Our Breeding Program
We are happy to accept female dogs for breeding with our stud. Your female must be AKC registered, current on vaccinations, non-aggressive, and brought directly to us for breeding. The comfort and safety of your female are our top priorities, and we take great pride in ensuring she feels right at home during her stay. While we will do everything we can to ensure a successful breeding, it's crucial that the female’s owner is transparent about her cycle, health, and breeding history. Breeding involves many variables, so clear expectations and open communication are key. For more details on our in-house breeding process, please contact us directly—we're here to help!
Understanding the Genetics of English Bulldogs: The Chocolate, Blue, Merle, and Traditional Colors
When breeding English Bulldogs, understanding the genetics behind coat colors is crucial for both aesthetic purposes and the long-term health of the breed. One of the most interesting and sought-after genetic combinations occurs when an English Bulldog carries the chocolate and blue genes. Thats why we love having Chocolate colored females at Shining C! When bred to a male who is a merle carrier or any color carrier for that matter, the resulting puppies can display a stunning array of colors, including blues, lilacs, merles, brindle and even traditional color patterns. But this combination comes with a few important considerations for prospective breeders.
What Are Merle, Blue, and Lilac Bulldogs?
In bulldog breeding, the merle gene is a dominant trait that creates a unique, mottled coat pattern of lighter and darker patches. The blue and lilac colors are the result of specific recessive genes, with blue being a dilution of the black gene and lilac resulting from a combination of the chocolate and blue genes. English bulldog merle genes are different than other traditional merle breeds like Australian Shepherds, so that must also be taken into consideration!
When breeding a merle or color carrier male to a female with chocolate and blue genes, you may see a variety of coat colors in the puppies, such as:
Blue Bulldogs: These dogs have a distinctive bluish-gray coat color, resulting from the dilution of the black gene.
Lilac Bulldogs: This color is a unique combination of chocolate and blue, creating a soft, light grayish-brown coat.
Merle Bulldogs: These dogs display a beautiful, patchy coat pattern, where the merle gene creates random areas of light and dark.
Traditional Bulldogs: Some puppies may not inherit the merle or color dilution genes and will maintain traditional coat colors like fawn, brindle, or white. These colors can still be cryptic carriers and its very important to do your research for responsible breeding!
Carriers of the Merle Gene and Blue Eyes
It's essential to know that puppies born from this combination can carry the merle gene even if they don’t show the merle coat pattern. Some of them may also inherit blue eyes, which is often a distinguishing trait of merle dogs. The presence of blue eyes in a puppy is not necessarily an indicator of merle, but it’s more common in dogs with a merle coat pattern.
The Importance of Researching Bloodlines and Avoiding Double Merle Breeding
When considering a female puppy for future breeding, especially one with a desirable color like chocolate, blue, or lilac, it's critical to research her bloodlines carefully. Specifically, ensure that there is no risk of "double merle" breeding. Double merle breeding occurs when both parents carry the merle gene, which can result in puppies with serious health problems, such as hearing or vision impairments. That is why at Shining C, we take our education very seriously & pride ourselves on informing our clients on this information if they choose to decide to breed their puppy in the future!
Breeding a double merle can lead to puppies that may suffer from congenital defects, and this is a risk that all responsible breeders aim to avoid. Always consult with professionals and perform genetic testing to confirm the health and genetics of the breeding pair before proceeding. This is the most effective way to ensure that you are breeding healthy puppies who will thrive in their new homes!
Conclusion
Purchasing a female puppy with the intention to breed in the future is an exciting and rewarding decision, but it must be done with a full understanding of the genetic factors at play. Researching bloodlines and ensuring that the breeding pair is free from double merle genetics & hereditary health issues, will safeguard the health of the puppies and promote responsible breeding practices. By paying close attention to coat color, genetic inheritance, and potential health risks, you can ensure that your English Bulldogs are not only stunning in appearance but also healthy and well-bred for the future. At Shining C, we promise to keep our clients informed on their puppy's pedigree and take extreme measures to make sure our females are only bred to appropriate AKC registered English Bulldog studs. We have made a contract to not only protect the health and safety of our puppies but our business as well. We take great pride in our dogs & want the Shining C name to be highly sought out and thought of.
