The four basic coat base colors of the Australian Shepherd includes:

Black Aussie
Blue Merle Aussie
Red Aussie
Red Merle Aussie

Merle-colored Aussies, especially the blue merle, are highly sought after. They’re not the most common, but they are in high demand. As a result, you can expect to pay higher prices for these dogs.

In the past, most reputable breeders did not charge extra for color choice. But with a sharp increase in demand for blue merles, many breeders have opted to charge a premium.