11 Tiger-Striped Brindle Dog Breeds

It’s hard not to grow mesmerized with a brindle dog’s magnificently unique coat. Dogs with this brindle pattern display dark stripes and streaks over a lighter body color, much like a tiger’s stripes. Their coats — often a mix of black, red, fawn, and gray — come thanks to a certain gene. This gorgeous coat pattern can be found in many different dog breeds and mixes, giving you plenty of options to adopt a tiger dog of your own. (Here are a few name suggestions to get that dream going.)

From Pit Bulls to Whippets to Plott Hounds, we’ve rounded up the most popular brindle dog breeds. Read on to learn more about them, from their unique coat features to their countries of origin. 

Types of brindle dog breeds

Brindle is not a breed itself, but a color pattern. Lots of dogs come in the brindle pattern, including mixed-breed dogs and many purebred dogs. Some breeds who commonly come in brindle include the following.

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1. American Pit Bull Terrier

The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in many colors, including brindle. These muscular, athletic dogs trace their roots back to fighting dogs who were developed from Bulldogs and Terriers. The breed later transformed into gentle, friendly, loyal family dogs.

• Origin: United Kingdom

• Height: 17 to 22 inches

• Weight: 30 to 66 pounds

• Coat type: Short, glossy, and smooth

• Lifespan: 8 to 16 years

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2. Basenji

Basenjis come in several colors, including brindle, often with white markings on their face, neck, and legs. The Basenji is called the “barkless dog,” because they don’t bark in the traditional sense — although they make a variety of sounds, including yodels. Basenjis were once used as hunting dogs in their native Africa, and are, today, known for being intelligent and graceful.

• Origin: Africa

• Height: 16 to 17 inches 

• Weight: 22 to 24 pounds

• Coat type: Short and fine

• Lifespan: 12 to 14 years

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3. Boxer

Boxers come in fawn and brindle, which can manifest in several shades, from sparse stripes on a fawn background to dark brindle. Boxers have performed lots of different jobs, including police and military work, but their loyal and affectionate personalities make them incredible family dogs.

• Origin: Germany

• Height: 21.5 to 25 inches 

• Weight: 50 to 80 pounds

• Coat type: Short, shiny, and smooth

• Lifespan: 10 to 12 years

4. Bullmastiff

The Bullmastiff comes in red, fawn, or brindle. This giant breed was originally developed to be an estate watchdog, a job at which Bullmastiffs excelled. They are also prized for their loyalty and calm temperament, making them wonderful buddies.

• Origin: England

• Height: 24 to 27 inches

• Weight: 100 to 130 pounds

• Coat type: Short and dense

• Lifespan: 7 to 9 years

5. Cane Corso

The Cane Corso comes in several colors, all of which can be brindled. Also known as the Italian Mastiff, the Cane Corso was originally a war dog. Later, the breed was used as guard dogs, farm dogs, and to hunt wild boar.

• Origin: Italy

• Height: 23.5 to 27.5 inches

• Weight: 85 to 110 pounds

• Coat type: Short, stiff, and shiny

• Lifespan: 9 to 12 years

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6. Dutch Shepherd

The Dutch Shepherd is a medium-sized brown brindle dog with a sturdy, athletic build. Working dogs through and through, Dutch Shepherds have the energy and stamina to excel as all-purpose farm dogs, a job they still do today.

• Origin: The Netherlands

• Height: 21.5 to 24.5 inches

• Weight: 42 to 75 pounds

• Coat type: Long, short, or rough

• Lifespan: 11 to 14 years

7. French Bulldog

French Bulldogs can have sparse or heavy brindle markings on any of the three colors they come in (white, cream, and fawn). Known for their large “bat ears,” Frenchies were bred down from their larger cousin the Bulldog. They are companion dogs, providing love and affection to their favorite people. 

• Origin: France

• Height: 11 to 13 inches

• Weight: Less than 28 pounds

• Coat type: Short and smooth

• Lifespan: 10 to 12 years

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8. Great Dane

The Great Dane is one of the largest and tallest dog breeds. Despite their name, this breed is not from Denmark. In its country of origin, Germany, the Great Dane is called the Deutsche Dogge (German Mastiff). Great Danes are people-oriented dogs who thrive on companionship.

• Origin: Germany

• Height: 28 to 32 inches tall

• Weight: 110 to 175 pounds

• Coat type: Short, thick, and smooth

• Lifespan: 7 to 10 years

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9. Plott Hound

The Plott Hound is almost always brindle, though the brindle pattern is displayed on backgrounds of a wide variety of colors. The Plott Hound is from Louisiana, where the breed is still treasured today as an outstanding tracking dog.

• Origin: United States 

• Height: 20 to 25 inches tall

• Weight: 40 to 60 pounds

• Coat type: Smooth, fine, and glossy

• Lifespan: 12 to 14 years

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10. Whippet

The Whippet looks like a small Greyhound, something that is not surprising since they were bred down from their larger cousins sometime during the 1800s. Whippets are sighthounds, which means they use their speed and excellent sense of sight to chase down prey. They are also loving family dogs. 

• Origin: England

• Height: 18 to 22 inches tall

• Weight: 25 to 40 pounds

• Coat type: Short and smooth

• Lifespan: 12 to 15 years

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11. Brindle mixed-breed dogs

The brindle pattern is not only seen in purebred dogs. Whether you like fawn brindle dogs or brown brindle dogs, you can find this pretty pattern in mixed-breed dogs of all shapes, sizes, and coat types. In fact, adopting a brindle dog presents several aesthetic and personality advantages to better mesh with your pet-parent preferences.

Brindle coat variations

Brindled dogs can have a variety of base colors, including blue (light gray) or red (red fawn or mahogany), and you’ll even see brindles in white dogs. There are two types of brindle coat variations: traditional and reverse.

• Traditional brindle dogs have black or dark-brown stripes over brown, fawn, tan, or cream. 

• In reverse brindle dogs, the pattern is switched: The base color is darker and the stripes are lighter. 

What causes brindle coloring in dogs?

The cause of brindle coloring in dogs lies in specific genetic factors that turn on the expression of a tiger-stripe pattern in dogs that carry these genes. Brindle dogs have one gene for black or dark pigment, and another gene for red or yellow color. A gene called K locus is the key factor in triggering the brindle striping. 

Consider adopting a brindle dog

Some studies have found that brindle dogs take a longer time to be adopted than dogs of lighter colors (a similar issue is observed with black dogs). So why are brindle dogs unpopular? It could be that people are drawn to more common colors or patterns, or that lighter dogs stand out more, but no one knows for sure. 

If you’re searching for a new dog or puppy, consider adopting brindle dog who comes with a truly unique coat. To get started, Adopt a Pet will let you customize your search by color, breed, sex, and age — so you can find a pup who fits your lifestyle and preferences.  

Commonly asked questions

Is brindle a breed of dog?

No, brindle is not a breed of dog. It’s a color pattern that creates dark stripes atop a lighter fur color. Brindle is seen in many different dog breeds, as well as mixed-breed dogs. 

Can all dog breeds have brindle coats?

No, not all dog breeds have brindle coats. Some dog breeds are never brindle (according to their breed standards), others are always brindle, and others can be brindle or another color or pattern. 

Is brindle a dominant or recessive gene?

Brindle is caused by a dominant gene. A dog only needs to have one copy of this gene to be brindle or to pass brindle on to their puppies. 

Are there any health issues associated with brindle coats?

No, there aren’t any health issues associated with brindle coats. Brindle dogs might be prone to genetic diseases that appear in their breed, but these are not linked to the brindle coat pattern.