Yellow dog breeds are also sometimes known as fawn.
The gene that creates a yellow coat in dogs is recessive. So, a puppy needs to inherit the yellow fur gene from both parents to have yellow fur.
Yellow breeds come in a variety of shades. But they can differ a lot in other traits, such as temperament and size.
So, there are yellow dog breeds that will suit every type of family! Let’s take a closer look.
Top 20 Yellow Dog Breeds
Here are the top 20 yellow dog breeds.
- Labrador Retriever
- French Bulldog
- Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
- Pug
- Lhasa Apso
- Kangal Dog
- Korean Jindo
- Anatolian Shepherd
- Cairn Terrier
- Afghan Hound
- Boerboel
- Labradoodle
- Carolina Dog
- Australian Shepherd
- Yorkshire Terrier
- Chihuahua
- Black Mouth Cur
- Pembroke Welsh Corgi
- Great Dane
- Shar Pei
Click on the links above to jump straight to a breed. Or, keep reading to find out more about how the beautiful yellow fur color is created!
Should I get a Yellow Dog Breed?
Studies have shown that people associate yellow fur with positive personalities in dogs. But, in reality, the temperament of yellow dog breeds vary just as much as any other fur color!
So, it’s still important to take a look at what a breed is like before you bring a puppy home.
We’ve included a variety of yellow dog breeds on this list – some that need lots of space and attention, and others who suit a laid back lifestyle. So, there’s a yellow dog breed out there for everyone!
Make sure you read up on the health, temperament, and general care needs of any dog breed before you welcome it into your family.
Yellow Coat Color Genetics
Are you wondering how yellow dog breeds get such a beautiful coat color? Let’s take a look!
Every possible dog color is the result of one of two pigments. Eumelanin, which is black, or pheomelanin, which is red.
Yellow fur is produced by pheomelanin.
Lots of pheomelanin results in deep fox-red yellow dog, and very small amounts of pheomelanin produce pale, champagne-like yellows.
The gene that controls pheomelanin production is recessive, which means puppies only have yellow coats if they inherit the yellow gene from both parents.
Now, let’s take a look at the best yellow dog breeds.
Labrador Retriever
Yellow is one of the three main colors of the Labrador Retriever. Labs are popular as gundogs, working dogs, and family pets.
This is due to their trainability, as well as their great personality. Labradors are friendly, eager to please, and energetic, as long as they are socialized well from a young age.
They need families who can provide them with daily exercise, as well as plenty of social interaction.
If they’re left alone for too long, they can experience separation anxiety.
Labs do well with families of all ages. Homes with lots of space for them to explore and exercise are ideal.
You can read more about the yellow Labrador in our complete guide.
French Bulldog
The French Bulldog is another breed that also comes in the shade yellow, or fawn. This is a small dog with a flat face, and large bat-like ears.
However, their flat face causes them a lot of serious health issues. This includes overcrowded teeth, heatstroke, breathing problems, and more.
Frenchies are popular as they are friendly, loyal, and don’t need as much exercise or space as other dogs. But unfortunately, this breed only struggles to exercise because of the problems associated with their flat faces.
If you’re considering the fawn French Bulldog, it’s important to learn everything about their health and care needs.
You can find out more about this breed here.
Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
The Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier is a breed that comes from Ireland. This breed has a yellow/tan colored coat that falls in a wavy pattern. Its fur is thin and silky.
Wheaten Terriers are energetic, friendly, and loving to their families. But, they need plenty of socialization from a young age to minimise any predator instincts.
This breed is best suited to an active family who will have plenty of time to exercise and interact with their dog.
This is a popular breed for people with allergies, as it sheds minimally. But, they need regular grooming.
There is a full guide to the Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier if you think this yellow dog breed is perfect for you.
Pug
The Pug dog breed is a controversial yellow choice! The most popular colors for this small pup are fawn, or black. Although fawn colored Pugs often have black faces and ears.
This dog has a flat face, which unfortunately causes all sorts of health problems. These include dental issues, eye problems, and breathing difficulties.
Despite these issues, Pugs are friendly, social, and happy dogs if socialized and trained properly from a young age.
If you love the idea of the Pug dog breed, you might want to take a look at the Retro Pug.
Breeders are attempting to breed a longer snout into the Pug again, to prevent some of the health issues we mentioned a moment ago.
Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso dog breed comes in a variety of colors, including fawn, or yellow! This dog has long fur, but that beautiful coat comes with a price!
You will need to put a lot of time into grooming your Lhasa Apso.
Even if you decide to trim their fur, you will need to brush it regularly to get rid of any knots and tangles.
But, despite all this, the Lhasa Apso is low shedding. This dog is known to be energetic, intelligent, and loyal.
Start training and socialization from a young age to ensure the best personality in your pup!
Take a closer look at the Lhasa Apso in this guide.
Kangal Dog
The Kangal Dog’s coat comes in various shades, including a light yellow. But, they will also have a black mask over their face and black ears.
This is an athletic breed with a history as a guard dog. So, you can expect a Kangal to be loyal, affectionate, and people-oriented.
However, they can be prone to aggression towards strangers and other animals.
To minimise the chance of this happening, you should make sure to socialize and train your dog from the time you bring it home.
Kangals are best suited to homes that have lots of space for them to move around, exercise in, and patrol.
So, if you live in a small apartment, you might want to consider some different yellow dog breeds.
If the Kangal Dog intrigues you, make sure you look at our full guide!
Korean Jindo
The origins of this yellow dog breed are in its name! The Korean Jindo comes from South Korea.
This is a medium sized, Spitz type dog with a double coat. It comes in a variety of shades, but fawn is one of the most popular!
Korean Jindos are athletic, playful, and gentle. But, they will need a good deal of exercise.
They can form strong attachments to their owners, so it is important to socialize them well from the time they are a puppy.
Korean Jindos can also have strong prey drives. So, if you have other small animals in your home, you may want to consider different yellow dog breeds.
You can find out more about the Korean Jindo in our dedicated breed guide.
Anatolian Shepherd
The Anatolian Shepherd is one of the biggest yellow dog breeds on our list! One of the many shades they come in is yellow, with a black face.
Anatolian Shepherds are effective guard dogs. They are known for being loyal, gentle, and affectionate with family.
However, this breed can be territorial and show aggression towards strangers and other dogs. Make sure to socialize them from a young age to avoid this.
The Anatolian Shepherd needs a lot of space to exercise, so they won’t be well suited to city living, or apartment life.
Take a closer look at the needs of this breed in our complete guide.
Cairn Terrier
The Cairn Terrier is a Scottish breed that can have a wiry, yellow colored coat.
This may be a small breed, but they make up for their little size with their big personalities.
Cairn Terriers are cheerful, brave, and energetic. This breed will do best in families who don’t have small children.
But, it can fit in well with families who have other pets, as long as they are brought up together.
Socialize this breed well from puppyhood to avoid any territorial shows of aggression.
Cairn Terriers are only small, so they won’t need a huge amount of space or exercise to stay happy and healthy.
If you live in a city or apartment, you might like to choose this yellow dog breed.
Take a closer look at their needs here!
Afghan Hound
The Afghan Hound is a breed that really turns heads. They have a long silky coat, and ears that look similar to human hair!
This fur can come in a beautiful shade of creamy-yellow.
If you decide to let your Afghan’s coat grow long, you will need to make sure you keep on top of grooming each day. Otherwise, tangles and knots will develop.
Luckily though, these dogs don’t shed much. Afghan Hounds are often aloof and regal, but they can also be quite playful.
This breed is quite independent, so isn’t the best choice if you’re looking for an affectionate dog.
They also have a strong hunt and chase instinct. So, if you have small animals in the house, or your dog sees a squirrel, they may dart off after it! Make sure to practice obedience from a young age.
Read more about the unique Afghan breed here.
Boerboel
The Boerboel is a large dog breed from South Africa. This dog has a variety of coat colors, including a deep reddish-yellow with a black face.
The original purpose of this breed was guarding and protecting livestock.
So, there is the potential that a Boerboel will be aggressive to strangers and other animals. Socialize and train them from a young age to avoid this.
Boerboels are very large dogs, so too much exercise and overfeeding can put a strain on their joints.
This dog is best suited to homes where it has the space to explore and stay healthy.
Read more about the best home for this large breed here.
Labradoodle
This is the only mixed breed on our list, but as such a popular yellow dog breed, we couldn’t miss it out!
Labradoodles are the result of mixing a standard Labrador Retriever with a standard Poodle.
They come in a huge variety of colors and patterns, one of which can be yellow or fawn!
It is much harder to predict the personality and physical traits that mixed breed dogs will have, as they can inherit any possible mix from their two parent breeds.
So, you might need to actually see your puppy in person before finding out what it is like!
Personality will develop as they grow, but meeting the parent dogs is a great way to see what your puppy may be like.
Find out more about the possible traits of Labradoodles here.
Carolina Dog
The Carolina Dog is another of our favorite yellow dog breeds! Although they can come in a variety of other colors too.
This dog is loyal and independent but very loving with their family. They can be reserved and wary towards strangers, so socialization is very important.
The Carolina Dog is low maintenance when it comes to grooming, as they have a short, smooth coat.
But, they do need daily exercise. They are a great choice if you are looking for a dog that you can take hiking or swimming with you.
This breed is also a great candidate for canine sports and agility training! You can combine their love of exercise with their eagerness to please and learn things.
Australian Shepherd
Although yellow isn’t an accepted color for the Australian Shepherd, it is common to find puppies with this coat color!
Australian Shepherds are herding dogs with strong instincts. You should be aware of these if you have small children or other pets, as your dog may try to herd them.
This can involve nipping at their heels.
Generally, though, Australian Shepherds are energetic, alert, and intelligent.
They take very well to reward-based training, and will love engaging in training exercises from a young age.
This breed needs lots of space and time to dedicate to exercising. Lack of mental and physical stimulation can lead to a bored dog with destructive tendencies.
You can read more about the Australian Shepherd here.
Yorkshire Terrier
The Yorkie is a beautiful and popular yellow dog breed, that also has patches dark blue coloring, usually along its back.
Yorkies are small dogs. But, they are bold, confident, and often stubborn. So, you will need to train and socialize them from a young age to encourage the best temperament.
These small dogs will pick up training quickly and easily, thanks to their intelligence.
They need a lot of exercise for small dogs, even though they are considered lap dogs.
They also need regular grooming, especially if you allow their fur to grow long.
Take a closer look at the Yorkshire Terrier in our complete guide.
Chihuahua
The Chihuahua is the smallest yellow dog breed on our list, growing up to 15 inches tall and weighing only 3 to 6 pounds as an adult!
Chihuahuas can have long or short fur that comes in a large spectrum of colors, including yellow, or fawn.
These small dogs need very little space to live, and have much lower exercise requirements than the other dogs on this list, so they can be great for families who have less space to care for a dog.
Chihuahuas are loyal and devoted, but they can also be quite feisty!
You should train and socialize them from a young age to make sure your Chi will be happy and social as an adult!
Read more about the Chihuahua breed here.
Black Mouth Cur
The Black Mouth Cur comes in various shades, including yellow, with a black mouth.
This working dog breed is known for being loyal, affectionate, and full of energy. So, they love spending time with their families, and need lots of exercise every day!
Black Mouth Curs are medium sized, and have love grooming requirements.
They are known for being brave, loyal, and protective.
Although this means they can show aggression to strangers or other animals.
Socialize your pup from a young age to minimize the chance of this happening.
Read more about the Black Mouth Cur breed here.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi is a short-legged yellow dog breed. This breed is known for its fox-like appearance.
They are intelligent, curious, and brave dogs.
Their original purpose was herding, so they may show this habit when you bring them home.
Be aware of this if you have small children or other animals.
Make sure you train and socialize them from a young age to ensure you are getting the best temperament from your Corgi.
You should be aware that the body structure of the Corgi means it has some serious health problems.
This can result in some expensive veterinary bills, and lots of time and care needs.
Read more about these potential issues in our full guide to the Pembroke Welsh Corgi.
Great Dane
The Great Dane is another one of our biggest yellow dog breeds! These dogs can grow up to 34 inches tall, weighing up to 175 pounds as an adult!
Great Danes are calm, gentle, and affectionate dogs, so their personality suits families with kids really well.
However, Great Danes can sometimes forget how big they are!
So, you should train and socialize them from a young age.
This will help to avoid any behaviors that could result in someone getting hurt, such as jumping up to greet people.
Great Danes are big dogs, but they won’t need a lot of exercise. As long as they get daily walks, this will be enough.
Read more about this large yellow dog breed here.
Shar Pei
The Shar Pei is a medium-sized breed with distinctive wrinkled skin. This unique body comes in a huge shade of colors, including yellow.
The most well-known part of this dog breed is their wrinkles. However, these can actually cause the Shar Pei lots of problems.
This coat means the Shar Pei has a lot of specific grooming needs. Neglecting this can result in sores, irritation, and mold growing between his skin folds.
The Shar Pei breed is loyal and confident, but can be aggressive towards other dogs. Socialization and training are really important for this breed.
Take a closer look at the Shar Pei dog in our full guide!
Which is Your Favorite Yellow Dog Breed?
So, those are our 20 favorite yellow dog breeds! Which was your favorite?
If you have any of these dog breeds, make sure you tell us all about them in the comments. We would love to hear all the reasons why yellow dog breeds are your favorite!
References and Resources
- Fratkin, J. & Baker, S. ‘The Role of Coat Color and Ear Shape on the Perception of Personality in Dogs’, Anthrozoos (2015)
- Buzhardt, L. ‘Genetics Basics – Coat Genetics in Dogs’, VCA (2016)
- Sponenberg, D. P. & Rothschild, M. ‘Genetics of Coat Color and Hair Texture’, The Genetics of the Dog (2001)
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