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I was standing ringside at a dog show watching the collies, minding my own business, when a young man came into the ring with his collie.  This dog had such an unusual coat color that I was immediately curious.    I made a beeline for Tasha Byerly (one of Christine's co-breeders) who was standing on the other side of the ring.   "What is that color Colliewankenobi and where do I get one??"  After she stopped laughing at me, she told me that dog was a Harlequin, a color thought to be extinct in smooth collies.  It seems to be making a comeback, and she has a harlequin girl she was going to breed this year.  I stomped my foot and said "I MUST have one, put me on your wait list!"

One thing led to another, and she suggested that I just bring Harle home and whelp the litter myself.    Needless to say, I was thrilled at the prospect of whelping and seeing baby collie puppies so soon.  I agreed and Harle came home with me.    Please stay tuned for updates on Harle's little men as they go to their new homes.

A word about the Harlequin coat color as written by Kathy Moll of Deep River Collies:

"As in other breeds notably Great Danes, but also Cardigan Corgis, Australian Shepherds + Shelties, a harlequin coat pattern can appear in collies.  It is a pattern rather than a color.  The pattern is large spots on a light background, most often black spots on white or silver background.  A few collies carry the harlequin pattern gene.  This pattern is only visibly expressed in collies with a merle gene.  The merle gene dilutes the base color (black or brown in collies).  Therefore, a collie must have a merle gene for the harlequin pattern gene to be expressed.  These collies are normal merles who in addition to their color genes and their merle gene, also have a harlequin pattern gene.  Until the harlequin gene has been mapped in collies (as it has been in Danes), this is the best explanation we have for this coat pattern."

Kathy was kind enough to allow me to use these 2 photos to help illustrate the harlequin pattern.  She explains it this way:

"While Snow has a large full white collar and a small blaze on her forehead, her body exhibits typical blue merle mottling consisting of varying sized black spots on a gray background. Merle is an incomplete dominant dillution gene occuring in a number of breeds including collies. Snow is a blue merle smooth collie without a harlequin gene.

Powder, on the other hand, has small areas of typical merling combined with areas of  large black spots on a white background, a typical harlequin pattern. As with many blue merle collies with a harlequin gene, she has a very large blaze from her skull to her nose. Powder is also a blue merle smooth but has the additional harlequin pattern gene."

Baby Harle

Harle's show career

I have to say that at first I was concerned about bringing an adult collie that has not lived with little dogs into the pack.  I should not have worried, as Harle is a wonderful dog and fit right into in my household.  She epitomizes the collie standard of "joy for life" and is a huge jokester.  She hasn't yet met anyone she didn't LOVE and loves all dogs, big and small.  I love her antics and her silliness, and can't imagine not having her here.  She's also my A #1 nap buddy even tho she is a bit of a bed hog.

Harle Today

Highlights from Harle's return to the ring at the Getting To Know You collie specialty May 2009.  She had SO MUCH FUN and it was awesome to see her go into the ring and strut her stuff with co-owner Carol Green.