Updates to the Mudi Standard - more merle!

[Vesale]

Request: Update Mudi standard to allow Slate/Blue Merle and Isabella Merle
Breed/Doc: https://petzmainstreet.com/ukc/breeds/mudi.php
Evidence:

• FCI states "Colour: Black, White, Fawn (from beige to red), Ash (blue), Liver (brown), Ash-brown (diluted brown/izabella), Cifra (Merle), i.e. pigmented patterns of the above-mentioned colours diluted by the merle factor. "
• AKC states "Allowed colors are: Black. Brown – All shades. Gray. Gray-brown – dilute of brown (Isabella). Yellow and White – All shades. Merle – The merle pattern may be present with any color."
• KC states "Black, white, fawn (from beige to red), blue, brown, blue-brown (diluted brown/Isabella), merle in these colours. White markings, including small patch on chest (less than 5 cms / 2 ins) or some white on toes tolerated."

Example Dogs
North American Mudi Alliance Color page
Champion Hungarian Blue Merle
Litter with 2 ash/slate/blue merle pups




I can't find any champ Isabellas, delving into the Hungarian side of the internet is proving to be a task.

[KingHarry]

Happy to accept this!

Considering isabella is a rare colour, merle is going to make it even rarer, and the Mudi isn't a common breed, I'm happy to accept isabella merle without evidence of a show quality dog on the grounds that you've linked to a show quality slate merle (and one of the parents of the litter you linked to is one too). If slate merles aren't at a disadvantage in shows, it seems logical that isabella wouldn't be either.

[Vesale]

Hooray!

Probably not needed, but was doing more research to TRY and find a champed isabella merle and came across this rather stunning mudi, though not sure if she is/has champed.

[KingHarry]

Either way, the image is useful for being confident about what nose colours they're allowed to have! Thank you!

For anyone looking who wants to hex the new colours immediately, the standard will most likely be:

Slate merle (strict). Blue nose and gold eyes, as per current standard.
Isabella merle (strict). Blue, liver, or flesh nose. Gold eyes, as per current standard.
Blue eyes also allowed on both.

Not a super fan of allowing blue for isabella noses, but as it's already allowed for isabella dogs we'll keep it in as we have a policy of trying not to remove anything from the standards unless it's a major issue.