
The handsome, big-boned Akita is the largest ofJapan’s native breeds. Let’s start by taking a closer look at some of the more popular large breeds with beautiful, brindle coats! Akita

So, to make it easier for you to find one you love, we’ve split them into different categories. Large Brindle Dog Breedsĭogs with brindle coats can vary a lot. So, it’s wise to pay attention to any genetic health issues brindle breeds might be susceptible to. Unfortunately, these dogs often suffer from more severe problems. Testing and Double Merlesĭogs suspected of having the merle gene should be tested for it, to prevent the merle gene from being passed to another generation.ĭouble merle dogs have two merle alleles, one from each parent. And the health of our dogs is more important than the way their fur looks. But there are health implications for any dog breed with the merle and brindle genes. This is quite a subtle effect that can look pretty. Merle coloring mixed with brindle coloring often results in an interesting combination of dark stripes mixed with shorter stripes and spots. For example, the merle gene is known to cause ear and eye problems in dogs. But, it can be mixed with other color coat genes that do lead to health problems. Can Pattern Impact Health?īrindle coloring itself is not an issue in terms of your dog’s health.

This doesn’t mean those animals have similar genetics, however. In others, brindle coloration is less desirable.īrindle patterning can also appear on different animals, such as horses, cats, rodents, and even lizards. In some dog breeds, the brindle pattern is encouraged in purebred show dogs. Since Boxers cannot be black, most dark-colored boxers actually have dark brindle fur. You sometimes see reverse brindling in Boxer dogs that look black. With reverse brindle dogs, light stripes appear to sit on a dark background. This causes the brindle to look reversed. The terms ‘reverse brindle’ and ‘black brindle’ are used to describe a brindle dog coat with a high concentration of darker stripes. You may also use the term reverse brindle. At a quick glance, these dogs appear black or dark brown. Some dogs are light brindle in color - mostly red with darker stripes. It can come in different shades and tones, and the pattern shapes vary.

Not all brindle patterning is exactly the same. And not all brindle patterns appear in the same way in different dog breeds. To make matters even more complicated, not all dogs have a striped brindle coat. Sometimes called a trindle or tricolored coats. Plus, we know that all brindle dogs can still have white markings on their coat.

Researchers have discovered which gene determines color intensity. And it’s still unclear what controls the various aspects of brindle, such as stripe width.
REVERSE BRINDLE BOXER MIX PUPPIES HOW TO
We don’t yet know how to genetically test for the brindle coloring. So, it can be hard to predict what dogs with brindle coats will look like until they grow into their fur. Genes can act differently in different dog breeds. A particular combination of Agouti genes can even give rise to tricolor dogs! And different Agouti combinations determine how the brindle shows up in dogs. It switches on and off the red and black pigments in dogs. The Agouti gene is one of the most important genes involved in coloration. They also switch other pattern and color genes on and off too! So to be brindle requires a brindle gene, and a specific type of Agouti gene.īut, even with this combination present, the brindle will be switched off if another gene known as ‘dominant black’ is present! The Agouti Gene Dog coat color genes don’t just switch specific colors or patterns on and off individually.
