From solid colors to spotted and striped, dogs can have a variety of coat colors, but nothing is more classic and adorable than a tricolor dog!
There are a lot of tricolor dog breeds in existence, and most of them are popular ones, like the Beagle and Collie. However, other dog breeds exhibit a rather rare tricolor coat pattern for their breed.
If you want to know the other tricolored dog breeds, keep reading until the end. This article covers 41 tricolor dog breeds, their color genetics, places to find them, and even name ideas for tricolor dogs!
What Is a Tricolor Dog?
A tricolor dog is any dog that displays three distinct colors on its coat — black, brown, and white. This range of colors may appear as large blotches of pigments on top of white coats. Many breeds exhibit a tricolor coat, such as the Beagle, Boxer, Chihuahua, Corgi, Pomeranian, and more.
Some confuse a tricolor coat pattern with brindle and merle since both can also bring about multiple colors on the dog’s coat.
However, note that the coat pattern of brindle dogs is either blended or striped, while merle dogs have a more marbled pattern of black patches or dark-colored spots against a lighter-colored coat.
What separates tricolor dogs from brindle and merle dogs is that the three shades on a tricolor dog’s coat don’t blend. It merely meets one another in some areas of the dog’s body.
41 Adorable Tricolor Dog Breeds
There are many popular tricolor dog breeds. Some of them make excellent companion pets that offer loyalty and affection, while others thrive as either herding, hunting, or hiking companions.
If you are looking for a black, brown, and white dog as an addition to your family, read the succeeding sections. Here, you’ll learn about all 41 dog breeds that can exhibit the tricolor coat pattern.
1. American English Coonhound
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The American English Coonhound is a tricolor dog with black, brown, and white coat pattern. However, it also has a variety of coat colors, such as red, brown, blue, and bicolor.
This dog is a moderate-shedder and, therefore, not considered a hypoallergenic breed. Brushing its coat once a week can help control the shedding and matting of furs.
Additionally, as one of the six Coonhound breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC), the American English Coonhound was originally bred as a hunting dog.
With this, it’s renowned for its speed, endurance, and athleticism. These traits are best partnered with regular physical and mental stimulation so they can release their energy.
Since American English Coonhounds are loyal and affectionate, these tricolor dogs also make excellent companion pets. They are also good with other pets and children, which makes them suitable for families.
2. American Foxhound
The American Foxhound is a tricolor dog with a black, brown, and white coat, although it can also be red, blue, tan, white, and bicolor. This breed’s coat is close, hard, and medium in length and sheds moderately.
This tricolor dog has long and droopy ears, a slightly domed skull, and hazel-colored eyes with a soft, pleading expression. Its body is long and muscular, along with its legs.
Temperament-wise, the American Foxhound is sociable, energetic, and gets along with everyone.
As an affectionate dog that doesn’t appreciate being left alone, the American Foxhound may whenever left for long periods.
Because of this, the American Foxhound might not be suitable for apartment living as it can displease the neighbors.
Nevertheless, this tricolor dog makes a great family companion that does best in homes with a large yard surrounded by a fence.
3. American Staffordshire Terrier
The American Staffordshire Terrier, also known as AmStaff, is one of the four Pit Bull dog breeds. It has a short coat that is glossy and stiff to the touch.
A tricolor AmStaff is, in fact, rare, and it’s not listed on the standard colors in the American Kennel Club (AKC). Nonetheless, there are still breeders where you can find a tricolor American Staffordshire Terrier.
The AmStaff is known for its sturdy and muscular body, broad skull, and powerful jaw. It’s rather protective of its family, making it a wonderful guard dog.
With its gentle and playful personality around its owners, an American Staffordshire Terrier is good with children.
Despite this good temperament, this tricolor dog may not get along well with other pets and strangers due to its suspiciousness. However, this can be addressed through early socialization and obedience training.
4. American Pit Bull Terrier
The American Pit Bull Terrier is another one of the four Pit Bull dog breeds. Although it’s not recognized by the AKC, it’s accepted by the United Kennel Club (UKC).
The American Pit Bull Terrier comes in many coat patterns, including brindle as well as tricolor combinations of black, brown, and white. Its coat is low-maintenance since it’s short, sleek, and stiff to the touch.
Despite their muscular and stocky build, these dogs have a gentle disposition. They are very affectionate and extremely loyal toward their owners and always follow them around the house.
Moreover, American Pit Bulls are friendly towards strangers, especially if they are socialized early and trained properly.
Due to its energetic trait, the tricolor pitbull is best for active owners and families with older children.
5. Appenzeller Sennenhund
The Appenzeller Sennenhund, also called Appenzeller Mountain Dog, is one of the four Swiss Mountain dog breeds.
This dog only comes in the traditional black, brown, and white color combination. It has a short and dense double coat and sheds moderately.
Due to their history, Appenzeller Sennenhunds are mainly raised as herding dogs — helping around the farm and enthusiastic in completing tasks assigned to them.
However, this tricolored dog breed is versatile and can be a guard dog, watchdog, or companion pet.
The Appenzeller Sennenhund is a lively and energetic dog breed that loves being outside and occupied. Hence, this tricolor dog is best for active pet owners who share the dog’s interest in outdoor activities.
6. Australian Cattle Dog
The Australian Cattle Dog, also known as Blue Heeler or Queensland Heeler, is a herding breed that mostly comes in blue or red color and is usually mottled or speckled.
Although the black, brown, and white combination is not listed on the AKC standards, a tricolor Australian Cattle Dog exists. Its coat is smooth, straight, and close, shedding once or twice a year.
This tricolor dog is known for its agility and intelligence. It’s easy to train but requires lots of physical activities and mental stimulation. Hence, this dog is ideal for active pet owners who could satisfy its needs.
Moreover, as long as they’re properly socialized, Australian Cattle Dogs can get along well with other pets in the household.
They are also good with children, but they must be supervised when playing with younger kids.
7. Australian Shepherd
Although the Australian Shepherd, also called Aussie, is commonly seen with a red merle or a blue merle coat, it also exhibits a tricolor pattern.
The Aussie has either a straight or wavy coat that sheds moderately. Because of this, it requires weekly brushing to control shedding and avoid matting.
Moreover, this tricolored dog breed is known for its high intelligence and eager-to-please personality, making it easy to train.
Due to its active trait, it’s also important for the Australian Shepherd to have ample daily activities. With this, the Aussie is ideal for active owners with an outdoor space where this tricolor dog can run around.
Additionally, Australian Shepherds are generally friendly. They bond with everyone, including children and other dogs or pets in the household. They love companionship and may not do well if left alone for long hours.
8. Basenji
The Basenji is a breed that comes in several color combinations, including tricolor. It’s a low-shedding dog with a short and fine coat that is barely noticeable.
Basenjis are rare, and only a few people own this breed. This is because female Basenjis only undergo one heat period yearly, so breeding can be difficult. Because of this, the cost of the Basenji can be quite high.
Nonetheless, the Basenji is surely worth every penny as it makes a great companion pet. This tricolor breed is protective of its family and extremely easy to groom. Just a quick brush once a week will suffice.
One interesting thing about this tricolored dog is that it doesn’t bark — it only howls or yodels.
For reference, this video shows a tricolor Basenji yodeling instead of barking:
"Lucy the Basenji" DVD - Howls & Yodels<a href="https://youtu.be/4gP5VsVVC_Q" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><img src="https://www.bubblypet.com/wp-content/plugins/wp-youtube-lyte/lyteCache.php?origThumbUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2F4gP5VsVVC_Q%2F0.jpg" alt="&quot;Lucy the Basenji&quot; DVD - Howls &amp; Yodels" width="1280" height="700" /><br />Watch this video on YouTube</a>
9. Basset Hound
The Basset Hound is a popular dog breed that comes with many color variations, but the tricolor combination of black, brown, and white is the most common.
Basset Hounds are easily distinguished among all tricolor dogs because of their unique appearance: long hanging ears, long noses, short, crooked legs, and sad, droopy faces.
Despite their short stature, these tricolored dogs are considered medium to large dogs because of their heavy bones and large body.
Moreover, Basset Hounds may be a bit challenging to train due to their ability to catch a scent and urge to follow it.
However, success in training can be easily obtained with the right amount of patience coupled with tactics.
For instance, this dog responds well to positive reinforcement. Hence, providing it with treats can make training easier. Just avoid overfeeding the pooch, as the Basset Hound breed is prone to obesity.
10. Beagle
The Beagle is one of the most well-known tricolor dogs. Although it comes in a number of colors, the black, brown, and white combination is the most common.
The Beagle sheds moderately throughout the year but also has a heavy shedding season every spring. This tricolor dog has a short, close, and medium-length coat.
Brushing the coat once a week — or a few times a week if it’s shedding season — is needed to control the matting and shedding.
Beagles are friendly, easygoing, and generally happy dogs. That’s why they are often regarded as excellent family companions. They get along well with everyone, including children, other pets, and even strangers.
This tricolor dog likes attention and tends to bark excessively when left alone for too long. Fortunately, crate training can help resolve this unwanted behavior of the Beagle.
11. Bernese Mountain Dog
The Bernese Mountain Dog, also called Berner, is another well-known tricolor dog breed and the most popular among the four Swiss Mountain dog breeds. With this, the Berner’s price can be quite high.
This tricolored dog sheds a lot throughout the year but much more during shedding season. To control this and to prevent matting, daily brushing of its moderately long coat is recommended.
Although they are bred as working dogs with strong and muscular bodies, Bernese Mountain Dogs make great companion pets. With their friendly and gentle nature, they get along well with everyone, including younger kids.
Even though the Bernese Mountain Dog has low energy, it still needs daily activities for physical stimulation and overall health.
Because of that, the tricolor Bernese Mountain Dog is best for active families that can commit to its daily exercise needs and healthy diet.
12. Biewer Terrier
The Biewer Terrier is a tricolor dog that only garnered recognition from the AKC in 2021. Originally, this breed was called German Yorkshire Terrier as a descendant of the Yorkshire Terrier breed.
Biewer Terriers are small fluffy dogs that belong to the toy group. They have long and smooth coats that make them look elegant and stunning. These dogs are also considered hypoallergenic as they don’t shed.
As bubbly and entertaining pets, these tricolor dogs are often regarded as a loving and lovable breed. They make great family companions that get along well with children and other pets.
Due to its good nature, moderate exercise needs, and non-shedding trait, the Biewer Terrier is ideal for first-time dog owners. With its compact size, it’s also suitable for apartment living.
13. Border Collie
The Border Collie comes in a variety of coat colors, such as blue merle, red merle, solid colors, bicolor, and tricolor.
Its coat is short to medium in length and sheds twice a year. Weekly brushing is needed for proper coat care.
Bred to help with the farm and herd livestock, Border Collies are active and hardworking dogs.
In fact, they are often described as workaholics. They feel accomplished completing tasks and love physical and mental activities.
With this, Border Collies thrive in country living where they have a huge space to run around every day. They may not do well in city life as they may feel confined by the lack of space, resulting in boredom.
Due to its herding instincts, the Border Collie is protective of its family and can be unfriendly towards strangers. However, with early socialization, this tricolor dog can get along nicely with everyone.
14. Boxer
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The Boxer is commonly a tricolor dog due to its markings, but it also has a range of color variations like white and brindle. Its coat is short, smooth, tight to the body, and moderately sheds.
Mostly seen with its tail docked and ears cropped, the Boxer has a distinct square-shaped head with an undershot jaw. It generally looks regal with its muscular body, broad chest, and short back.
For some reason, Boxers have a bad reputation. Some people regard them as dangerous and aggressive.
However, this is quite the opposite of their true nature, which can be honed through proper training and socialization.
The only reason why these tricolor dogs are deemed dangerous is that they are very protective of their family. This makes them great watchdogs and family guardians that can keep families safe.
15. Bull Terrier
The Bull Terrier is a tricolor dog of black, brown, and white combinations. It has a short and flat coat that is hard to the touch and sheds twice a year.
Bull Terriers are mostly known for their egg-shaped head with no indentation, even on the part of their face where the muzzle and eyes meet.
These tricolor dogs are medium-sized with big bones, having a muscular neck, body, and broad chest. Although they may seem intimidating due to their strong build, they are very affectionate and friendly.
Provided that they are socialized early and trained properly, Bull Terriers get along nicely with other pets and kids.
Moreover, the Bull Terrier loves to spend quality time with its family. It’s an active, sweet, and gentle breed that loves to play.
Because of this, making time for daily activities like training and exercise is important for owners of this breed.
16. Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, one of the most popular dog breeds, is a tricolor dog. Its long ears with wavy furs make a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel distinguishable among other dog breeds.
The coat of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is soft, silky, and medium-length. It’s also a light-shedder, so its coat is easy to maintain. However, weekly brushing and regular hair trimming are needed to keep a healthy coat.
Furthermore, this tricolor dog is a perfect balance of an active and mellow dog. It can excel in athletics and just being a lapdog, making it adaptable to its owners’ lifestyle.
In addition, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are affectionate dogs that always crave a cuddle.
This makes them prone to separation anxiety that will result in excessive barking, which can be addressed through crate training.
17. Chihuahua
The Chihuahua is a small dog with various color variations, including black, bicolor, and tricolor. It also has different coat types, such as short hair, long hair, and even hairless.
Apart from its susceptibility to dental or eye disease, the Chihuahua is generally healthy. This is why it has a longer lifespan compared to many other dog breeds.
With its compact size, the Chihuahua is suitable for apartment living. However, it’s also an active pet that likes to engage in activities.
That said, it’s important to come up with daily activities with your Chihuahua to help it release its pent-up energy.
Despite its reputation for being yappy towards strangers, this tricolor dog is loyal and always wants a snuggle.
Although Chihuahuas can get along nicely with older children, they may not be ideal for families with younger kids.
18. Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel is one of the most popular and well-loved dog breeds. It comes in several color variations, such as black, bicolor, and tricolor. Its coat is silky, flat or slightly wavy, and medium-length.
The combination of its long, lush, feathered ears and sweet, expressive eyes makes a Cocker Spaniel distinguishable. Their appearance goes well with their equally sweet personality.
This tricolored dog is a happy breed that loves being a companion at home, receiving lots of snuggles. It’s eager to please its humans, so training the pup won’t be difficult for owners.
Cocker Spaniels get along nicely with everyone, including younger kids and other pets. Hence, they are ideal for families with children. In addition to this, with their small size, they also do well in apartment living.
19. Collie
The Collie has two different varieties, which are the Rough Collie and the Smooth Collie. The Rough Collie is the more popular one, but these two variations only differ in coat length.
Rough Collies are long-haired, whereas Smooth Collies are short-haired versions of the breed. Both varieties are known to have a tricolor coat of black, brown, and white.
Collies are originally bred as herding dogs. However, their gentle temperament and loyalty make them popular companion animals for families.
However, it’s important for owners to know that when a Collie is sick, it mustn’t be treated without a vet’s advice. The Collie is a breed that can be sensitive to a few common medications.
Furthermore, due to its large size, the Collie may not be ideal for apartment living. However, there’s a variation called miniature Collie that has a more compact size and is more apartment-friendly.
20. Danish-Swedish Farmdog
The Danish-Swedish Farmdog is a working breed. It’s a tricolor dog with a short and smooth coat that sheds lightly throughout the year. This pup is low-maintenance, as it only requires brushing at least once a month.
Often confused with the Fox Terrier and Jack Russell due to its coat and size, this tricolor dog has a muscular build and a smaller head in proportion to its body.
Given that they are regularly receiving mental and physical stimulation, Danish-Swedish Farmdogs are excellent companion pets. They are great with kids and enjoy playtime.
However, due to its high prey drive, the Danish-Swedish Farmdog tends to chase small animals, including squirrels, hamsters, and rabbits. Hence, it’s recommended to keep your small pets away from them.
The Danish-Swedish Farmdog is best suited for active families who live in a house with a large fenced-in yard.
21. Drever
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Like other hunting dogs, the Drever has a short but long and sturdy body. Its coat is short and harsh and sheds minimally. This makes it easy to groom for only once a month of brushing requirement.
It’s a tricolor pup that can both be a hunting dog and a companion pet. The Drever is mostly described as even-tempered and never aggressive. It can be agile and alert when working and sweet when it’s family time.
Although they are mostly kept as hunting partners, Drevers have a reputation for being loyal and affectionate towards their owners. This is the reason why pet owners also keep them as family companions.
In addition to this, Drevers are sociable and get along well with children and other animals.
With their compact size, they are suitable for apartment living. However, it’s best to give them daily exercise for their activity needs.
22. English Bulldog
The English Bulldog comes in a variety of colors and patterns, such as blue, merle, and tricolor. Their tricolor coat pattern, however, is considered a rare variation. Hence, the cost of a tricolor English Bulldog is quite expensive.
English Bulldogs are light-shedders, so they are easy to groom and maintain. Their short and straight coats require brushing once or twice a month.
These tri-colored dogs are known for their sweet personality and love for children. They are good with other pets, too, as long as they are trained and socialized early. Otherwise, they tend to become aggressive.
English Bulldogs have low energy and are often regarded as lazy dogs. With this, they only need a few minutes of daily exercise alongside a well-balanced diet.
Due to its low-maintenance trait, the English Bulldog is suitable for first-time pet owners, apartment living, and families with children.
23. English Foxhound
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Like many other breeds of hunting dogs, the English Foxhound has a traditional hound color combination of black, brown, and white.
Its coat is short, dense, and glossy and sheds moderately. It only needs weekly brushing to keep it clean and healthy.
As a scent hound, this tricolored dog has long, floppy ears that help it follow scents. It also has a muscular body and long legs, which complement its speed and endurance.
As pack-driven hunting dogs, English Foxhounds thrive in the countryside, where they can work with their fellow Foxhounds. Aside from their excellent hunting skills, these tricolored dogs are sociable in nature.
With its passion for hunting, the English Foxhound is best suited for huntsmen. It may be rarely seen as a family pet, but it can also be affectionate and sweet towards its owners.
24. English Toy Spaniel
One of the AKC’s standard colors for the English Toy Spaniel is a combination of black, brown, and white. It has a straight to slightly wavy flowing coat with a silky and glossy texture and sheds moderately.
Appearance-wise, what makes an English Toy Spaniel remarkable and endearing are its long, feathered ears, chubby cheeks, pushed-in nose, dark eyes, and large domed head.
Because of their moderate grooming needs of at least twice a week of brushing and regular hair trimming, English Toy Spaniels make excellent companion pets.
Their sociable, calm, and affectionate personality make these tricolor dogs ideal for families with children.
They also have a compact size and moderate exercise requirement, which make them suitable for apartment living.
25. Entlebucher Mountain Dog
The Entlebucher Mountain Dog is one of the four Swiss Mountain dog breeds.
Much like the other three members of this group, the Entlebucher Mountain Dog has a traditional coat pattern of a mostly black body with a white chest blaze and brown markings on the legs, face, and chest.
Its coat is short, harsh, and shiny that needs weekly brushing as it sheds moderately.
Entlebucher Mountain Dogs may not be as popular as other mountain dog breeds, but they are equally endearing. Known for their agility and enthusiasm, Entlebucher Mountain Dogs are energetic workers.
As family pets, they require lots of exercise to keep up with their energy. Otherwise, they might develop unwanted behaviors like chewing and digging to release their energy.
Hence, these tricolor dogs are best suited for experienced pet owners that have a large yard where Entlebucher Mountain Dogs can run around.
26. Fox Terrier
The Fox Terrier has two types, the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier, which differ in coat type.
The Smooth Fox Terrier has a smooth, short coat with minimal grooming requirements. In contrast, the Wire Fox Terrier has a wiry and crispy textured coat that requires regular professional grooming.
Apart from the coat type, these two dogs have the same stature and appearance, including the standard coat colors of white, bicolor, and tricolor.
These tricolor dogs are friendly, affectionate, and loyal companions that can protect their owners. If socialized early, they can get along well with other household pets, too.
Fox Terriers are known for their digging behavior, either landscaping your yard or digging up plants.
This unwanted behavior can be eliminated through early training. Because of this, they may not be suitable for inexperienced owners.
27. Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
Another one of the four Swiss Mountain Dog breeds, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, also called Swissie, exhibits the same elegant coat color combination of black, brown, and white.
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog’s coat is short and dense and sheds moderately. Nevertheless, it’s relatively easy to care for, with only once a week of brushing and occasional washing for coat maintenance.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are large working dogs that love performing duties. They make great watchdogs that will constantly alert you with their loud barking.
Furthermore, these tricolored dog breeds are also friendly and outgoing. They love meeting new people and animals as long as they are properly introduced.
Due to their large size, the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog is best suited for homes with a huge backyard where they can perform their daily exercise requirements for physical and mental stimulation.
28. Hamiltonstovare
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The Hamiltonstovare is a tricolor scent hound that is popularly known for its versatility in terms of purpose. It can be a hunter, a show dog, a service dog, and even a family pet.
The coat of a Hamiltonstovare is short, harsh, and sheds rarely. Based on the standard of the AKC, it only comes in tricolor.
This dog is considered rare as there’s only one breeder in the United States that produces this breed.
Despite this, Hamiltonstovares are worth having as pets. These tricolor dogs are low-maintenance, as they can be quite lazy at home.
Additionally, as a scent hound, the Hamiltonstovare tends to wander off when it catches a scent that interests it. Because of this, it’s suitable for first-time pet owners that live in a house with a large fenced-in yard.
29. Harrier
Exhibiting the traditional tricolor coat for hounds, the Harrier looks a lot like the Beagle and American Foxhound. However, its full-grown size is somewhere in between the two breeds.
The Harrier is bred to hunt in packs, which means they prefer it with people around the house or with another dog as a companion if kept as a family pet.
Harriers are friendly towards everyone in the household, including children and other companion animals, as long as they go through puppy socialization.
However, these tricolor dogs may be unwelcoming towards strangers. This behavior can be addressed through proper training.
In addition to this, Harriers make not only an excellent family pet but also a hiking and running companion. They enjoy long walks with their owners as part of their activity needs.
30. Icelandic Sheepdog
The Icelandic Sheepdog is a spitz-type breed and is also considered a type of husky. It has a range of color variations, one of which is a tricolor pattern of black, brown, and white.
As a spitz breed, the Icelandic Sheepdog is a small to medium-sized breed that has the distinguishable trait of a foxy face, pointed ears, bushy tail, and a dense coat.
Icelandic Sheepdogs are friendly, playful, and loyal to their owners. They get along well with everyone, including kids, other pets, and even strangers, especially if they are socialized.
Because they are bred to herd sheep, these tricolor dogs need a lot of physical and mental activities to keep them stimulated. Thus, they are best suited for active owners who can keep up with their energy levels.
31. Japanese Chin
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The Japanese Chin is a small tricolor dog with a straight and abundant coat. It’s a heavy-shedder breed that requires weekly brushing and regular professional grooming.
These tricolor dogs are often regarded as cat-like due to their low energy, loyal, and loving but independent dispositions.
With their small stature, Japanese Chins make great family pets suitable for apartment living.
In fact, these toy breeds are low-maintenance dogs in terms of living needs. They don’t need that much exercise and are quite content with just hanging out with their owners on the couch.
Due to its fondness for solitude, the Japanese Chin may not be ideal for families with smaller children and other dogs that tend to play rough.
32. Otterhound
The Otterhound is a large dog with various color combinations, including black, brown, and white. It has a double coat with a dense, rough, and coarse outer coat and a short, wooly, and water-resistant undercoat.
As its name implies, the Otterhound is bred to hunt otters. Its webbed feet and a waterproof coat are built for swimming.
It can both be a hunting dog and a companion pet because of its outgoing and affectionate personality.
Due to their large size and good nature, these tricolor dogs are often described as gentle giants.
Otterhounds make excellent family companions that love playing with your kids. However, even though they are gentle, supervision is still needed when they are playing with children.
Additionally, they have high energy and extreme grooming requirements, making them best suited for active and experienced owners.
33. German Shepherd
German Shepherds are commonly known to have a bicolor combination of black and brown coats. However, it also has other rare color variations like black and tricolor.
Unlike the black German Shepherd Dog that is obviously named after its coat color, a tricolor German Shepherd is known as the panda Shepherd. Also, unlike black, this variation of the breed is not recognized by the AKC.
The rare color variation of the panda Shepherd is merely a mutation of the KIT gene, which controls cell functions. This mutation affects the dog’s color and results in white and tan markings.
Since the Panda Shepherd is a purebred dog with only a different coat color, it exhibits the same characteristics as the German Shepherd breed. Its coat is short, dense, and sheds throughout the year.
Temperament-wise, panda Shepherds are known for their confidence and courage. As working dogs, these pups thrive in different environments where they exhibit agility, intelligence, and excellent trainability.
34. Papillon
The Papillon comes in a range of colors and markings, and one of them is the tricolor combination of black, brown, and white. Its coat is silky, straight, and long and sheds moderately.
What makes a Papillon unique and recognizable is the breed’s trademark big ears that are covered in long, feathered hair that frames its face, making it look like butterfly wings.
Moreover, Papillons are happy and friendly pups. As companion dogs, they always like to spend time with their owners. They are also good with children and other pets in the household.
These tricolor dogs have moderate energy levels, so they don’t need much exercise. With their compact size and low-maintenance trait, Papillons are suitable for apartment living and first-time pet owners.
35. Pembroke Welsh Corgi
Apart from Cardigan Welsh Corgis, the other type of Corgi is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi. It’s a tricolor dog that is one of the most popular small dog breeds.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi has a very distinct appearance with its short stature, large ears, and foxy face. Bred as herding dogs, they have short but muscular legs, long, sturdy bodies, and deep chests.
These tricolor dogs have a double coat of medium-length with a short and thick undercoat and a longer outer coat. Some Pembroke Welsh Corgis are fluffy, but this variation is deemed faulty per the AKC standards.
They are active, smart, and love plenty of physical and mental activities. They are people-oriented, which makes them excellent pets for active families with children.
36. Pomeranian
From tricolor to white and lavender, the Pomeranian comes with many breathtaking color variations. This dog is also one of the world’s most popular small and fluffy dogs that belong to Spitz dog breeds.
The Pomeranian is easily recognizable with its erect, wedge-shaped ears, fluffy fur, and frill around its neck and chest.
Despite its thick coat, this tricolor dog is relatively easy to groom with only a few times a week of brushing.
Pomeranians are adaptable pets that would equally love being on your lap and engaging in dog sports like agility courses. They are friendly pets that get along nicely with everyone if socialized early.
These tricolor dogs are low-maintenance, with only a moderate need for exercise, so they are suitable for first-time pet owners. Additionally, they have compact bodies ideal for apartment living.
37. Rat Terrier
The Rat Terrier has numerous color variations, and one of them is the black, brown, and white combo. It has a short and glossy single coat and sheds moderately all year round, which only requires weekly brushing.
Rat Terriers are highly sociable dogs that get along well with everyone quickly, given that they receive early socialization and obedience training.
These tricolor dogs love bonding with their owners through daily activities, so coming up with different physical and mental exercises regularly is important. This includes daily walks, playtime, and training.
Otherwise, Rat Terriers may exhibit destructive behavior to release their energy. With this, these pups are best living in a home with a large fenced-in yard where they can run and play around every day.
38. Saint Bernard
The Saint Bernard is a gentle giant dog that comes in various colors and markings, including tricolor. However, the tricolor pattern is just mostly brown with white markings on the chest and brown markings on the face.
With its dense, short, and smooth coat, this tricolor dog is a heavy-shedder. However, this can be controlled by brushing the dog’s coat daily or three to four times a week.
This trait is only a small inconvenience compared to the perks you can get from owning this breed. For one, Saint Bernards are calm and affectionate pets that get along nicely with everyone in the household.
They are sweet pups that show patience and tolerance to kids. Due to their size, however, Saint Bernards are not apartment-friendly. They need a house with enough space for them to roam.
39. Shetland Sheepdog
The Shetland Sheepdog, also called Sheltie, is a shepherd dog breed that comes in an array of colors and coat patterns, including tricolor.
The Sheltie has a double coat with a short, furry, and dense undercoat and a long and straight outer coat.
It’s considered a high-shedding breed that requires lots of grooming. For overall coat care, this pup needs a few times a week of brushing to control shedding and matting of the fur.
As shepherd dogs, Shetland Sheepdogs are active and energetic. Hence, they need to receive physical and mental stimulation on a daily basis to fulfill their activity needs.
Shetland Sheepdogs make great companion pets since they are sweet and affectionate as family members.
However, due to their high level of energy and grooming requirements, they are best suited for experienced owners.
40. Shiba Inu
The Shiba Inu is mostly seen with a red coat, but it also has other coat colors like cream and tricolor, which is sometimes referred to as a black Shiba Inu.
This tricolor dog has a personality that resembles a cat’s disposition. It can be affectionate toward its family but doesn’t want to always be on your lap. It prefers doing what it wants rather than just being told what to do.
For this reason, Shiba Inus are aloof towards strangers. With early socialization, however, they can also be the most friendly dogs. Taking them to the dog park and public places can help them become more sociable.
Moreover, Shiba Inus love to wander and roam around but may chase small animals due to their high prey drive.
Thus, they are best suited for homes with fenced spaces where they can roam around whenever they like.
41. Toy Fox Terrier
The Toy Fox Terrier is a smaller variation of the Fox Terrier breed. As the name implies, this dog is a few inches short of both the Smooth and Wire Fox Terrier.
The Toy Fox Terrier is often seen in color combinations of black, brown, and white. Its coat is short, shiny, smooth to the touch, and sheds moderately.
Temperament-wise, Toy Fox Terriers are eager to please their humans. With this personality, their intelligence, and their motivation for food, training these tricolor dogs will be a lot easier.
Additionally, Toy Fox Terriers have a high level of energy, so they always have the urge to move around.
Nevertheless, their compact size makes them suitable for apartment living, but make sure there’s enough space for them to run around.
The Color Genetics of Tricolor Dogs
The appearance of every dog is defined by genetics, including its coat colors. What they look like will depend on which gene they inherited from their parents.
The genes that are responsible for the dog’s colors are the two basic pigments known as eumelanin and pheomelanin.
However, these two are impacted by other genes associated with the dog’s coat colors, consisting of several DNA series.
In the case of the tricolor coat pattern, the A locus or the agouti series is primarily responsible for this characteristic.
For starters, there are four known alleles in the agouti series, one of which is the at allele or the tan-point allele. This allele is recessive over other alleles in this series.
To inherit the tricolor pattern, both of the dog’s parents must carry the recessive tan-point allele to express the black-and-tan trait.
A dog that is able to express this trait is seen as a black-and-tan dog, which means its color pattern is basic black with brown pheomelanin in some areas.
Meanwhile, dogs with a tricolor coat pattern are black-and-tan with an absence of pigment in some areas of their bodies which are seen as white markings.
Places to Find Tricolor Puppies for Sale and Adoption
Most tricolor dog breeds are popular with dog lovers. Hence, it won’t be hard to find a breeder that produces tricolor dogs and a rescue organization that fosters them.
You can start searching for the tricolor dog breed you like and find breeders listed on the AKC website.
To help you out, here’s a list of websites where you can find a tricolor puppy for sale:
Keystone Puppies – This dog advertising website offers a wide range of tricolor dogs from various reputable breeders. Since they value ethical dog breeding, they perform a semi-annual surprise inspection of the breeders’ place and investigate any dog welfare complaints.
Greenfield Puppies – This is another dog advertising website that holds a vast collection of tricolor dogs. They ensure the quality of breeders by visiting their place or collecting as much background information as possible.
Lancaster Puppies – This dog advertising website aims to match breeders and potential dog owners. They provide criteria for breeders, but they still encourage puppy finders to personally visit the chosen breeder or puppy in their listing.
Before buying, make sure you have already read our article on puppy-buying guide for tips on how to safely buy puppies online.
This is to avoid getting scammed and discourage buying from puppy mills that don’t follow ethical breeding standards.
Meanwhile, here’s a list of websites where you can find tricolor dogs up for adoption:
Petfinder – This is an online database of animals for adoption, including tricolor dogs. Their website has a feature wherein you can select your preference based on several characteristics, such as breed, age, size, gender, and color.
Adopt-a-Pet – This is a pet advertising website that intends to connect adopters with rescue groups, pet adoption agencies, and private owners to help rehome pets. With the wide variety of pets in their listing, finding an available tricolor dog won’t be difficult.
North Shore Animal League America – Saving the lives of defenseless pets since 1994, this adoption organization’s purpose is to rehome rescued pets, including tricolor dogs. They perform health exams and vaccinations on all their rescued pets before they put them up for adoption.
There are things to consider before adopting a dog. Our ultimate guide to dog adoption should help you equip yourself with tips on how to get approved and the questions you should ask.
You can also check out our article on how to get a free puppy in your area. If you’re lucky enough, you might get a chance to find a black, brown, and white dog without spending money!
Dog Names Ideas for Tricolor Dogs
One essential thing dog owners should do is name their dogs. There are endless choices for dog names you can consider. For instance, you can name them after their appearance, breed, purpose, and even personality.
You can also choose the names of some popular dog characters or any characters in your favorite films or books. Some examples of this include Scooby, Lady, Dug, Bolt, Hachiko, Bailey, Nymeria, and Ghost.
The dog name choices are limitless! In fact, some dog owners even give their pets human names that fit the pup, such as Ollie, Max, Denzel, Emma, Stella, and Layla.
Most tricolor dogs are named after their colors, either the combination of all three or just one of the three main colors.
To give you an idea, here are some male tricolor dog names ideas for you to choose from:
Patches
Triple
Blotch
Drei
Tint
Hiru
Chroma
Mesh
Hues
Splatter
Fawn
Tiger
Calypso
Tres
Marble
Meanwhile, here’s a list of female tricolor dog name ideas:
Sundae
Prism
Tortie
Mixie
Cami
Sienna
Abbie
Spice
Harley
Trayah
Brandy
Cara
Tigress
Mushy
Gazania
Picking a name is important for your black, brown, and white dog for identification. This also serves as a signal that you’re communicating with them.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of tricolor dog breeds in existence, and most of them are popular ones. They exhibit a stunning black, brown, and white combination of coat colors that makes them unique.
Tricolor dogs have different personalities and traits. They also differ in size, purpose, and whether or not they would be good as companion pets. Nevertheless, they share the same quality of beauty in all aspects.
What you choose will depend on which breed fits your home and lifestyle based on the dog’s temperament and characteristics.
Hopefully, you learned a thing or two in this guide on dog breeds with black, brown, and white coats.
Have you decided which dog breed is the one for you? Share your thoughts about tricolor dogs in the comments below!
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