Coolies come in every colour, except brindle. Some are under the impression that the Coolie is a breed consisting of all Merle coloration and that the solid coloured Coolies are substandard, inferior, cross bred, or are "throw backs". This is incorrect, because dogs are either genetically black or brown and the merle colour is a pattern, not a colour.

This is why there is not a breed of dog that is exclusively the Merle colour pattern. It is important to understand that solid coloured dogs play an important role in the future of the breed. The Coolie needs the solids to strengthen the colour and enhance the breed's future against genetic defects caused by the effects of merle to merle breeding. A merle to merle mating, in no way does it assure a litter of all merle pups. This mating can result in blind and/or deaf (or both) pups.

Some puppy's may be born without any eyeballs, only empty eye sockets. Other deformities and conditions can occur, as well as death of the puppy inutero. The Australian Shepherd breeders have collected much data and conducted many years of research into the effects of merle to merle breeding. They have experienced and seen the devastating effects that this type of color breeding can have on a litter of puppies, and the breed itself. Merle to merle breeding is not practiced in the Aussie community and is written into their Code of Conduct and/or Code of Ethics that it will not be conducted.

There is much information published on the "White Aussie", as they are referred to, and this information can be used as a reference guide to the Coolie, as well. Why is the Coolie so identified and labeled as a "merle color only" breed? We don't know exactly? As we become more educated and more people understand the pitfalls in merle to merle breeding, it is hoped that one day the Coolie will be recognised by it's working ability and temperament and not it color. As in the words of Captain Max von Stephanitz, "No good dog can be a bad colour".