Jan 22, 2025, 09:42 AM IST

Pawsitively unique: Meet dogs with strikingly unusual fur patterns 

Srishty Choudhury

Yeti, a three-legged Rottweiler with Vitiligo, has racked up an impressive following on Instagram due to the white splotches on his face, notably around his eyes. Like humans, dogs too can develop vitiligo, a painless, progressive autoimmune disease characterised by random unpigmented blotches (big or small) on a solid base coat colour.

Rottwelier with vitiligo 

Perhaps the most unique coat pattern in Great Danes is the Harlequin coat pattern. According to the Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, this pattern is often characterised by a white base color with random, irregular black or/and gray patches scattered unevenly across the body. 

Harlequin great dane

A uniquely coloured dog is turning heads because some of her black-and-white spots resemble none other than herself. Meet Lucy, a Pitbull mix rescued from a shelter in Rochester, New York, in 2017.

Dog with spots that resembles her own face

Merle-patterned Australian Shepherds are often as a result of the inherited Merle gene, which leads to splotches of darker and lighter shades on a solid base coat color. The Merle gene also affects the eye color of a Merle-patterned Australian Shepherd.

Merle Australian shepherd 

French Bulldogs come in varying standard coat colors, among the black, white, brown, and cream. In rare cases, a French Bulldog can have the brindle pattern on their coat. The inherited brindle pattern features a a lighter base coat color with darker, blotchy stripes (that can come in a range of colours) covering the entire body. 

Brindle french bulldog 

Unlike the standard Border Collies, Merle Border Collies come in mesmerising color patterns that’s hard not to obsess over. Thanks to the Merle gene, Merle Border Collies have irregular dark and light splotches on a solid base colour.

Merle border collie 

As if having a sturdy, elongated body and the cutest short legs ever isn’t striking enough, some Dachshunds are lucky enough to have another added beauty advantage: a Merle coat pattern. Dappled Merle Dachshunds are simply Dachshunds with the Merle genes.

Dappled Mere Dachshund

Not all dogs are born equal, and Enzo, a Golden Retriever, proves this. Enzo became an internet sensation thanks to the huge black splotch spread across the right side of his face.

Golden Retriever with huge face birthmark 

This information is not DNA's opinion but obtained from media reports