Brindle Pitbull Breed Traits, Pictures and Videos

What is a Brindle Pitbull?

Pitbull is the common name for a breed of dog that is called either the American Staffordshire Terrier or the American Pit Bull Terrier.

The term brindle is used to describe a dog’s coat coloring. Brindle markings on a dog are generally composed of alternating stripes of red/yellow hair and black/brown hair. Beautiful brindle patterns are irregular and vary from dog to dog, with some being more like tiger stripes and others like soft swirls.

Besides the Pitbull, other breeds that often have brindle markings include the Greyhound, Boxer, and French Bulldog. Brindle coat coloring is what’s known in genetics as a phenotype. A phenotype is an observable physical trait that is influenced by an animal’s genetics. A cat’s tabby coat pattern is a similar phenotype!

Where Do Brindle Pitbulls Come From?

The brindle Pitbull traces its ancestry back several centuries to England, when Bulldogs and Terriers were cross bred to create a strong, brave dog used in sports like bull-baiting.

Pitbull type dogs came to America in the 1800s and these dogs eventually became the modern breed we know today. They were common family pets for many years, but declined in popularity in the mid-1900s.

The Pitbull’s reputation as a devoted family pet suffered after some irresponsible owners used the breed for dogfighting competitions. With the crackdown on illicit dogfighting, fans of the Pitbull have worked hard to educate the public on this misunderstood breed.

Types of Brindle Pitbull

There are several kinds of brindle Pitbulls. The American Kennel Club recognizes many brindle coat color variations in the American Staffordshire Terrier. They are black, blue, blue fawn, brown, fawn, liver, and red.

A brindle Pitbull can also have brindle “points.” Point coloration in an animal is when the body is a light color and the extremities (ears, tail, feet, etc.) have darker fur. A Siamese cat’s markings are an example of points.

What is a reverse brindle Pitbull? There is a type of brindle coloration called “reverse brindle.” In a normal brindle dog, the lighter color is more prominent than the darker color.

In a reverse brindle, the darker color is dominant, giving the dog a much darker overall coat color. A so-called black brindle Pitbull is usually a reverse brindle, with the black striping much more prominent than the coat’s other color. Let’s take a closer look at some of the different varieties of the brindle Pitbull Terrier.

Blue Nose Brindle Pitbull

Blue is a popular color for fans of the brindle Pitbull dog. The blue brindle Pitbull, also known as the blue nose brindle Pitbull, has soft blue/grey coloring in its coat markings. Usually,blue alternates with another color, often light brown. The blue brindle Pit can also have some white, on the feet and chest, for example.

A blue brindle Pitbull is often referred to as a “blue nose brindle.” The naked skin on the nose of a blue nose dog (often called nose leather) is bluish-grey in color. This color nose is often preferred over a red nose by fanciers of the blue brindle Pitbull.

Many people are interested in a blue nose brindle Pitbull that also has blue eyes. It is possible for a blue brindle to have blue eyes, but darker eye color like brown is generally more common in Pitbulls.

Pure white Pitties can have blue eyes, but it is still a rare eye color in most dog breeds.

Red Nose Brindle Pitbull

What is a red nose brindle Pitbull and is it the same thing as a red brindle Pitbull? Like the blue brindle, red can refer to both the color in the coat’s brindle markings as well as the dog’s nose leather.

The coat of a red brindle Pitbull is a soft, dilute red combined with another color, often fawn, which is one of the other recognized coat colors. Some are brindle all over and some can have white markings on areas like the feet and chest.

A red nose brindle will have the red brindle coat and red nose leather that is a close match to the coat. Black nose leather is common but not as desirable as red among fanciers of the red brindle Pitbull.

Brindle Pitbull Temperament

Some people claim that the different types of coat coloring can influence a brindle Pitbull’s personality. This is not backed up by science, and dog experts say that good training is the key to a dog’s behavior.

Some breeders may attempt to link personality with coat color. For example, a breeder of fighting dogs might try to select for black color and aggressive temperament. But training and socialization are much better predictors of personality than coat color.

Are Brindle Pitbulls Aggressive?

All dog owners should be aware of the risk of dog bites and how to prevent them, especially if your dog will be around children. Some studies of dog bite injuries have shown that Pitbull bites result in more serious injuries than bites from other dog breeds.

Young children are especially at risk for serious bite injuries in the head, neck, and face area. This is due to both their small size and short stature, as well as a lack of knowledge about canine behavior.

The key to dog bite prevention is education and supervision. Children who interact with dogs should learn how to behave around them and how to recognize the warning signs in a dog’s body language.

Dog owners must supervise their animals, especially when they are around children. Some experts claim that spaying and neutering also helps reduce the risk of bites. However, some recent studies suggest that the reverse is true The most important element of bite prevention is proper training. Here’s what you need to know.

Brindle Pitbull Training

When you buy a brindle Pitbull puppy from a breeder, be prepared to start the training and socialization process right away. The best type of training involves positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement uses rewards to emphasize good behavior.

Training methods that involve physical punishment or harsh restraints should never be used on any dog. But can be especially dangerous when used on dogs that have a high resistance to pain and a powerful bite. This includes all the bull terrier breeds.

A dog trained in this negative way can channel their frustration into aggressive behavior like snapping and biting.

If you are not an experienced dog owner, be sure to take your puppy to formal dog obedience classes that use the positive reinforcement method. Remember to get your dog used to the behavior of young children as well.

Brindle Pitbull Health

Do brindle Pitbulls have any health problems potential owners should know about? Like many dog breeds, the Pitbull can suffer from some genetic health conditions.

The AKC lists the following for the American Staffordshire Terrier breed: hip dysplasia, cardiac disease, skin and coat allergies, and a neurological disease called cerebellar ataxia.

There is a genetic test available that can tell you if a dog is affected by ataxia or if it is a carrier of the faulty gene. Reputable breeders will perform genetic testing on their dogs, manage breeding to reduce the incidence of the disease, and inform clients about the health of their puppy’s lineage.

Reputable breeders should also screen your puppy’s parents for hip dysplasia and other joint problems. The Orthopedic Foundation for Animals will review x-rays and rate each dog on a scale from excellent to severe, and provide your breeder with the certified results.

Your brindle Pitbull puppy’s breeder may provide you with some sort of “health guarantee” when you purchase a dog. Health guarantees are good to verify that your puppy has been examined by a vet and vaccinated, but make sure you don’t rely on a guarantee alone.

The best way to ensure your puppy’s health is to verify that your breeder is health testing their dogs for diseases associated with the breed. Your breeder should be able to show you proof that dogs in your puppy’s ancestry have been tested for issues like dysplasia and heart and eye problems.

Rescue Pitbulls

Choose your puppy wisely. Attempts to rehabilitate an adult pitbull from a rescue center are best left to experienced dog handlers.

What kind of training do you need if you adopt an adult brindle Pitbull from an animal shelter or rescue group? The inability to handle canine behavioral problems is one of the primary reasons why owners surrender their dogs to shelters. Pitbulls are often relinquished to shelters for behavior issues.

Some studies have shown that these dogs were often improperly trained and handled from an early age. The use of punishment-based training and restraints (like choke collars) are examples of this.

Rescue dogs with behavior problems can be rehabilitated with good training and socialization. Some rescued fighting dogs end up as beloved family pets. But this is a job for an experienced owner.

Brindle Pitbull Puppies

How do you choose the right brindle Pitbull puppy? You visit a breeder and see a whole litter of adorable puppies…how do you pick the perfect one for your family?

Be sure to choose a local breeder who welcomes in person visits from potential buyers. An in person visit with the whole litter is a great way to choose a playful, active puppy rather than an overly timid or aggressive dog.

A puppy’s personality should be a good fit for the overall personality of your household. It’s a good idea to choose a puppy that doesn’t stand out from the rest of the litter in terms of size or temperament.
Be sure to spend one on one time with the puppy you choose. Observe how the puppy reacts to handling and do a health check on eyes, ears, mouth, rear end, and abdomen.

For breeds like the brindle Pitbull, you can let the puppy nip at your hands to get a feel for what experts sometimes call “jaw control.” Some puppies will get overly excited and some will stop biting if they think they hurt you.
A puppy that understands the consequences of biting will be more likely to mature into an adult that can engage in gentle play with people and other animals, exercising good jaw control.

Bear in mind that it’s hard for even experts to assess the future temperament of an eight week old pitbull puppy. Your best guide when you visit will be the temperament of the parents. And this is a breed where it is especially important to meet both parents if at all possible. You should never consider buying a puppy without spending time with its mother.

Brindle Pitbull Breeders

We don’t often say this on the Happy Puppy Site but because some dog breeders are still occasionally producing dogs for fighting, or from fighting lines, the safest course of action when buying any puppy with a powerful bite action, is to look for a breeder that has produced puppies for the show ring.

These dogs will for the most part have been raised from generations of dogs that are happy to be handled by strangers. And with a strong emphasis on good temperament. This precaution also applies to other breeds that have the potential for serious injury or death in the event of a bite.

When searching for available brindle Pitbull puppies, you will see a lot of ads for puppies online. Be very cautious when looking at online ads.

Finding A Brindle Pitbull

Many puppies that are bred in large-scale operations called puppy mills are advertised online. The AKC maintains a registry of American Staffordshire Terrier breeders. The official Staffordshire Terrier Club of America has a directory of member breeders as well.

If you see a website offering “Pitbull” puppies, proceed with caution. Reputable breeders will use the full breed name (or a shortened version like “AmStaff”) and not the generic “Pitbull.”

Another red flag is if a website claims they breed the biggest Pitbulls, or XXL Pitbulls. Many of these sites will have pictures of large, overly muscled dogs that look nothing like the breed standard.

Buyers who are interested in a specific color of brindle Pitbull should contact reputable breeders and be wary of online ads that emphasize color and size. Reputable breeders will post pictures on their websites, so you can see the colors of their breeding stock and past litters.

The average brindle Pitbull price from a reputable breeder can range from $800 to $1,000 or more, depending on the breeder’s reputation and geographic location.

Beware of unusually low-priced puppies, as they can come from puppy mills and will end up costing you much more in long term veterinary expenses.

Brindle Pitbull Mix Breeds

Your local shelter has many mixed breed dogs, including Pitbull mixes, available for adoption. A Pitbull can be crossed with any other dog breed, and a Pitbull mix can be made purely by chance if two unaltered dogs happen to mate.

Some brindle Pitbull mixes are the result of a planned cross breeding of a purebred Pitbull and another purebred dog. Some of the most popular of these mixes include Pitbull crossed with Labrador Retriever, Boxer, Catahoula Leopard Dog, German Shepherd, or Husky.

Most brindle Pitbull mixes are large to medium sized dogs, depending on the other breed used. Even Pitbulls crossed with smaller dogs like Corgis or Chihuahuas tend to be in the 20 to 60-pound range, depending on the sex of the dog and which breed characteristics are dominant.

Any mixed breed dog can have any combination of the physical characteristics and personality traits of either breed. Remember that the outcome of a cross breeding can be unpredictable, and all dogs are individuals.

Is a Brindle Pitbull the Right Dog for me?

If you are interested in a famously loyal and brave companion, the brindle Pitbull may be the perfect dog for you. Brindle Pitbulls come in a wide range of beautiful coat patterns and colors. In many cases the color of their noses also matches their fur.

The Pitbull’s reputation as a fierce dog is largely undeserved. Pitties that have been properly trained from puppyhood make devoted family pets. While most are very loving and protective towards children, it is important to teach children how to safely interact with all dogs.

Be prepared to spend a lot of time with your brindle pitbull puppy and to take them everywhere with you for the first few months. Early and dedicated training and socialization are important for any dog, but especially for a strongly built breed like the Pitbull.

In general, this is a good breed for experienced dog owners, or novices willing to get professional training assistance.

If you are at the right time in your life to open your heart to one of these noble and majestic dogs, you’ll be a fan forever!

Find Out More

• The Red Nose Pitbull
• The Blue Nose Pitbull

References

• Kerns et al. “Linkage and Segregation Analysis of Black and Brindle Coat Color in Domestic Dogs.” Genetics, 2007.
• Bini et al. “Mortality, Mauling, and Maiming by Vicious Dogs.” Annals of Surgery, 2011.
• Campos Pinto et al. “Craniocerebral Injuries from Dog Bites.” Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, 2008.
• Kwan and Bain. “Owner Attachment and Problem Behaviors Related to Relinquishment and Training Techniques of Dogs.” Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2013.
• Farhoody and Zink. Behavioral and Physical Effects of Spaying and Neutering Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) 2010.