Merle colour ?

Just wondering if the breed council or anyone else has and any updates from the KC regarding the merle colouring in the sbt? Or is it simply left to be allowed to be registered as an unrecognised colour?


The reason I ask is because of the following report:

DACHSHUND puppies whose parents are dapple and have resulted from matings on or after January 1 will not be registered by the Kennel Club.
The KC has agreed the move after a request by the Dachshund breed council because the merle allele – one of a series of different forms of a gene – increases the risk of impaired sight and hearing.
Coat colour in the Dachshund varieties is complex because a range of colours is acceptable, the KC said this week. Dapple patterning, patches of lighter colour appearing in the coat, is the result of the M gene in the dog. There are two alleles of this gene: MM (merle) and M+ (non-merle), with merle (MM) being dominant to non-merle (M+). In some breeds, the effect of the merle allele (MM) is termed ‘dapple’.
“Unfortunately, the effects of the merle allele (MM) are not confined to coat patterning and we know that there can be an increased risk of impaired hearing and sight associated with it, particularly in dogs who are homozygous for MM (dogs who carry two copies of the MM allele),” a spokesman said.
“Many breeds are aware of, and for many years have dealt perfectly adequately with, avoiding the consequences of these health issues. However, at the request of the Dachshund Breed council the General Committee has agreed that with effect from January 1 the KC will not accept the registration of any Dachshund puppies from matings which take place on or after this date, where both parents are dapple.”
The KC said that at present there will be no changes in other breeds which have merles. “Any request from other breeds would be considered separately,” the spokesman said.
DOG WORLD breed note writer Jeff Horswell said he was delighted by the news that the KC had taken the step as requested by the breed council with the support of all breed clubs.
“This is very much a health issue,” he said. “Dapples must never be mated to dapples.
“Sadly, people do undertake this mating, either through ignorance or in an attempt to breed ever more exotic colours.”