Spot is a yellow puppy with a brown spot on each side of his body and a brown tip on his tail and the main protagonist in the late Eric Hills book series of the same name possibly with the first, “Wheres Spot?” as the exception, as that role went to his mother Sally instead, as she spends it all looking for him and the TV series. In the Original American version add and fix, he is voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Ryan ODonohue as heard in Spots Magical Christmas and Spot and His Grandparents Go To the Carnival and finally, Haley Joel Osment, who was the character. The narrator was Corey Burton, who had voiced the other male characters, like his father Sam. Advertisement
Dogs With Splashes And Speckles – The Merle Coat
Merle is a dog coat pattern caused by a single gene. If you think of a dog’s coloring being created in layers, merle dogs have a base color, such as blue, red or brown, which has been overlaid by large areas of white.
The merle gene then pokes holes in the white, so that spots of color show through it again. Lots of breeds can have merle coats, but it is especially associated with the following breeds.
Border Collies are widely regarded as the cleverest of all dog breeds. In fact, since their ability to work is top priority on the breed standard, there are no restrictions on what color they can be – quite unusual! Blue and red merle Border Collies have splashed of solid color, and large areas of white speckled with blue or red spots.
Border Collies are famous for picking up new commands in as few as five repetitions, and routinely dominate agility competitions. It sounds like a puppy trainer’s dream, but it can also be a double-edged sword – this breed can resort to destructive behaviors and escape artistry if they don’t get enough mental and physical exercise.
Border Collies are generally healthy, but look for breeders who carry out hip tests and eye exams to make sure they only breed from the healthiest individuals.
Aussies are another smart working breed from the herding group of dogs. Their medium length coat is either straight or wavy and comes in four colors only, of which two are blue merle and red merle. In fact this breed is probably the most closely associated with the mottles and spots of the merle pattern.
Like Border Collies, Aussies suit very active, outdoorsy households with lots of time for training and exercise. They’re prone to hearing loss, degenerative myelopathy, hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia.
The Catahoula Leopard dog is the state dog of Louisana. And it’s no surprise from their name that these dogs are famous for their spots! In fact, Catahoulas come in red, blue, black and grey ‘leopard’ colors, which are all achieved by different colors and degrees of merle patterning.
These intelligent dogs have endless stamina, and they have excelled in many types of work. But they are prone to aggression towards strangers and other dogs, which means many people still rule them out as pets.
At the moment as many as 1 in 5 Catahoulas succumb to hip dysplasia, which breeders need to address to protect future generations. The Catahoula is the first of two dogs on our list which aren’t yet recognized by the AKC, but it is enrolled in their foundation stock service.
Pitties are our second spotted dog breed not presently recognized by the AKC. In fact, merle Pitbulls aren’t recognized by any dog registry, since this spotty pattern has only been introduced to the breed quite recently by outcrossing with none other than the Catahoula Leopard dog. Nonetheless red merle and blue merle version of the all-American Pitbull are rapidly gaining popularity.
If you’re considering a spotted Pitbull as your next dog, ask your breeder for detailed information about their family tree, and make sure you’re happy with the temperament of both parents. Pitbulls are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, and thyroid disease.
The last entry in our merle category of spots are dapple Dachshunds. Whilst Doxie breeders use the special (and very pretty!) word dapple to describe their spotty pups, the genetics behind a dapple coat is exactly the same as the genetics behind a merle coat in any other breed.
Dachshunds are prone to diseases of the retina at the back of the eye, slipping kneecaps, and painful disorders of the spine, caused by their extremely exaggerated body shape.
Large scale behavioral studies have also identified them as one of the breeds most likely to exhibit owner-directed aggression. But they can also be sweet and amusing, with a curious outlook on life and a determined attitude that belies their stature.
Splodged Dogs – Piebald and Parti Colored Coats
Whilst no other breed quite matches the Dalmatian or harlequin Great Dane for spottiness, there are lots of other breeds which can sport splodged, splashed, speckled and freckled coats. So let’s look next at the dogs which come with big, bold, blots of color.
Beagles have been among the top 10 favorite dog breeds on both sides of the Atlantic for decades. And it’s no surprise, because these exuberant little dogs radiate happiness and conviviality all day long.
You might not immediately think of them as being spotty, but these hounds regularly come in patches of white and one or two other colors. Sometimes the patches of color are so big that a dog looks almost uniform in color, but they can also be much smaller – like large spots.
That said, the looks of the parents aren’t much of a predictor for the looks of their litter, so finding a spotty Beagle puppy to bring home might be more luck than judgment. It’s better to focus on finding a healthy litter, whose parents have been screened for hip dysplasia, eye disorders, Musladin-Leuke Syndrome, heart disease, and autoimmune thyroiditis.
Just like Beagles, short coated terriers with bi- or tri-color patches (also known as particolored coats) can look distinctly spotted. Fox Terriers, either smooth or wire coated, are a great example of this.
These little dogs might not strike you as flamboyant showdogs on first sight, but their bold, self possessed nature has earned them numerous best in show titles at the AKC’s Westminster Dog Show. And like many terriers bred for fitness and functionality, they tend to enjoy good health and long lifespans.
But they are prone to hip disorders, so look for breeders who screen their sire and dam before mating.
Spot the Difference: Dogs
Spotted dog breeds are beautiful and eye catching. But they also include some of the nicest tempered and most fun canine companions around! Today we are going to look at the pros and cons of 18 spotted dog breeds. We’ll help you to pick the perfect spotted puppy to fit into your family.
Spotty dogs have been appealing as pets, hunting dogs and in the show ring for generations. They are a great way to catch someone’s eye, and get them interested in your pet. But they also include some intelligent, hard working and very loving breeds. From pointy eared Fox Terriers to sleek Shetland Sheepdogs.
There are more spotted dog breeds than you might think, if you know where to look. Our 18 favorite dog breeds that come with spots are:
If some of those names surprised you, read on to find out how they earned their place on our list!
There’s only one dog breed whose spots truly look like perfect, crisp polka dots. And that, of course, is the Dalmatian. Dalmatians are instantly recognizable. But many people are surprised to discover that this dotty dog’s spots can be black or brown.
And no one has quite unravelled the unique genetic recipe behind their spots yet either, which we think makes them even more special. But we do know that one of the genes which plays a crucial role – the Extreme Piebald gene – is also linked with an increased risk of deafness.
In fact nearly 12% of Dalmatians experience hearing loss. They are also vulnerable to dental problems, hip dysplasia, bladder and kidney stones, and thyroid disorders. But this medium large breed is also playful, receptive to training, and devoted to their family.
Great Danes come in lots of colors and patterns, but there’s one very special coat which is exclusive to them, and the closest any other breed comes to a Dalmatian’s perfect spots. And that’s the harlequin Great Dane.
Harlequin Great Danes have white coats with a random pattern of high contrast black spots. The spots are a lot less uniform in size than those of a Dalmatian, but they have a similar genetic foundation, which means Harlequin Great Danes are also prone to hearing loss.
Due to their giant size they’re also prone to hip, shoulder and elbow dysplasia, and their average lifespan is all too short. Despite their size, they’re wonderful family pets: calm, gentle, laid back and patient.