Spotted Dogs: 10+ Various Pooches with Dotted Coats
Spotted Dogs — 12 Pooches With Speckles, Flecks, Dots, or Spots
It's not just humans that come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, dogs also illustrate the creativity of our nature. Spotted dogs are particularly striking. The exciting fur pattern attracts many dog lovers and automatically makes the four-legged friend appear elegant and playful at the same time.
The genetics of the canine defines the color of its coat, so some dogs will exhibit more diversity of coat color than others. However, this coat characteristic doesn’t define their behavior or their level of adaptability. Each one has qualities that make them unique and particularly attractive to people.
Let's take a closer look at these breeds, including their suitability as family dogs, and how seamlessly they'll fit into your way of life.
12 Dogs With Spots Breeds
Here are 12 breeds of dogs with spots, dots, flecks, or speckles…let’s see how many you know.
1. Dalmatian
Our list can't get off to a good start if it's not headed by the world's most renowned spotted dog breeds. Although this dog reached maximum popularity after immortalization in the Disney movie — 101 Dalmatians, their great intelligence and nobility have made them excellent fire and rescue dogs.
They’re medium-sized, known for their distinctive white coat with brown or black spots. Yet, in their first weeks of life, these white dogs with black spots don’t usually show their characteristic black markings. These begin to appear around the third or fourth month. While they’re loyal companions, they can be headstrong. Therefore, they aren’t suitable for newbie pet parents.
In the best physical condition, this dog can weigh 70 pounds and stand 24 inches tall at the shoulder. Their coat is short and smooth, while their body is athletic and heavily muscled. The Dalmatian is an extremely active pooch that needs plenty of room to run around and burn off that energy, so a big backyard is essential.
2. English Springer Spaniel
The Springer Spaniel is one of the spotted hound dogs with a tremendous hunting instinct. These pooches have curly fur that’s medium in length. They can be brown and white spotted dogs or black and white spotted dog breeds. And, as the Springer’s hair can grow considerably, it means they require regular grooming and brushing.
The Springer is a seriously lively animal that enjoys outdoor walks and nature. Its height doesn’t usually exceed 20 inches, while the average weight is in the range of 40 to 50 pounds. They store a large amount of energy, so you’ll need to constantly walk, and socialize them starting at a young age.
3. Cocker Spaniel
This Spaniel is among the most popular dog breeds in the world, not only for its adorable appearance and soft coat but also for its great demonstrations of affection and loyalty to their family. Although the most popular color is pure golden, a large number of white specimens with brown or black spots can be found.
This dog adapts very well to any environment and enjoys playtime with children and other pets. However, they’re quite territorial and can be wary of strangers. And, although they’re energetic during their puppy stage, they do calm down a touch as they reach maturity.
4. Catahoula Leopard Dog
The fact that this breed of dog isn’t well known has nothing to do with its ability to be an excellent family dog. The colors of its coat are varied, but black and gray predominate, while the spots are usually dark and other intermediate shades. Their eyes are usually blue or different colors in each eye (heterochromia).
Although their coats are short, Leopard Dogs shed constantly, especially in warmer seasons. This breed isn’t the best for first-time owners due to their commanding desire to be the leader of the pack — you’ll need to address their dominant nature quickly. Their protective disposition makes them excellent watchdogs, but they require constant socialization to adjust to the presence of strangers and other pets.
5. Australian Cattle Dog
As the name suggests, this dog breed is a cattle herder by nature. The Australian Cattle Dog carries the strong character of a working dog, but usually adapts easily to family life. This breed is often confused with the Australian Shepherd due to its appearance, but the particular tones that their coat exhibits are unmistakable for connoisseurs of the canine world.
The Cattle Dog’s coat can be either speckled or mottled, you can see a peppering of spots all over the body. Its predominant colors are white and gray or tan and white. However, this speckled dog is a heavy shedder, thus you’ll need to keep that grooming brush close to hand. And, as they’re high-energy dogs, you’re best to look at another breed if you lead a sedentary lifestyle or are away from home a lot.6. Australian Shepherds
When it comes to spotted dog breeds, this herder is an excellent candidate for adoption. Their coats are impressive and usually exhibit different colors, with white and brown as predominant tones. The hair is of medium length and requires brushing several times a week to manage shedding levels.
7. English Setter
This dog has its origins in the Middle Ages, where they were used as a hunter for game. Believed to be a mix of a Springer Spaniel, Water Spaniel, and a Spanish Pointer, the Setter is a medium-sized dog, with a height that varies between 23 and 27 inches, and a weight between 45 and 80 pounds.
The distinctive feature of the breed is its mottled, silky, slightly wavy coat, with faded spots all over the body. The color usually varies, but the well-known is white with black or brown spots. The English Setter's coat requires a constant brushing routine to prevent matting and accompany continual shedding.
They’re generally calm dogs who relish every opportunity to please their owner. Being a spotted hunting dog by nature, the Setter must be trained early — from a puppy. However, this pooch is good with children, but bear in mind, only adopt if you’re sure you can meet their high physical activity needs.8. Bluetick Coonhound
A breed of hunting dog recognized for its power and patchy-coated fur. Unlike most dogs on this lineup, the Coonhound isn’t prone to shedding, so this tail-wagger gets a tick in the low-maintenance box. The most common colors are tan, white, and black, while the spots are found on the back, chest, and legs with colors such as brown or black.
They are super-active dogs that need large spaces to thrive. They have a strong and independent character that makes training difficult, meaning you’ll need plenty of patience, and they must be strictly trained from puppies. However, these dogs with dots are social creatures, getting on with most pets and people of all ages.9. Border Collie
We couldn't possibly leave out the world's smartest dog on our list. Although there are several coat colors recognized (black to white, bluish, or brown), the truth is that many Collies have spots scattered across their bodies. The shedding of this dog is quite aggressive, so it’s recommended to employ weekly brushing routines.
The Border Collie is a working breed that can easily adapt to farm or apartment life. However, owing to their high energy level, they require exercising for a minimum of 60 minutes a day. They’re easy to train and have a protective instinct, which makes them ideal for family life.
10. Corgi
In its two varieties — Cardigan Welsh and Pembroke, the Corgi is a dog breed with spots in its coat. Their coat length is medium and can be of various colors, including blue merle and can be brown dogs with black and white spots. Regular care of the coat is crucial to avoid problems during shedding.
Despite their size, this dog has a lot of energy and vitality, especially during its first year of life. However, this will pass as they mature. Corgis are an easy breed to keep in apartments, and they don’t need more than 45 minutes of exercise a day to keep naughty behavior at bay.
These dogs adapt easily to the lifestyle of their owners, they can be a loveable lapdog one minute and walking the trails with you the next. However, they must be socialized from an early age to avoid being unfriendly with strangers.
11. German Shorthaired Pointer
The German Shorthaired pointer is very much a speckled dog breed that, like the Dalmatian, is probably known for a spotty coat. This hunting breed is among America's top ten most popular dogs. Because they possess short coats — they’re less prone to shedding. GSPs are usually brown or brown with a white coat and dark brown spots.
The German Shorthaired Pointer is as active as a Labrador Retriever, although they’re smaller than this breed. They are excellent tracker dogs — their impressive sense of smell was/is used to locate birds and other wildfowl during hunts. Although they can reside in an apartment with sufficient exercise, if you intend to adopt a GSP, they need outside space to roam.
12. Great Dane
Spots can appear on the Great Dane's coat in all kinds of colors, but it’s most common on white or harlequin Danes. These spots can be any color, but on white coats they’re black or gray.
Although Great Danes shed, it’s not excessive. Plus, their short coats make brushing relatively fuss-free. Yet, they will require routine grooming during periods of seasonal shedding to prevent unwanted hair from clinging to your sofa.
Great Danes love to lounge around, they can live happily with as little as 30 minutes of daily activity, which is surprising given their giant size. Because of the breed's stubbornness, training them can be extremely burdensome. And, while they are calm and gentle, these magnificent creatures can weigh up to 130 pounds — so they’re better suited to those with experience with larger breeds.
Final Thoughts
Whatever dog breed you end up choosing, any of the spotted dog breeds listed above can make an excellent family pet if adequately trained. In addition to the numerous purebred dogs with spots breeds — a large number of mixes have spotted, dotted, speckled or mottled genes from their parents.
Nonetheless, before venturing out to obtain your dotty doggy to add to your family — check out local rescues and shelters for a diverse array of spotted dogs.Dogs With Spots FAQs
What Is the Spotted Dog Called?
The Dalmation. Whereas this pooch is the sole breed with a formal spotted coat, several other dogs have spot-like coat structures. Other breeds you may like to consider, include the English Springer Spaniel, Cocker Spaniel, and the English Setter.
What Dog Has Spots Like a Leopard?
The Catahoula Leopard Dog is a medium-sized, thin-coated dog with a wide range of coat and eye patterns and colors. Catahoulas are the only dog breed that has its origins in the state of Louisiana. Hence as their name implies, this dog has leopard-like spots.
What Type of Dog Is White With Brown Spots?
As one of the spotted dogs, German Shorthaired Pointers come in a variety of colors and tones, yet the most popular is white with black or brown spots on their chest and legs, as well as huge spots on the flanks.
Why Are Dogs Spotted?
Here’s the science. When a dog is still an embryo, the pigment cells move from the spinal cord toward the other parts of the body. A single cell afterward replicates itself in a particular area — and starts to form a set of cells that color the skin and fur.
Why Do Dogs Get Spots as They Age?
An accumulation of surplus melanin found in the skin causes age spots in your dog. Melanin is responsible for higher coloration in certain areas. Despite the absence of a link between liver function and the appearance of these color variations, age spots are sometimes referred to as liver spots.
What Kind of Dog Has Polka Dots?
The Dalmatian is the original domino doggy.