Breeder’s Mistake Leads to Most Gorgeous Pit Bull You’ve Ever Seen—But at What Cost?
All dogs at the shelter — young, old, small, big, disabled, fully abled…..you name it — have one thing in common: a desperation for a permanent home where they’ll experience true happiness like never before.
One of the desperate souls is Nora, a one-year-old deaf, double Merle Pit Bull mix currently residing at Borders Tail Rescue in Northbrook, Illinois. Sure, looks aren’t everything. But we have to admit, Nora has it going on. She has an oh-so-beautiful Merle coat (a distinctive coat pattern), which does either of these two things: stops people in their tracks or makes them do a double-take. (watch video below)
While it’s her most admired physical feature, the unfortunate truth is that this irresistibly gorgeous coat has everything to do with Nora’s blindness.
The Sad Reality of Double Merles
As we’ve mentioned before, Nora is a double Merle, which means she carries two copies of the Merle gene.
This gene is often responsible for a dog’s rare Merle coat or blue eyes. Having one copy of the Merle gene doesn’t pose any health risks to a dog. However, dogs born with two copies of this gene (this happens if the dog’s parents are both Merles, and so the offsprings inherit two copies of the Merle genes) have an increased risk of being born blind or deaf.
Besides blindness and deafness, a double Merle dog can also have serious health defects. This is why it’s not advisable for breeders to breed two Merle dogs, even though some unscrupulous breeders often do so for money.
“Many double Merle pups are the result of backyard breeding, where irresponsible owners breed dogs purely for desirable traits,” explains Pet Rescue Advocate Rocky Kanaka. “Backyard breeders are in profit. Many of them are only producing puppies to sell, which means that they will try anything to get rare and desirable colorations and traits.”
Unfortunately for Nora, being a double Merle pup gave her the most gorgeous Merle coat ever but robbed her of her eyesight. Thankfully, it didn’t rob her of her zest for life. Staff at Borders Tail Rescue can’t get enough of Nora’s ever-cheerful demeanor and enthusiasm for life. If “Don’t let anything get in the way of your happiness, not even your disability” was a dog, it would definitely be Nora.
@bordertailsrescue ✨ Meet Nora! ✨ Meet Nora, a darling 1-year-old pitbull ready to show the world that special needs dogs can overcome anything! Despite being blind, Nora can see big shapes and figures a bit. Her blindness is due to being a double merle, a condition where two merle dogs are bred together, often resulting in blindness, deafness, or both. But Nora doesn’t let her blindness define her. She’s an incredible, trusting, and loving little lady who has already mapped out her foster home and is gaining confidence on walks. Nora hasn’t had a single accident in her foster home and goes potty as soon as she’s outside. She’s great in the crate and isn’t much of a barker. Recently, Nora accompanied her foster mom on a 5-hour day trip and was amazing in the car! She constantly amazes us with how wonderful she is. Nora was brought to Border Tails in rough shape and still needs to gain weight. She’s understandably protective of her meals and needs a family that respects her space while she eats. With slow progress, she’s becoming less frantic during meals, and her body and eyes are already looking better with nourishment. Nora would do great in a home with or without other dogs. She’s very submissive and has gotten along with every dog she’s met. At a recent event, she was loved by kids and adults alike and immediately bonded with every human she met. Nora has even been around horses without getting scared or barking. She’s a gentle, happy, and easygoing dog who would make a wonderful companion. Nora’s unique differences hardly affect her at all. She has no idea she’s different. Nora is looking for a home that will dote on her and continue to show her how beautiful life can be. She’s an absolute joy to have around. If you’re looking for a mid/low energy, happy, special pitbull, you’re going to fall fast in love with her. Yes, she’s really housebroken, crate trained, dog-friendly, good in the car, and quiet. So don’t wait to bring this dream dog home! Apply for her today! You can apply for this pup here: https://www.bordertailsrescue.org/adopt 📍Northbrook, IL 📞 847-813-5774 📧 [email protected]
♬ Frost on the Pines – Joe-Jordan
Could You Be Nora’s Forever Person?
If the shelter had to describe Nora in one word, they’d say “loveable.” Everything about Nora makes her loveable: her stunning looks, sweet demeanor, gentle temperament, jovial nature, discipline, and ability to rise above her blindness by embracing life with enthusiasm.
She’s hands……*sorry* paws-down an absolute sweetheart who loves to bring joy to people’s lives, adults and kids alike. In addition to being kid-friendly, Nora also gets along with other dogs. She’s never met a dog she didn’t like, making her a great addition to a home with other dogs.
Nora didn’t have a pleasant past, which affected her confidence and behavior around meal times (resource guarding). Luckily, her foster has done a great job elevating her confidence levels and helping her overcome her aggression around food. She still isn’t fully there yet, so she’ll appreciate a forever family that will respect her space during meal times and continue working on her confidence.
Nora is crate-trained and house-trained and does amazing during car rides. All she needs is someone who’ll cherish her and accommodate her special needs. If you’d love to open your home to this well-mannered Merle beauty and show her what it’s like to be a deeply loved pet, please visit Border Tails Rescue for more details on her adoption.
