Merle or not merle?

[Mutt]

I had intended to only ask about two dogs but as I went to my owners folder more who I weren't sure about popped up, I'd like to know whether the following are merles just so I don't in future accidentally breed double merles.


I'm almost 100% certain Lady is a merle.


Not so sure about Rune.


Heather has patchy coloring that looks like it could be merle.


Steel was kindly gifted to me from a round of CYO by indigowulf, I think he was colored as a blue merle.

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help out 

[YourLoveOnly]

I'd say the first one is defenitely a merle just like my afghan girl Dendera ^^
Not too sure about the others.

[Taruia]

1. Red Merle
2. Blue Ticked
3. Blue Merle with White
4. I'd say more ticked then merle, but if it was colored as a merle then it's a merle.

[indigowulf]

If it's up to colorist, Steel was colored with ticked in mind

[Taruia]

We base it off the reference, or the colorist. If the colorist used a merle ref pic, then it's a merle. If they used a ticked ref pic it's ticked.

[indigowulf]

heh i didnt use a ref, I just colored. I think the only coloring Ive done with a ref so far was one of the australians I did