Yellow Australian Shepherds

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The Yellow Aussie is uncommon and often misunderstood due to a lack of education. It was not until the late 1970s that organizations established the "standard" colors for Australian Shepherds

The yellow hue, produced by a recessive gene, can vary significantly among dogs. Some yellow Australian Shepherds may exhibit a light yellow akin to that of a Labrador, while others might display a deeper golden yellow, similar to a Golden Retriever. On rare occasions, one may even observe a mahogany red, although this is atypical.

For a yellow Aussie puppy to be born, both parents must carry the E-locus gene. This possibility exists across all the primary color categories of the Australian Shepherd breed.

Yellow Australian Shepherds, like their dilute counterparts, do not suffer any adverse effects from this genetic trait. They are as healthy and robust as Australian Shepherds of any other "standard" color.

Regardless of whether their parents possess tan trim, yellow dogs will not exhibit this feature. Their white markings remain unaffected.

While sable and yellow are appealing colors, they are prohibited in the Aussie breed standards for valid reasons. Both colors can conceal the presence of the merle pattern. Consequently, it may not be apparent if a dog carries the merle gene, which could lead to breeding with another merle dog. This pairing can result in puppies that are blind or deaf due to inheriting two copies of the merle gene. This is why we test ALL of our yellow puppies!

With modern day genetic testing for the M locus (Merle), there is no need for concern for yellow aussies within our breeding program.