What’s a Merle Bernedoodle? Meet Our Newest Star Pup

The moment we’d all been waiting for is finally here—Sage had her first litter! And let me tell you, they’re absolutely perfect. Seven little pups, each one as adorable as the next. But one pup has stolen the spotlight already: our very first merle Bernedoodle!

If you’ve been following along, you know Sage is a merle Bernedoodle herself. We brought her in from Canada two years ago, dreaming of the day we’d see her unique coat pattern passed on to her puppies. Little did we know her very first litter would make that dream come true!

What Makes a Merle So Special?

Merle isn’t your typical tri-color coat—it’s a stunning, marbled pattern reminiscent of Van Gogh’s Starry Night, painted on a red, grey, black, and white ever-so-floofy pup.

But here’s the thing: merles are rare. Really rare.

Why? Because breeding for merle teeters on the edge of danger (if you don’t know what you’re doing, of course). You’d think it would be simple: there’s even a merle gene dedicated to creating the coat’s splotchy, swirled appearance.

But creating healthy, happy merle pups isn’t as simple as pairing two merle parents together. In fact, that gene combination is exactly what leads to the health issues most people worry about with Merle pups. When pups get a merle gene from both parents, they’re at risk of serious health issues, like hearing or vision impairments–something we’d never want to doom our sweet pups with.

Instead, responsible breeders carefully plan parent pairings to ensure the health of the pups. One parent should be merle, while the other can’t have the gene. With this genetic combo, their pup’s cl oat coloring is always a roll of the dice, but their health is in the clear. That’s why every merle pup feels like winning the genetic lottery!

So after all this anticipation, you won’t blame us when we say we literally jumped up and down with joy when Sage gifted us with a perfect merle little boy–Gumby!

Gumby: From Day One to 8 Weeks

When Gumby was first born, his coat was more solid and dark. And yes–this is exactly what Sage looked like as a pup!

Gumby spent his days alongside his siblings, learning how to play with toys, cuddle with my grandkids, and love life in this loud, beautiful world. But unlike his brothers and sisters, his coat matured right along with his personality!

Now, Gumby is a brave, well adjusted, and perfectly merle pup. As of the day this blog was written, he’s eagerly awaiting temperament testing day so his perfect family can choose him as their forever pup.

But in the meantime…

Why Is Everyone Talking About Gumby?

Since announcing his arrival, we’ve been flooded with messages from you all—our Olive Branch family. It’s clear that merles hold a special place in your hearts (and ours!).

All this chatter isn’t just about his exotic coat though. Merles have all the loving, playful, family-friendly traits you’d expect from a Bernedoodle, so the combination is too amazing to not get excited over!

What’s Next for Merles at the Olive Branch?

If you’re as excited about merle Bernedoodles as we are, we’ve got good news. Gumby is just the beginning.

We’ve always dreamed of producing healthy, happy merles that bring joy to families, and now that we’ve seen how much love they’re getting, we’re already planning future pairings to continue this journey. Of course, we’ll always prioritize the health and well-being of every pup, and we’re committed to keeping our breeding practices responsible and ethical.

For now, we’re soaking up every minute of having Gumby in our lives. He’s growing fast, and we can’t wait to share more updates as he transitions into his forever home.

Curious About Merles?

We’ve got more merle magic to share! If you have questions about these unique pups—what they’re like to live with, how their coats change, or anything else—let us know! You can email me at theresa@olivebranchbernedoodles with questions, subscribe to our newsletter for future updates, or join our waitlist to start the process of bringing home your own perfect pup.