Which Breed of Dogs Look Like a Tiger?
There’s no specific breed of dog that looks exactly like a tiger in all aspects. The tiger-stripes present in the coats of many dogs is just a color pattern across different species. These dogs with tiger-like stripes are categorized as brindle dogs.
They fall across different breeds, including Dachshunds, Boxers, Greyhounds, and more. What makes brindles is their unique coat color patterns. These dogs come in fawn or red coats with darker brown, red, or black stripes. The fur’s skin can take any color pattern, including these hues:
Brindles fall into various categories, depending on their color patterns. This feature makes them have a unique appearance among all the animals.
Are you wondering what to call that dog that looks like a tiger? It can fall among different kinds and breeds. Here are some of the most common types of dogs with tiger stripes.
The Tora Inu is a medium-sized rare Japanese native dog. It comes at the top of this list since it’s the only breed that’s often referred to as the tiger dog. It has a wedge-shaped head and comes in a dark-striped coat that looks like that of a tiger.
Kai Ken dogs are pretty intelligent, great swimmers, quick learners, fantastic guardians, and devoted pets. They’re incredible climbers and have no problem climbing even trees. Also, Kai Kens are active, loyal, friendly, and can effectively live in apartments.
The Tora Inu dog was bred for a mountainous lifestyle. Thus, it comes with well-developed hocks and limbs, depicting the picture of a tough, sturdy statue. This dog breed is typically massive, with heights between 17 and 22 inches (the females are shorter than males).
The Brazilian Mastiff comes into the minds of many whenever you mention a dog that looks like a tiger. This European dog has thick skin, a massive body structure, a large head, and a tiger-striped coat to give it a unique and beautiful look.
The Brazilian Mastiff comes in four natural colors, but the brindled type is the most common. Thanks to its big bones and loose skin, this dog breed comes in huge sizes and is significantly stronger than other dogs. They can grow as tall as 25.5 to 29.5 inches, with weights going as high as 90 pounds.
The Fila Brasileiro is quite protective of its people and has a significantly high prey drive. As a result, this dog is best as a guardian dog. This breed is also illegal to keep as pets in some countries and isn’t the best to leave in the company of small pets, especially unattended.
Brazilian Mastiff isn’t your best bet, especially for city or town dwellers. They’re not children, pets, or stranger friendly. Also, they’re more challenging to train and control. But, you can try your luck with them if you have ample open space and training experience.
Whippets look much like the Greyhound, except that they’re smaller. Like Greyhounds, Whippets come in an inverted S-shaped structure and a trim waist. They have more hues of tiger-stripe colors than Greyhounds and are more vibrant.
They rarely bark, making them an excellent choice for apartment pets, but they aren’t watchdogs. Also, Whippets are playful, affectionate, and calm.
They are a great choice of pet for the countryside lifestyle and city apartments. Be ready to share your couch or bed with your dog because they love relaxing with their owners.
Your love for a dog that looks like a tiger doesn’t mean you have to get a giant canine, even if you can manage them. Chihuahuas are a great alternative if you love the tiger stripes in an elegant, sassy, and charming little breed.
Most Chihuahuas don’t have tiger stripes. But, those lucky to have the feature often give a beautiful impression of a baby tiger. Still, the chances of getting a tiger-striped Chihuahua are pretty thin. Even with a brindle and a solid-colored parent, the chances of getting a brindle Chihuahua is low.
is among the few dog breeds that naturally have brindle coats. They’re lovely dogs with relatively high energy levels. There are a lot of traits to love in a Treeing Tennessee. For instance, these dogs are loyal, friendly, intelligent, alert, brave, sturdy, courageous, and healthy.
Also, these dogs are easy to groom and affectionate to their owners.
Are you thinking of getting a Treeing Tennessee for yourself? Be ready to escort them out for intense exercises. That’s the best way to tame them and reap their affection.
Great Danes are a great deal if you want a dog that looks like a tiger in almost all aspects. Their giant size (growing up to 32 inches tall and weighing up to 175 pounds) qualifies them as one of the world’s biggest dog species.
They come in various color patterns, ranging from fawn and brindle to black and white.
Great Danes are relatively gentle, sociable, friendly, and dependable, unlike other giant dog breeds. They’re also very great with small kids. Due to their huge size, courageous, and protective nature, Great Danes make the best watchdogs.
Boxers are some of the most popular dog alternatives that look like tigers with unique brindle markings. They’re a loyal, active, fun-loving, and intelligent dog breed you would want to keep at home. Being affectionate, patient, and protective makes them safe around kids.
Also, Boxers are quick learners and easy to train. Due to their numerous features, Boxer dogs are common across homes and serve several purposes, including police, cattle, guide, or watchdogs.
However, these dogs can sometimes be stubborn. Being brachycephalic also means they’re susceptible to heatstroke.
The Plott Hound was named after the man who first bred them, Johannes Plott. They’re descended from German Hanover Hounds and were bred and trained to hunt bigger animals like wild boars and bears.
The Plott Hound comes in various brindle color patterns, including:
They’re energetic, loyal, alert, intelligent, and the official state dogs in North Carolina. The Plott Hound weighs between 40 and 70 pounds.
The Bull Terrier has been the favorite breed among stylish gentlemen in Britain since the mid-1800s. They’re still popular, with their egg-shaped heads being one of the most outstanding features in the dogs that resemble a tiger.
The Bull Terriers have short, coarse coats with glossy sheens. Their coats come in various shades and color patterns, including black and white brindles with spots.
Also, these dogs have stronger bones and muscles. They make good watchdogs, mainly due to their suspicious nature around strangers. While they’re calm, affectionate, and friendly, Bull Terriers can also be stubborn.
The Akita or Akita Inu is a Japanese descent dog breed that comes in multiple color patterns, such as fawn and brown brindles. They are “working dogs” and were initially trained to be guardians.
The Akitas are strong-willed, muscular, courageous, and protective. They love being the only pets in the compound and can be highly aggressive to strangers. They’re overly protective of their human friends and can exceed limits to protect those they love.
While their tiger stripes enhance their unique looks, you’ll need to have grooming sessions to keep their double coats clean and neat. Also, the earlier you train the dog to socialize, the better.
The American Staffordshire Terrier gives you many options when looking for a dog that looks like a tiger. They come in a wide range of coat color patterns, including brown, red, fawn, black, blue, and liver brindles. The blue fawn brindle is a good alternative if you love a color combination.
These dogs are confident, playful, tolerant, gentle, and trainable. While AmStaffs were initially bull-baiting dogs, these dogs today make fantastic companions at home and on a farm.
If you want a beautiful, lovable, intelligent, and playful dog that looks like a tiger, opt for the French Bulldog. These dogs are small and attractive, with their tiger stripes increasing their charm and beauty.
French Bulldogs are also friendly and adaptable, making them the best choice for city dwellers. They typically weigh below 28 pounds and are lap dogs who enjoy idling alongside their owners.
They have varying color patterns, ranging from the bolds and brindles of white and fawn. They are also brachycephalic and can easily suffer from heatstroke.
A greyhound is an exciting family dog to keep at home. It’s the world’s fastest dog breed, has a sweet temperament, and is generally gentle. If you socialize them early, greyhounds are patient with family and strangers and are friendly towards other pets and kids.
While Greyhounds were initially bred for racing and hunting, these dogs aren’t the most active type. They don’t like high-energy activities and would rather nap on the couch for the better part of the day. A few minutes of daily walks and runs in an enclosed fence is enough for them.
While most Greyhounds come in bold shades, some types have color patterns ranging from blue, black, and red brindles.
These dogs weigh up to 70 pounds and are perfect for families due to their gentle and independent nature.
Whether English or American, Mastiffs typically carry the gene for tiger-like stripes. The English Mastiff’s colossal size and brindles qualify them as a dog that looks like a tiger.
Despite their giant stature, these dogs are typically gentle. Most people think of them as slow. But that’s far from the truth. These Mastiffs are intelligent and enjoy taking advantage of their human companions. They’re just very stubborn.
English Mastiffs aren’t the best breed to adopt, especially if you’re keeping a dog for the first time. They’re stubborn and challenging to train. Thus, they’re better off in the hands of firm owners.
come in short and long coat lengths. They have a small statue with a fantastic personality. Also, these dogs are curious, intelligent, active, fearless, bold, and independent.
While most Dachshunds have traditional cream, black, or chocolate coats, a good number also comes with tiger stripes. They’re popular worldwide, all thanks to their beautiful looks and personality.
Here Are The Dogs That Look Like A Tiger
This amazing Brazilian dog breed is also known as “Brazilian Mastiff.” Fila Brasileiro’s massive body size & large head, tiger-striped coat, and thick skin give them a unique look.
Fila Brasileiro is a guard dog! And they are remarkably protective of their people. As they are not stranger friendly, that’s why in some countries, they are not legal as pet dogs.
They have extremely high prey drive, which simply means you can’t leave them alone with other small pets, as well as they are not the dog for city or apartment life because they need a big open place to live.
Whippet looks pretty much similar to his cousin breed Greyhound but has a smaller body size. Whippet has many shades of tiger-striped color than Greyhounds.
They have a high energy level as well, which requires a good amount of exercise every day. Whippets can’t be a good watchdog because they rarely bark.
But they can be great apartment dogs if you keep up with their daily exercise. Whippets love to relax for hours on the couch and bed. So be ready to share your couch with them if you want whippets as your family companion.
This graceful, charming, and sassy little dog are so rare to see in a tiger-striped coat. But those who are born with it sometimes look like baby tigers, as shown above.
Brindle Chihuahuas are so rare that even if one of his parents has a brindle look and the other has solid-colored, there are 97% chances that the pups will be solid-colored.
Boxer Bull Terrier is not a pure breed and is also not recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). They are a crossbreed between two sturdy dogs, a boxer and a bull terrier.
Boxer Bull Terrier is also found in many color shades, including tiger stripes which look marvelous on this breed. Both their parents are playful and loving family dogs. So there are great chances that Boxer Bull Terriers will have the same trait.
On the other hand, as Boxer bull terrier is not a pure breed. So it’s hard to say which of their temperament they are going to have.
This stunning brachycephalic breed is the most common breed that comes with tiger-like stripes or brindle markings. The Boxers are fun-loving, loyal, intelligent, and active dogs; they are the complete doggy package for all.
Boxers can be a little stubborn, but they are easier to train and learn new tricks very quickly. Plus, they are America’s most popular dog breed as well.
They are a brachycephalic breed, which means they are prone to heatstroke because they can’t cool off quickly as other dogs do, so make sure you keep them safe.
He may be naturally aggressive like the mentioned wild animal, but the thing is, training is not impossible. An owner who establishes authority is someone heâd respect more, so be firm and consistent with the rules. report this ad
Although he can be a little stubborn, the Boxer Dog can still be responsive to training provided that the owner incorporates positive reinforcements and generous rewards.
Typically, a dog of this kind can reach 25.5 to 29.5 inches tall and reach 90 pounds of weight. This rare working breed may be trained but the process of doing so is far from easy.
Also known as the Amstaff, this confident and good-natured breed possesses tiger stripes all over his body. This marking comes in varieties which are blue brindle, red brindle, fawn brindle, and black brindle.
Historically, this dog was used for bull-baiting, but thereâs no need to worry about his behavior. The Amstaff is inclined to learn skills and drills. Heâs suitable as a family companion these days. Environment and upbringing must be topnotch to ensure he wonât become a liability.Â
Stray dog in Malaysia found painted black & orange to look like a tiger | Cobrapost
This pattern is often seen as dark stripes on a brown or tan coat. However, there is also a reverse brindling pattern whereby lighter brown stripes sit on a black or dark brown coat.
Brindling can take up the whole of the coat, but it can also be seen in specific patches, most commonly on the back of the dog.
The pattern is also not always distinct, sometimes the two colors are very close in pigment.
Interested? Read on to discover nine brindle breeds that you may want to consider for your next pet.
Perhaps one of the icon brindle dog breeds, this coloring is very common in Boxer dogs.
In fact, brindle is one of two colors recognized by the American Kennel Club for the Boxer.
Their high energy personalities (combined with their silly disposition) make them great pets for any single, couple or family, looking for an in-your-face dog breed.
However, while Boxers are generally happy dogs, living long lives, potential owners should be aware of the potential health risks.
Boxers, as a breed type are genetically predisposed to heart conditions such as Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as “Boxer Cardiomyopathy” due to its prevalence in the breed.
There is also evidence of cancer within the breed, with an estimated 38.5% of deaths being cancer related.
Do not let their potential for health issues put you off, Boxers are typically healthy, happy, loving dogs that dote on their families.
This intelligent breed would be a good match for any experienced owners looking for their next pet.
Unlike the Boxer, brindle is very uncommon for a Dachshund dog, despite this, the brindle pattern is accepted and recognized by the breed standard.
Unsurprisingly, the popularity of brindle dachshunds is slowly increasing as dogs such as Barney show the world just how cute and fun brindle dogs can be.
These little dogs will often tell you what they want with a few well-placed barks and will continue to bark if they don’t get what they want.
Dachshunds are naturally curious, exploratory and territorial, unaware they are not intimidating at 8 to 11 inches tall!
After a good explore of the environment, they love to retire into your lap for kisses and cuddles. Naturally affectionate, this breed is totally devoted to their owner or owners.
This intelligent brindle breed excels at obedience and trick training. However, you may have a job convincing your canine to play ball, they can be somewhat stubborn.
They respond very well to positive reinforcement and consequently lots of rewards are necessary to have a motivated pooch.
The lesser known of the two Corgi breeds, the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is a devoted pet.
Naturally intelligent and sporty, these dogs would be a great match for anyone looking for a pet they could compete at canine sports such as agility, obedience or even sheepdog trials.
Dogs that were shorter didn’t get kicked by the cattle they were herding, consequently farmers began to develop low set smaller dogs; and the Corgi was born.
As well as needing lots of exercise (between 30 and 45 minutes every day), this dog will need an intense grooming routine.
Thick brindle double coats are relatively high shedding, and as a result will need grooming every few days.
Grooming serves many purposes, it acts as way for owners to bond with their dog, but most importantly for this brindle dog; it removes loose hair and matted hair the coat.
As a breed, Whippets are very people oriented, enjoying spending time with their owners and meeting new people.
Generally speaking, this canine is not a huge fan of being housed with smaller pets, instead he prefers to live in a household where he is the only pet.
Whippets are known to be good with children as they make an excellent playmate; their silly personalities can entertain young children for hours.
However, as with all dogs, play should always be supervised to avoid potential injury to both child and dog.
This breed is nicknamed a “heat seeking missile”, due to their tendency to love all things warm.
On average, these guys need only 30 minute walks each day, after which they will more than likely curl up on your couch and sleep out the rest of the day.
A rare and ancient dog breed, the Akita is a brindle dog in which we see both the brindle and reverse brindle pattern.
It therefore stands to reason that this is a brave and strong canine; loyal and affectionate to their family.
In most countries, they are considered to be separate brindle breeds, however under the AKC, they are considered to be one breed with two bloodlines.
Since Helen Keller brought the Akita to the United States in 1937, they have been an instant success.
Known for their powerful and aloof nature, this is not a breed for first time owners.
Their spontaneous and occasionally overbearing nature may tend to catch out those who are not used to the breed.
Akitas tend to like to live in households where they are the only dog, especially of their sex. Male/female combinations may be okay, however this breed likes to be the only pet in the home.
Despite their controversial and bloody history, Staffordshire Bull Terriers (or Staffie for short) are known for their loving and affectionate nature.
In fact, contrary to popular belief, this brindle dog is recommended by the Kennel Club for families looking for a pet .
While these canines were originally bred for vermin control and blood sports, it is now much more common to find them as pets.
They are known for their gentle natures, generally speaking, they like to spend their days eating, sleeping and playing (in that order)!
Like most dogs, Staffies have pretty good stamina and need around an hour of exercise each day. Consequently, they do very well as a family pet, as all members of the family can pitch in and help out with walking the dog.
They also love to play, tug games are usually their favorite, which can contribute to both physical and mental stimulation.
This breed isn’t a dog you encounter every day, and yet the Mountain Cur is famous for its brindle coat.
First seen in the Midwest during the pioneer movement, this dog is known for its courageous and loyal nature.
Interestingly, the cur almost went extinct in the 1940s during the movement towards industrialism. However, with a return to traditionalism being seen in the United States, Cur’s are now on the rise again. There are more and more black mouth curs these days.
This can be due to the show quality of the parents and Mountain Cur’s often compete in canine sports such as flyball or herding, which drives up the price of their puppies!
Their protective temperament comes from their origin as a farm dog, to this day this dog loves to work and cannot tolerate boredom.
Beyond this, due to strict breeding guidelines, this brindle dog has a very healthy composition with dogs often living to be 16 years old.
Made iconic by Toto in the Wizard of Oz, Cairn Terriers are a unique brindle dog.
Dogs that are brindle as a puppy will often become black, brown or silver as they mature.
It is widely believed that the Cairn Terrier is one of the oldest terriers in the world.
This breed originated on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, originally called the Skye Terrier. However, about 100 years ago selective breeding created two separate lines:
One thing to note about the Cairn Terrier is that they are often hypoallergenic, meaning they are suitable for allergy sufferers.
Like other terriers, this canine loves to bark and chase vermin like rats and mice; consequently, this dog may enjoy chase type games with scent balls.
They are very active, loving to play, run, walk and just generally be outside. They prefer homes with constant garden access, but they are very adaptable and can thrive in most environments.
Although it is uncommon in the Shepherd family, it is not unusual to see the Dutch Shepherd with a brindle coat.
This breed originated, like many other shepherd breeds, as a farm dog, but is now commonly found in a military or police role.
Working Dutch Shepherds often come from a line of working police dogs, domestic bloodlines tend to have the same natural ability.
However, on the flip side, this breed also makes an excellent family dog and playmate. This highly adaptable pooch is naturally flexible, making them a great match for those who love versatile, athletic breeds.
As you can see, brindle breeds come in all shapes and sizes, from the mighty Dachshund to the massive Dutch Shepherd.
Each brindle dog comes with its own pros and cons, but there truly is a canine for everyone!
If you have children at home, you may prefer breeds such as the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Dutch Shepherd or the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.
Those who live in adult only homes may prefer dogs such as the Akita, Whippet or Dachshund.
Do you have a brindle pooch at home or are you thinking about getting one? Leave us a comment below letting us know.