We can see some eyes opening 🥰

There’s something truly magical about the moment puppies begin to open their eyes for the first time—and this week, Lexi’s precious litter has reached that milestone! Tiny peeks have turned into curious glances, as these newborn Cavoodle pups begin to take in the world around them. Each blink reveals a little more of their developing personalities and sets the stage for the next exciting phase of puppyhood—exploration!

Among these adorable faces is something particularly special: the rare and captivating chocolate merle pattern. Unlike a standard brown coat, chocolate merle is marbled with lighter and darker patches of cocoa and cream, often paired with striking eye colors like pale blue or green. It’s a pattern that never fails to turn heads—and for good reason.

What is Merle?Merle is a genetic pattern caused by the M (merle) gene, which creates a mottled or dappled effect in a dog’s coat, and sometimes affects eye and skin pigment as well. In chocolate merles, the base color is brown (due to the b/b gene for brown pigment), and the merle gene subtly alters the distribution of that pigment, resulting in a swirled or patchy appearance.

Where did it come from?Merle isn’t naturally found in Poodles or Cavaliers (the parent breeds of Cavoodles), but was introduced generations ago through outcrossing with breeds like the Australian Shepherd or Border Collie, where merle is naturally present. Over time, careful breeding reestablished Cavoodle type and temperament while preserving rare coat variations like chocolate merle. It remains uncommon and highly sought after by people who admire its beauty and understand the responsibility of breeding it ethically.