What’s the Most Popular Dog Color?
The most common coat colors of dogs are black, brown and white. According to the Family Pet, it’s because these are common colors of the most popular dog breeds. The Labrador, Rottweiler, German Shepherd, Poodle and Beagle are all seen in these colors.
But what’s really interesting is that red or auburn colored dogs have by far the highest adoption rates in North America. The original belief was that blonde dogs were the most popular in regards to adoption, though new data suggests otherwise.
According to Giles Webber from Dog Trust, it may be because of the rarity of auburn colored dogs at the rescues. Just 3 percent of dogs at Dogs Trust are red or auburn. So, it may be because these dogs tend to “stand out” at the shelters.
What’s more surprising is that red or auburn dogs find a new home 3 days quicker than the average. While black, white and brown may be the most common dog colors, there’s a good chance that red and auburn are the highest in demand.
Dogs can come in all sorts of colors. However, we’ve identified the 9 solid dog colors that are by far the most popular or common. We understand that there are other solid colors out there.
Base dog colors:
If we’ve missed any that deserve to be on this list, let us know in the comments section below. With that said, here’s our list of the most popular colors and interesting patterns seen in dog breeds all over the world. What’s your favorite?
Black colored dog breeds may just be the most common dog color out there, though the dog often has a marking or complimentary color. Popular markings with the solid black as the base include tan and or white markings. However, there are plenty of solid black dogs.
For example, Rottweilers, Black and Tan Coonhounds, Doberman Pinschers, Beaucerons and Hovawarts all have a solid black coat with tan markings. It’s been an attractive color combo for years and breeders have taken notice.
Some dog breeds will have a solid black coat with tan and white markings. Although these dogs are usually referred to as “tri-colored,” the majority and base is solid black. So, we’ll just call them black dog breeds for simplicity.
These dogs include, the Bernese Mountain Dog, Australian Shepherd, Beagle and more. And finally, you have black dogs with only white markings (monochromatic), such as the iconic Border Collie, a Boston Terrier or Dalmatian.
Another unsurprisingly common color of dogs is the classic white. It’s a popular color that represents purity, innocence and goodness. In fact, it’s everything that dogs are. We can’t think of a better color perfectly suited for dogs.
There are a lot of dog breeds that come in solid white, though many come with other traditional colors mixed into their coat. Even so, it’s hard to deny the majestic aura of a solid white dog. White dogs are as stunning and gorgeous as you imagine.
When you think “white dog breeds,” you imagine the classics. The Samoyed, Maltese, Bichon Frise, Great Pyrenees, West Highland White Terrier, Japanese Spitz, Dogo Argentino, White Shepherd are some of the most notable breeds
However, white dogs with markings are much less common than their solid white counterparts. It’s the opposite of black dogs. With colored markings, you will have the Dalmatian, Siberian Husky, Pomeranian, Borzoi, Lhasa Apso, French Bulldogs and more.
With dogs, the color brown can get a little tricky. Why’s this? Because there are so many variations of brown within numerous dog breeds. It’s not as black and white as, well, black and white colored dogs. Brown dogs vary tremendously.
The shades of brown can include a gray-brown, fawn, dark brown, milk chocolate, mid-tone brown, liver and even mahogany in some cases. Others similar colors are debatable. Still, there are plenty of “classic brown dogs” that you have certainly heard of.
For starters, there’s the renowned Chesapeake Bay Retriever – one of the world’s most skilled retrievers for waterfowl. Other brown dog breeds include the Bloodhound, Airedale Terrier, Staffordshire Terrier, Chow Chow, Boxer and much more.
In addition, quite a few spaniel and terrier breeds fall into the brown dog category. For instance, there’s the Field Spaniel or Border Terrier. Look up these few dog breeds, then you’ll see what we mean by the wide spectrum of brown.
Red dogs are not as unusual or unique as they sound. When we say red dog, we don’t mean “Clifford the Red Dog.” They’re not literally red dogs. Rather, red dog breeds are dogs that sport a nice bright brown, orange or tan coat with a slight hue of red.
It’s not as complicated as it sounds. If you see one in person, you’ll know. However, some red dogs will be mistaken for brown dogs (and vice versa) because the colors can be so similar. As such, we wouldn’t blame you if you called a red dog, brown.
In other dog breeds, “red” can also refer to chocolate, liver or straight up brown. It really depends on the dog breed too. There are few dog breeds that are solid red. Nonetheless, the Irish Terriers are famously known for being the only all-red terrier.
Other red dogs can include the Beagle, Irish Setter, Shiba Inu, Vizsla, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and more. All of which, are simply stunning in person. There’s a reason why red dogs are some of the most popular dogs from animal shelters!
When you think “gold dogs,” nothing comes to mind more than the beloved Golden Retriever. But did you know there are several shades of Golden Retrievers? That’s right, not even a “golden” dog will always be truly golden colored.
Like the other dog colors on this list, there are different variations of the color gold when it comes to dogs. Some more obvious than other gold colors. For example, there’s the classic yellow-gold, lion gold, fawn, apricot, mustard, honey, wheaten gold and sandy.
And believe it or not – there’s more gold dogs than just the Golden Retriever. Other gold dog breeds include the English and American Cocker Spaniel, Finnish Spitz, Wirehaired Vizsla, Pharaoh Hound, Basset Fauve de Bretagne and more.
Plus, many of the Golden Retriever mixes also come in gold thanks to the dominant color genes. As a result, many Goldendoodles, Golden Shepherds and other Golden Retriever mixes will inherit a coat in an obvious golden color.
Blue dog breeds are much rarer than the others. However, that doesn’t mean they’re not exotic, unique and beautiful dogs with a wonderful personality. But when referring to blue dogs, we don’t mean the blue that you’re accustomed to.
Regarding dog colors, blue refers to a gray, sliver or slate color with a hue of blue. As you can imagine, there are not many solid blue dogs on the market. The most common blue dogs are the Blue Lacy, Kerry Blue Terrier, Thai Ridgeback, Weimaraner and Great Danes.
Some breeds aren’t typically bred in blue, but still see a huge demand for the color, such as the French Bulldog, which comes in two variations of blue: brindle and fawn blue. But don’t look for one yet, there are problems with dog breeds that aren’t meant to have a blue coat.
With the color of blue comes a condition called Color Dilution Alopecia. This “genetic defect” can cause some abnormalities in how pigment (color) gets distributed to the fur of the coat. As a result, it can lead to hair loss, skin infections, stunted fur growth and more.
For this reason, I highly recommend not picking a blue dog if they weren’t meant to sport that color.
Like with brown and red dogs, blue and gray dogs are very similar. And while the Weimaraner is called the “Gray Ghost,” they have been called blue dogs as well. In fact, they’re so similar that they can be easily mistaken for by an untrained eye.
The most popular gray dog breed is by far the Siberian Husky. Even then, they rarely sport a solid gray coat. Often times, the Siberian Husky’s (and other “gray dogs”) coat is accompanied by white, but also sometimes black in rough patches.
That said, the only purebred solid gray dog breed is the Weimaraner, though the Scottish Deerhound comes close. Weimaraners come in a few color variations, such as silver-gray, mouse-gray, blue-gray and just simply silver. All of which, have the underlying gray tone.
Most “gray dogs” have coats accompanied by other color markings. The most common additional colors are black, white, tan and brown. These other gray dogs include the Alaskan Malamute, Irish Wolf-hound, Norwegian Elkhound, Keeshond and more.
The cream color is used to describe the pastel color of yellow, though it can also be called an off-white color. And because of the similarities, it’s sometimes difficult to differentiate cream from yellow or an off-white.
This color will range depending on the dog breed. Cream can be anything between white with a touch of yellow to a more obvious yellowish blond. There are no breeds that are known for a cream color. Most of the cream dog breeds are much more popular in other colors.
For example, Golden Retrievers have a cream variation, but are most known for being gold. Other dogs that come in cream include the Pug, Great Pyrenees, Shar Pei, Chow Chow and more. Cream is not the most obvious dog color. You likely won’t even know until someone points it out.
Yellow is another color that’s much harder to differentiate. Not only is this color similar to cream, but also to gold. It’s worth noting that puppies may initially have a white coat, but develop into a more obvious yellow as they age. In addition to a color change, patterns may form as well.
Yellow dog breeds can come in a yellowish gold tan, as seen in the yellow Labrador. Or they can come in a lemon (pale yellow), such as the Beagle (though lemon Beagles usually have white too). The color will be brighter than gold.
Despite popular belief, there are more yellow dogs than you may think. For example, there’s the Bearded Collie, Afghan Hound, Anatolian Shepherd, Scottish Terrier, Pomeranian and others. The most popular is, without question, the yellow Lab.
When a dog owner or dog breeder says they have a blue dog, it is not the blue color we are accustomed to. These dogs are grey, and the color is created as a dilution of the color black. Also, it can have different meanings for different breeds. Dogs that are born black but their coat starts “greying” as they grow up can be called blue.
The basic coat color in dogs is usually pretty straightforward and easy to understand. There isn’t much room for confusion if you hear a term like a white dog, brown, black, or grey dog. Dogs’ basic color is the one that covers its body and is the most dominant color on their coat.
Merle is a pattern that can appear in dogs that have a merle gene. It is a pattern of irregular, mottled patches of darker hair over the lighter hair, usually of the same shade of pigment. Merle can affect all coat colors and is generally found in breeds like Australian Shepherds, Scottish Collies, Corgis, and Shetland Sheepdogs.
Isabella is another name that was given to a specific dog color. It is also often called lilac. Isabella or lilac is a color that can be described as pale, greyish brown color. It can only be created if a liver-pigmented dog has a dilution gene. This color is the color of the Weimaraner dog breed.
Although white-colored dogs seem pretty plain and simple, we had to put it in this list because it needs to be distinguished from albino dogs. White-colored dogs have pigment, while albino dogs have a lack of pigment. Albino dogs usually have a deficiency of melanin and the enzymes that produce them. The difference should also be seen in their eyes.
Gray and blue dogs are very similar. The most popular gray-colored dog breed is the Siberian Husky. In most cases, Siberian Husky’s and other gray dogs’ coat is combined with white or black in rough patches.
There is a white background in the harlequin coat pattern rather than a blue background that you may see in merles. You can find a few dog breeds with harlequin coats, and the most popular breed is the Great Dane.
If dogs have more densely packed pigment, their color becomes darker. The color gene is critical to determining the dog’s color intensity. Finally, the pigment gene is necessary for determining the pigment amount distributed over the dogs’ bodies.
When it comes to dogs’ colorful exterior, three specific genes play a critical role: density, color, and pigment. The density gene is responsible for determining the pigmentation’s density.
Meanwhile, you can also encounter dog breeds with a solid black coat combined with white and tan markings. While they are often categorized as tri-colored dogs, the base and majority of the coat color is solid black. To make it simple, they are called black dog breeds. Beagle, Australian Shepherd, and Bernese are some excellent examples.