What's a 'Merlequin'?

[KC and Critters]

Can someone please explain the difference between a merle and a merlequin? I'm confused. Does anyone have a picture of a merlequin?

[Carol]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

A merlequin has a white base coat color and grey spots instead of black.

[jensdanes]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

I thought that would be a porcelain Harl? Merlequin has a white base coat with merle (blue with black dots in the blue) spots if I am mistaken, please correct me.:-) I say this because I have what has been "diagnosed" a Porcelain Harl.
Edited to say: Porcelain Harl has no black fur at all...I was told.

[fredalina]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Correct, and the nose leather on a porcelain harle (aka "Bluequin") would also be blue, whereas the nose leather on a merlequin would be black.

[Carol]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Yes, you are correct. I didn't take the time to type in the black markings mixed in with the grey.

[Zoeys Mom]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Well now I'm confused. I always thought a merle and a merlequin were exactly the same, just that merle was abbreviated for merlequin? So what is the color where the coat is greyish with black spots? That's what I thought was a merle/merlequin?

[Mom x 2]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

I have a merle and a merliquin. You can see their pics in the pic of the week archives link below:

http://www.danesonline.com/week164.htm

Shiner is the merle (technically I think she's a mismarked mantled merle) and Capone is the merliquin.

Cindy

[Zoeys Mom]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Ok, I'm still confused. Yes Shiner looks like a merle, but isn't Capone a mantle merle?

Still have no idea what the difference is between a merle and a merlequin (if there is one). Guess that's why I have fawns and brindles. No confusion there. :'(

[mp]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Merle describes color; merlequin describes color AND pattern. A mantle merle, for instance, would have merle coloring arranged in a mantle pattern.

When we talk about merlequins, brindlequins, fawnequins, and so forth, we're talking about Danes with the harlequin pattern of torn patches of color. (Except for the word harlequin, these are all colloquial terms). Porcelains do not have true patches.

mp

[Gunners Mom]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

I think a perfect example of a merle would be Lass from Sixstar, and Gunner is a merlequin, he has a base coat of white but spots of merle and black.

look at this http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4289735785

Gunner's Mom (Janet)

[Zoeys Mom]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

That helps Mindy. But I'm still sticking with fawns and brindles.

[Brita Great Danes]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Here are some pics of Merlequins...http://members.aol.com/greatdanerescue/merlequin.html.

Here are some pics of Merles...http://members.aol.com/greatdanerescue/merle.html.

Here are some pics of the Porcelain harl or Bluaquin...http://members.aol.com/greatdanerescue/bluquin.html.

Hope that helps.

[jensdanes]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

Pics of a "bluquin" or porcelain can also be seen at my imagestation site below my Duncan is almost 5 months old now...one question, are the porcelains or "bluquin's" always so blanketed, is that what you mean about them being without the "torn patches"?

[PeverettandPhoenix]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

I've seen what I thought was a porcelain,and she looked just like a Harlequin (torn patches), except her spots and nose were blue. So going along with this question, why are they sometimes a "Blue Merle" and not just a "Merle"? Let me elaborate, I have seen a merle that was a light gray in base color, but had blue spots, not black - would this be a blue merle? Just when I think I know what I am talking about!

[Mira]

RE: What's a 'Merlequin'?

A merlequin has a white base coat with merle patches. They look just like a harl except where the black is on a harl it is merle on a merliquin. Just a merle is a base pattern of grey w/black patches. A mantle merle has the pattern of a mantle. They have a white collar, white hocks, white chest, and white tipped tail but they have a grey base w/black patches rather than a black base like a mantle would. If you go to the site where I have pics of all my furkids you can see the difference. Mira is great example of a mantle merle.

This site has almost every "odd" color of dane

http://hometown.aol.com/greatdanerescue/colors.html