obedience.
They are very good watchdogs and love to protect their owner and his property.
They assume themselves to be the alpha of the pack and try to keep an eye on everything happening around them.
If they were trained well in their early years, they would not show any aggressive behavior and would prove themselves a great companion and gentle family member.
They are great with children and a little possessive of them.
They love to receive attention from their owner and their family.
Training of the American Bullies Merle
The American bully merle is a very intelligent breed and easy to train.
They are always full of energy, and you can start their training at any age, but in their early years, training helps them a lot to be gentle and calm.
After their training, they prove to be very gentle in nature and start following your instructions.
Treat-giving training is the most effective way to train the American Bullies Merle, giving them their very basic knowledge like sit, stand, run, or fetch.
Potty training is also a very necessary part that they have to learn at an early age.
Grooming of the American Bullies Merle
They are blessed with a shiny and easy-to-maintain coat.
Bathing
As we know, they have a lot of physical activities, so their coat gets dirty every two or three days.
So they need bathing once or twice a week with a good shampoo, and after bathing, dry them with a good towel to keep their coat shiny.
Brushing
Merle bullies need daily brushing to keep their coat healthy because they shed a lot, but they have short, straight hairs that are easy to manage and brush.
You can simply use any soft-bristled brush for brushing their coat.
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Nail Clipping
They have hard, long nails, so their trimming is very necessary to protect them from scratching.
Trim them twice a week.
Hair Trimming
They usually do not need so much hair trimming until you want to give them a new look.
You can easily trim their hair at home or at any other salon after six to eight months.
Breed characteristic summary of the American Bullies Merle
Size | 13 to 20 inches (33 to 55 cm) |
Weight | 20 to 60 kg (44 to 132 lbs.) |
Life Span | 8 to 13 years |
Coat | Short, shiny, and non-hypoallergenic |
Color | Blue merle, red merle, chocolate merle, black merle, or ghost merle tri bullies |
Temperaments | Friendly, calm, and loyal |
Intelligence | Very intelligent |
Socialization | They mostly love to stay around their family. They have average socialization abilities. |
Destructive Behavior | If they are not trained at an early age, they will be a little aggressive and obsessed with their owner. |
People Skills | They are good watchdogs, so they bark when they see any strangers around them. |
Behavior with children | Great with children and spend time with them. |
Behavior with other animals and dogs | Average with unknown animals, but if any animal lives in their house, they are protective of him. |
Exercise | Need a lot of exercise and other physical activities. |
Liter Size | 8 to 10 puppies |
FAQs
How much does a American Bullies Merle cost?
The price of Merle Bully depends on various factors, but some major reasons for their variations are given below:
Original bloodline
Finding the original bloodline of a Merle bully is a little hard work, and you can get it from some reputable breeders.
Reputable breeder
A reputable breeder is also very necessary before adding this furry friend to your family because, when you get them from a good environment, you have to spend less time on their training and health issues.
Coat color
Coat color also affects the price of American Bullies Merle dogs.
If you want to have a American Bullies Merle, a blue merle, or a ghost merle tri bully in your family, you have to spend some extra dollars to get their unique and eye-catching coloration.
The average price varies between 6,000 and 12,000 dollars.
How do you make a American Bullies Merle?
For making a merle bully, one parent must be from the merle family because merle is a dominant gene; if it is present in one of their parents, it will definitely appear in their offspring, but it can vary in patterns and the consistency of color is also a little different from its parents.
Can you register a American Bullies Merle with ABKC?
Merle is considered a mutation that happens in the American bully coat, which gives it a different color.
That’s why the American Bully Kennel Club (ABKC) does not consider it a separate breed. So, you cannot register a American Bullies Merle in ABKC.
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Final Thoughts
Merle bullies get all their attention because of their coat color and pattern, but that’s not the only quality they have. They have strong bodies full of energy.
They are always ready to play and want your time as a true companion.
They are very good watchdogs and very protective of their owner and their property. They can be managed very easily because of their short and smooth hair.
They do not need a lot of grooming, and surprisingly, they have a healthy life span if you properly understand their needs.
So, if you are thinking about adding a merle bully as your new family member, you can welcome him with no worries and easily train him according to your environment.