The Pit Bull is a tough-looking dog that comes in all sorts of colors! Find out about the Pit Bull colors here!
Below are the 9 common colors that a Pit Bull can have:
- Black
- Brindle
- Brown
- Cream
- Fawn
- Gray
- Pied
- Red
- White
You might be surprised to see that Pit Bull can have so many colors. The truth is, there are actually 23 possible color variations that a Pit Bull can have. However, the 9 colors mentioned above can combine to make the remaining 14 possible colors that a Pit Bull’s coat can have.
Before you get to know the different colors of a Pit Bull, you should first find out about the different types of Pit Bull Terriers. As of now, there are four different types of Pit Bull Terriers, three of which are recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The other two aren’t recognized by the AKC but they are recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC). For each of these, only certain colors are recognized as acceptable for show Pit Bulls.
Table of Contents
What is a Pit Bull?
A Pit Bull refers to a group of dogs that have stocky builds and smooth or short fur. To classify as a Pit Bull, a dog must have a heritage of both Bulldogs and Terriers in its family lineage. Rather than being a breed itself, the term Pit Bull includes different breeds that classify as Pit Bull Terriers.
The four Pit Bull Terriers are:
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- American Bully
American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier is a type of Pit Bull that isn’t recognized by the AKC but is recognized by the UKC. The UKC recognizes all colors, patterns, and combinations as official colors for this Pit Bull. The only colors that aren’t accepted by the UKC are merle and albino coat colors.
This breed hasn’t been recognized by the AKC because it grew in popularity as a fighting dog. To distance itself from the culture of dogfighting, the AKC refuses to accept any breeds used for the so-called sport into its catalog of recognized breeds.
American Staffordshire Terrier
The American Staffordshire Terrier is one of the Pit Bull breeds that is recognized by the AKC but hasn’t been recognized by the UKC. According to the AKC, the acceptable colors for the American Staffordshire Terrier include solid, parti, and patched. American Staffordshire Terriers that have solid white, 80% white, black and tan, and liver coats are not accepted in the AKC.
Developed in the 1800s, the American Staffordshire Terrier was created by crossbreeding the old Bulldog with either a Fox Terrier or English Terrier. When you look at the old Bulldog, it more closely resembles the American Staffordshire Terrier compared to Bulldogs that exist today.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Staffordshire Bull Terriers are recognized as an official breed by both the AKC and the UKC. According to the AKC, the acceptable colors for a Staffordshire Bull Terrier include black, blue, brindle, fawn, red, and white. On the other hand, the UKC doesn’t accept white Staffordshire Bull Terriers and considers them as albino.
Like the other Pit Bull breeds, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier also includes the old Bulldog in its ancestry. This breed was developed in the 1800s by crossbreeding the old Bulldog with an ancestor of the Manchester Terrier. This breed was originally made to be a dog that was agile for dogfighting but friendly as a companion.
American Bully
The youngest of the Pit Bull breeds, the American Bully is a type of Pit Bull that isn’t recognized by the AKC but is recognized by the UKC. According to the UKC, all color patterns, variations, and combinations are considered acceptable except for merle and albino.
The American Bully was developed in the 1980s by breeding different types of Bulldogs, including the American Bulldog, the English Bulldog, and the Old Bulldog. Since it is still a new and developing breed, there is still a huge variability in what this breed is supposed to look like.
The Different Pit Bull Colors
Now it’s time to see the different colors that a Pit Bull can have. In the following sections, I’ll show you what the color looks like on a Pit Bull and describe how it appears on a Pit Bull’s body. These descriptions can apply to any Pit Bull, regardless of the type. Each of the colors included below has certain standards that are accepted or considered by different kennel clubs.
1. Black
A Pit Bull with a black fur color can have either a solid black coat or a black coat with white markings on its chest and toes. Some separate solid black Pit Bull from black and white Pit Bull but they both actually fall under just one color classification.
Black and White Pit Bulls can have blue eyes if they inherit the trait from their parent’s genes. However, blue eyes are more common in white Pit Bulls. Black Pit Bulls normally have black noses and black or mixed paw pads.
2. Blue
Blue Pit Bulls are Pit Bulls that have a silver or gray coat that shines blue under natural light. It is one of the rarer colors of the Pit Bull and also comes with a lot of controversies. This coat color is caused by a dilution in a Pit Bull’s black coat genes. Blue Pit Bulls can either have a solid blue coat or a blue coat with white patches on the forehead, chest, and toes.
There is controversy surrounding the Blue Pit Bull because studies have shown that Pit Bulls with this coat color are more prone to health issues and behavioral problems. This is because the color is caused by a recessive gene that also affects a Pit Bull’s brain and cognitive development.
3. Brindle
The brindle coat is a certain coat pattern that is typically described as tiger stripes. The brindle coat is normally characterized by a lighter coat color with dark-colored stripes. For Pit Bulls, the brindle coat can come in various shades including black, blue, fawn, and red.
This coat color is caused by a genetic mutation that can be inherited from a dog’s parents’ genes. Most brindle patterns appear only in short-haired breeds. Pit Bulls with a brindle coat normally have white patches on the face, legs, and tail.
4. Brown
Brown Pit Bulls feature a reddish-brown color that can be solid or have white markings on the chest. This color is also known as liver or chocolate for Pit Bulls coats. Brown Pit Bulls normally have brown or amber eyes with black noses and paw pads.
This coat color is caused by a dilution of eumelanin in the dog’s coat. Sometimes, the coat color can be mixed up with the red coat color because they are close in shade. However, brown Pit Bulls have a darker shade and darker nose and paw pad colors.
5. Cream
Next to white, the cream coat is the brightest among Pit Bull colors. This coat features an off-white color that appears blonde or yellowish. Pit Bulls with this coat color normally have white markings on the chest and legs. Pit Bulls with this coat color have dark-colored eyes with black noses and paw pads.
This coat color is caused by a certain allele in its genes. This allele dilutes the coat of the Pit Bull, giving it a lighter and brighter coat. Many Pit Bull owners believe that cream Pit Bulls have a gentler and more demure personality but there is no evidence to suggest that this personality is caused by the dog’s coat.
6. Grey
Grey Pit Bulls, also known as gray Pit Bulls have a shiny and silvery coat that can either be solid or have white markings on the chest, face, and legs. Most gray Pit Bulls have light blue eyes and either blue or red noses. Like most Pit Bull colors, the grey Pit Bull can be combined with other colors and coat patterns.
Contrary to popular belief and what some breeders claim, grey Pit Bulls are not a separate breed. Some breeders claim that the grey Pit Bull is a breed of its own in an effort to markup the dog’s price and to create fanfare. Grey Pit Bulls are simply another color variation among the many different colors that Pit Bull Terriers can have.
7. Pied
A Pit Bull with a pied or piebald coat will have a dominantly white color on its body with markings of another dark color. Simply put, being piebald means that a Pit Bull has dark patches on a white or cream coat base. Some call Pit Bulls with this coat color bi-color Pit Bulls.
Rather than it being a color, pied or piebald refers to the color pattern. Pied Pit Bulls can have almost any other color as the patches on the cream or white coat. The most common piebald combination is white and brown. Despite its unique appearance, pied or piebald coats are considered common among Pit Bulls.
8. Red
Calling the coat red can be misleading because the coat does not actually have a bright red color. When describing a coat color, red refers to a bronze-like color that looks like a lighter shade of brown. It’s referred to as red because it has a bit of an orange hue to it.
Red Pit Bulls normally have bright amber eyes with black noses and paw pads. A red Pit Bull can either have a solid red color or white markings on the chest. A popular type of red PiPit Bullbull is the red-nosed Pit Bull. As the name suggests, a red-nosed Pit Bull has a red nose that matches its coat color.
9. White
The white Pit Bull is one of the rarest Pit Bull colors available. There are both white and albino Pit Bulls. White Pit Bulls have a white coat color because of leucism while albino Pit Bulls have a white coat because of albinism. Studies have shown that albino Pit Bulls are prone to blindness, deafness, behavioral problems, and skin problems.
The easiest way to tell the difference between a white Pit Bull and an albino Pit Bull is by looking at its eyes and skin. White Pit Bulls will still have dark-colored eyes, noses, lips, and paw pads while albino Pit Bulls will have blue or light-colored eyes, pink or white skin, a pink nose, and pink paw pads.
Final Thoughts
The different types of Pit Bulls are all attractive and lovable dogs. Their breeders and owners have spent the last few decades fighting for the rights of this breed because of the stigma that surrounds it. Many states and countries still believe that the Pit Bull is a danger to society despite it being a gentle and friendly family companion.
One of my favorite things about the different Pit Bulls is how many colors they have. Not only is this breed strong, loving, and protective, it also looks great! Regardless of the color, every Pit Bull I’ve ever seen has been a good-looking dog.
If you’re looking to get a Pit Bull of your own and can’t decide on what type to get, you should look at the different coat patterns and colors that the breed has. Remember to avoid buying Pit Bulls that are albino or have merle coats so that you can support a responsible breeder and raise a healthy and happy Pit Bull of your own.
Hey there! I’m Matt and I’m a content writer from the Philippines. I’ve raised over 10 dogs and 5 cats. I love taking care of my rescue dog Kewpie and my two rescue cats, Misty and Rosy.