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| 1) Two Dominant merle genes coming together in an individual (dog) produce the "white merle", also called "homozygous" or "double dilute merles" - and they are NOT to be confused with the normal Blue-marked White), and are deaf or blind, or perhaps mostly so; 2) The albino, a recessive homozygous gene, producing a white which lacks pigment, as a pink nose, lips, etc. The albino gene works individually and is not linked with any color gene, be it sable, tri, blue or white. It is rare in humans, one in 20,000, is a carrier; 3) Two colored animals carrying the "white factor" may produce animals all white and/or predominantly white, which are sound and in NO WAY DIFFERENT from their colored littermates. In the early days of our Collies, the science of genetics was unknown and some breeders then felt that less white on a dog denoted a purer strain (of Collie). At this time Whites were destroyed in litters, and breeders swore they never had any. It is a miracle that a small handful of whites escaped this massacre. There was an old wives' tale around this time which held that albinos where used to develop the White Collie, and thus Whites were always defective, usually deaf, blind, and not as vigorous as their counterparts, the colored littermates. Later came talk of Borzoi blood being infused into the Collie line, and so it was said White were brought into the breed through the "Russians" in the family tree. I have searched everywhere for proof that the albino was used in the early days of the White, and find nothing but "talk" of it. Where did this rare gene come from? As Whites were destroyed and only a tiny number survived, it would most likely have come from colored dogs - if present at all. In an early article, Mrs. M. Tach wrote: "I admit that a present I know of no pure white specimens that are absolutely free from the taint of albinoism, but I do know of at least six nearly pure white specimens that are certainly not albinos themselves. Nor do their pedigrees reveal trace of albino ancestry. I use the word "taint" advisedly, for certainly nothing less than a taint could predispose a dog to blindness, deafness and other imperfections." No one pinpoints the albino blood, no mention of when, where, or how - what line carried it, or where it really came from. Could the white merle be the real culprit? Blue to Blue mating were common then, and the "white merle" could easily have been confused with the normal white (Collie), as without knowledge of genetics, a White is a White, no matter how is is produced. In the early 1880's, The Lily was whelped - a White bitch shown in England in 1883. She was the dam of Loafer, maternal grandsire of CH Mechley Wonder. CH Charlemagne, CH Metchley Wonder, The Lily, and many other well known dogs all figured heavily in the production of today's Whites, as well as in development of our leading show Collies of all colors. (NOTE: The Complete Collie - CC of A states: The Lily was litter sister of CH Flurry, and dam of CH Flurry II. The Lily ex Chang, produced Loafer. Loafer ex Catrine produced Metchley Wonder.) It is through Metchley Wonder's line that The Lily's blood comes down. Metchley Wonder, himself being a broadly marked bright Sable - whelped in 1886. His sire was a Tri-colored dog - Sefton - dam a Sable. Maude's sire was Old Cockie, a Sable ex Meg. Sefton's dam Minnie was by a Tri, Loafer, sired by Chang ex The Lily. Minnie's dam - Catrine, a Sable, was sired by Bonnie Laddie (brother to Druce) brother to Druce ex Bonnie Greta (by Druce ex Hunt's Lassie). Bonnie Laddie was by Duncan ex Bess. Duncan was sired by a Tri-color, Scott, and Scott by Lufra, a tri. It is to the paternal line through CH Charlemagne and the maternal line through The Lily - that Metchley Wonder's white producing ability can be attributed. On December 15, 1889, at the kennels of Harry Bascom, a White puppy was whelped and through the intercession a child did not suffer the customary slaughter of the innocents. At the age of fourteen months, he was sold to Mr. M.E. Servoss of Edison Park, IL, for $25.00 and named White Wonder. White Wonder when mature, was all white except for the tips of his ears and a small spot like a pencil tip in the center of his forhead. As a breeder, he proved strong in the white tendancy. White Wonder was bred to a very good Lincoln bitch named Minetta - who was one-third Sable and represented the fourth generation from CH Metchley Wonder's litter brother, Metchley Wonder II - imported to this country. Three all White pups resulted; one was kept and named White Albin and he stood at stud for over ten years. He died in the harness from infectious black tongue. White Albin was whleped September 10, 1901 and left a good record as a stud. His most noted offsprings, whose dam was Snow Flurry of Sunnyside; Kittit's As White Mountaineer, kenneled in New Jersey; Blue Mountain Snowdrop and Major White of Sunnyside, went south. These dogs did good work at stud as a result of their inheritance and all were withdrawn from public stud for reasons of age. From the pedigree of CH Metchley Wonder, it can be seen that the 'white factor" or "white gene" was present in the earliest Collies. The Metchley Wonder lines were heavily used and interred with other lines. If there was an albino gene used to produce the White Collie, it would still be here to bug us in the present. It is a recessive (gene) and if a carrier were bred to a non-carrier, a percentage of the pups would be carriers. Thus passing on the "taint" for generations upon generations. When Carriers were unknowlingly bred together, there would be albino pups...there is just not enough proof that the abino was used to produce the WHITE COLLIE. If Borzoi blood was brought into the Collie strain - it was much later and the White could not have been the result of the Collie-Borzoi cross. Some other famous colored dogs which produced Whites were CH Ellwyn Astologer, CH Rightaway, CH Wishaw Clinker, CH Hanover Monarch and CH Anfield Model. If anyone has ever wondered where the white-factor comes from in the Parader line, it is through the White - Bellfountaine White Bordoni, who was the maternal grandam of Heatherton Pal, maternal grandsire of "Parader", (CH Silver Ho Parader). So you see, White Fanciers are not trying to set the White aside as a breed or trying to foist a new color on the public - we are trying to improve on the oldest of the known colors of the breed. |
| Article courtesy of THE WHITE COLLIE CHRONICLE Jan/Feb/March 2000 Volume 5, Issue 1 |
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