Colors, Colors and More Colors
The World of Canine Coat Color
Canine coat colors are used for identification. For breeders, the primary coat color is identified as the COLOR of the dog. Patterns and/or secondary colors identify the MARKINGS. There are BREED COLORS, both Standard and Alternative, however the name of the color may vary with the breed. Throw in a pet owner’s name for a color and it becomes a confusing topic.
Frequently a breed has it’s own name for the same color(s) as another breed. Below are a few examples of AKC Breed Standard Colors for what many pet owners refer to as BLONDE or CHAMPAGNE:
-Labrador Retriever AKC color is Yellow #232
-Golden Retriever AKC color is Light Golden #119
-Chihuahua AKC color(s) are Cream #076 and Fawn #082
-Chesapeake Bay Retriever ACK Color is Tan #195
-Afghan Hound AKC color is Cream #076
-Bull Mastiff AKC color is Fawn #082
-Cocker Spaniel AKC color(s) are Buff #068 and Cream #067
-Australian Terrier AKC color is Sandy #169
-Barbet AKC color is Fawn #082
-Chow Chow AKC color is Cream #076
-Pomeranian AKC color is Cream #076
-Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier ACK color is #224
-and the list goes on…
The Pit Bull based breeds are no exception to the color wheel of identifiable standards of the primary coat color, secondary coat color and markings. Add to that list the various organizations throughout of the world that recognize the breed and identify by number or name their colors and markings … the spectrum is vast!
There are so many color combinations and marking patterns, choosing the color that is right for you is a personal one. Some colors carry personality traits, coat care, rarity, seen as friendly or intimidating, or simply a status symbol.
Puppy colors are not always the adult colors. It is important to remember that puppies coats are not the true colors of an adult dog. Colors fluctuate as they grow including secondary colors and markings. Some color combinations and markings are prone to change as the puppy ages
Common Coat Colors & Patterns
Banding: When hairs have bands of more than one color. Associated with agouti (aw), but some banding may also occur in sable dogs
Black & Silver: Black with tan points (atat) which have been diluted to off-white by the Intensity gene
Blue Roan: Black-pigmented dog with roaned white, which appears a bluish color
Black Brindle: Heavily brindled dog (i.e. with thick black stripes, so very little red shows through)
Bronzing: A brownish cast to the coat of a long-haired black dog, usually caused by sun bleaching
Butterfly Nose: Partly pink nose on a merle
Beauty Spot: Colored spot in the middle of the forehead blaze on a piebald dog
Charcoal: Very dark blue dilute (dd), often appearing almost black
Clear Colored: One solid color all over (i.e. no sabling on a red dog). Clear-colored dogs may still have white markings (white is not a color)
Creeping Tan: Pattern in-between traditional tan points and saddle. Generally the tan covers the whole of the muzzle and eyebrows, most of the legs, and the front of the chest. Caused by the RALY modifier
Dark Merle: A merle dog with a dark grey base coat (rather than the usual light grey). This is caused by intermingled black hairs
Dudley Nose: Pink or liver nose
Fawn Merle: Sable merle. In clear sables, merle may only be visible on the mask (if present)
Flashy: A dog with more white than normal for its breed, or a dog with clear white (no ticking)
Points: Markings (usually tan, or a variant of) on the sides of the muzzle, the neck, chest, eyebrows, lower legs and vent
Pips: Tan markings above the eyebrows and on the cheeks on a tan-pointed dog
Red: Used to describe various shades of red, from the lightest (cream) to the darkest (mahogany) – aka Apricot , Buff , Chestnut , Cinnamon , Cream , Deer , Fawn , Fallow , Gold , Lemon , Mahogany , Orange , Red , Russet , Rust, Sandy , Stag , Tan , Tawny , Wheaten , Yellow
Reverse Brindle: Black brindle (very heavy black striping)
Seal: Appears black with a brownish tinge. Genetic basis is unknown.
Slate: Dark blue (which is diluted black, dd)
Sooty: Sable with black sabling “muddying” the red. Sometimes called a sabled fawn
Tri-Color (Tri): Literally “three colors”
Trim: A small amount of white on the chest, muzzle, toes and/or tail tip
Trindle: Brindle tricolor Note: Brindle never appears as the main color on a tan-pointed dog
Vent Marking: Tan patch under the tail on a tan-pointed dog
White Collar: White reaching all the way around the neck
