If you’ve ever wondered how many different pitbull colors there are, you might have noticed you’ve seen a lot. Pitbulls can come in twenty-three different colors!
Of course, genetics are what determine coat color, and some colors are rarer than others. Here’s everything you need to know about the differences.
Coat Colors
Pitbull coats come in the following twenty-three colors:
- Buckskin
- Seal
- Fawn
- Fawn sable
- Black
- Black brindle
- Fawn brindle
- Red
- Red brindle
- Blue
- Blue brindle
- Reverse brindle
- Tan
- Blue fawn
- Blue fawn brindle
- Brown and tan
- White
- Liver
- Black and white
- Blue and white
- Tricolor
- Merle
- Spotted
As you can see, there are different combinations of colors that produce another coat entirely!
Does The Color Matter?
The color of your pitbull will only matter if you want a particular aesthetic. Some people associate black pitbulls, for example, with being aggressive or used for dog-fighting — but this is an unfair reputation.
It can affect other things too, such as the price.
In terms of the temperament and personality of the dog, however, the color has absolutely no effect.
What Is The Most Common Color?
White, black, brown, and any combination of the three are the most common pitbull colors in America. If you’re looking for one, you should be able to find them quite easily!
What Is The Rarest Color?
The rarest pitbull color is merle. They’re very expensive, and their breeding has resulted in health issues such as deafness and blindness.
If you do decide to take on a merle pitbull, you should have them health-checked or be prepared to take on some challenges when it comes to raising them. While special needs pups need a home too, you need to make sure you’re well-equipped for the challenges it might present — otherwise, it’s not fair to you or the pup.
How Do I Find The Color I Want?
If you have your heart set on a particular color of pitbull, you’ll have to do your research. The color may be a rare one, such as a merle or a brindle, and that means you should be prepared to pay a lot and have to go through a breeder.
There’s nothing wrong with buying your puppy from a breeder as long as it’s done ethically. You should look out for the following things when looking for a good breeder:
- Health checks done on the parents
- Puppies dewormed and up to date on shots
- Transparency and a willingness to let you meet the parents and see where the puppies were raised
- A spay/neuter contract
- A guarantee to take the puppy back if anything were to go wrong
Don’t buy a puppy from a breeder selling them for cheap on Craigslist, as you may end up with a puppy that has health or temperament problems.
If you want one of the more common colors — or aren’t fussy about what color your pitbull is — you’ll be able to find one in a shelter. Unfortunately, pitbulls have a bad reputation, which means shelters are often full of them. Go and rescue your new best friend.
The Reputation
Regardless of the color of pitbull, the type of dog itself has a reputation. You might be tempted to adopt one, but hesitant at the idea that your new dog might present aggression challenges.
So, is there any truth to the reputation?
A certain breed of pitbull was bred to fight other dogs — this much is true.
However, pitbulls have now been bred for years as family pets and although some may be predisposed to dog fights, that doesn’t mean every dog is the same or that pitbulls are an aggressive breed. It’s important to evaluate every dog individually, but most pitbulls are very sweet and loving, and would make a perfect companion.
They are not unpredictably aggressive, dangerous animals. They’ve often just had bad owners.
So, now you know about the pitbull colors and a little about the breed, you can go ahead and seek out your dog! If you want a rare color, look for an ethical breeder so you can have confidence in your choice. Or if you want a more common color or just aren’t fussy, you can look in shelters. There are plenty of pitbulls there, in both common and uncommon coat color choices, looking for their new forever home.
