What Is a Tri-Colored American Bully? Find Out

It may seem weird that one of America’s most iconic and loving dogs is called a bully. The tri-colored American bully has become increasingly popular among the different dog breeds. As a result, many aspiring dog parents have had the question, “What is a tri-colored American bully?

A tri-colored American bully is an American dog with three visible coat colors rather than the typical one or two colors. The three coat colors must include a base color alongside white and tan points. The base color ranges from chocolate, lilac, black, and blue.

It’s important to note that the dilution or intensity genes or other patterns like merle or piebald can affect the base color. In addition, white and tan may consist of other patterns. The patterns can be creeping tan, piebald tri, tri merle, ghost tan, trindle, or ticked tri.

Causes of Tri-Color Coat Pattern

To understand the causes of tricolor patterns in American bullies, you must first comprehend the elements that affect the dog coat colors.  Two types of pigment determine the dog’s coat color. Pigments are what colors every hair strand.

The two pigments produce every dog’s coat colors and patterns (red and black) and are both in melanin forms. Every pigment has a base hue that can be altered by several genes. American bullies contain red and black pigments.

Genetic factors cause a combination of these pigments, which results in tan points. The  Agouti gene series locus regulates the interaction of the two pigments in the dog coat.  

The tan point gene causes the tricolor coat color and standard tan points in American bullies. The American pit bull terrier’s Agouti locus has four genes, the tan point gene being one of them. Other genes include

• A: Produces a solid dominant black color. The most typical variations are blue, chocolate, and black. 
• Ay: Generates a dominant yellow color. Buckskin bullies and red contain this kind of Agouti locus genes. 

Due to the recessive genetic trait nature of the tan point, they require two copies (at/at) for the tricolor coat color to be visible. One copy comes from the sire and the other from the damn. 

The tan point allele’s recessive nature means it can remain invisible for several ages until two copies are passed. American bullies can possess the gene without exhibiting the tan points.

If a tan point appears in the gene pool, it’s not a random color transition. Instead, it’s the product of a gene that has existed throughout the bloodline of American pit bull terriers. 

The tan point allele does not produce black and tan dogs. Neither does it produce any color but a solid color pattern  with “ light-colored spots.”  These spots appear in certain areas of the American bully, like the legs, chest, under the tail, and face but the actual size and distribution can differ.

The color genes at the other loci determine the actual color the tan point allele produces. For instance, if the pigmentation is black, the pattern will be tan and black, and if the pigmentation is blue, the result will be tan and blue. 

A completely separate collection of genes causes white spots. They have the same appearance on tan point bullies as they would on bicolor or single bullies.  There are also some tricolored American bullies with markings of two distinct colors.

This is determined by whether the markings appear on the sections with a tan point pattern. In some situations, black bullies may partially dominate the dominant black allele. The bully may have dominant black and tan markings, but tan spots will look faded. This is known as a ghost tan.

What Is the Origin of the Tricolor Gene in the American Bully?

Since the breed’s inception, the American pit bull terrier and American bullies have possessed the tan point gene. In certain early American pit bull terriers lineages, the gene was derived through crossbreeding smooth fox terriers and bulldogs in the 19th century.

The smooth fox terrier is said to have acquired the tan point allele from the tan and black terriers of the previous century. Then the allele passed from the American pit bull terrier to the American Staffordshire terrier and the American bully.

What Is the Temperament of the Tri-Colored American Bully? 

Like any other American bully, a tricolored American bully is a curious, energetic, and playful dog.  It’s friendly to humans but can show some undesirable levels of aggression to other dogs without proper training. 

The dog will almost always respect you and simply wants to please you. It’s an intelligent, fearless, and cheerful guard dog.  The American Pit Bull Terrier’s loyalty and stability are combined with the America Staffordshire Terrier’s friendly, sociable and outgoing characters.

The rare dog is renowned for its outstanding tolerance for children and strong urge to please its owner.  The breed exhibits a confident, amiable, but non-aggressive temperament. The physical attributes of the American bully are impressive, with a well-defined appearance that displays strength and agility.  

American tricolored bully is adaptable and competent in performing a variety of tasks. In every concern, the breed is a  well-rounded, trustworthy, and faithful family friend, and they’ve earned a reputation for their bravery.

When provoked, the dog is a very aggressive combatant. However, it’s very loyal to you and your property, and if an enemy that is a threat to its loved ones surrounds it, the dog will fight to the death.  American tricolored bully has a high pain tolerance.

To prevent aggressive behaviors in dogs, socialize them as much as you can when they are young.  The breed has demonstrated itself as an excellent companion dog and a great property guardian.

The dog is not, however, for unskilled people who neglect that every dog has an innate urge to form a pack. The breed is an incredible book that requires a consistent, confident, and firm but calm owner. 

You must learn what is anticipated of them, including the guidelines to follow and the restrictions on does and don’t. The aim of keeping and training this breed is to elevate him to the pack leader position. 

The main dog’s instinct is to keep the pack in order. Living with dogs makes you part of their pack. The whole group follows one leader and well-outlined rules. In the packing order, everyone must come before the dog-the only way to secure the success of your relationship.

What Makes the Tricolored American bully Uncommon 

American tri-color bullies are rare for one reason. Most breeders avoided breeding tricolored dogs for several generations due to the misconception that they are mixed breeds, which resulted in many viewing them as undesirable.

Breeders tend to avoid producing mixed-breed bullies. This caution makes sense given that prospective buyers value purebred bullies with impressive pedigrees, among other features.

Also, most breeders adore game skills over the coat color of the original bully sires- the America Staffordshire terrier and the American Pit Bull Terrier.   

Due to this, despite the breeders deliberately striving to breed tricolor bullies, the American Bully gene poll rarely produces them. Keep in mind that there are no health issues related to this coat color pattern and that it’s not harmful to American Bully’s health.

What Are the Features of the Tricolored American Bully? 

Knowing the specific features of the tricolor American bullies puppies is critical. The first one is that two American Bullies who dont have tricolor features can sire tricolor offspring.  

Tan point gene is a recessive gene; therefore, the parent dont have to show a tricolor coat for them to give birth to tricolor puppies. Both parents must, however, be tan point gene carriers.

Additionally, two tricolored American bully dogs are not guaranteed to breed tricolored puppies.  Although the puppies will undoubtedly possess two copies of the recessive tan point trait, other factors determine whether the tan point is visible- a traditional tan point must appear for the dog to qualify as a tricolor.

For example, if a puppy has at least one dominant black gene, which it’s a recessive solid white and red, the white points are invisible. The puppy is not said to be tricolored even though it’s a tan point gene carrier.

What Is the Size of Tri-Colored American Bullies?

American bullies come in four recognized different sizes and a few unrecognized. All four different sizes display the tricolor.  They include

Here are other types of the bully that you may see.

Micro/ Exotic Bully

These are bullies smaller than pocket bully.  They are produced by crossbreeding, typically with the Patterdale Terrier similar to pocket Bully.

Micro Bullies have more health issues due to their body size being unfit for their needs, leading to more health concerns and a shorter lifespan.

Extreme Bully 

Extreme bullies relate to their appearance rather than size.  Although it typically refers to Micro/Pocket, any size can be considered extreme. As the name implies, it has an extremely muscular appearance, with the head, neck, and shoulder larger than a typical bully.  

XXL American Bully

As the name suggests, this is a bigger version of the American Bully. It refers to any Bully who is taller than 23 inches. Currently, this is unrecognized due to additional health issues.

Size-related additional weight places a lot of extra pressure on joints and organs, reducing lifespan. 

How to Produce Tricolored American Bully?

This is one of the most asked questions by breeders. To produce American Bully, you will need two tri parents, and they will make a whole litter of tri.  If you have one tri parent and one tri carrier parent, then you will a litter that is 50% tri and 50% tri carrier.

If you have one tri parent and the other one is not a tri carrier, you will get tri carriers litter. If both parents are tri carriers, you will produce 25% tri, 25% not a tri carrier, and 50% of tri carriers. 

If you have both parents that are neither tri nor tri carriers, you will get a whole litter of non-tri carriers. 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Know If My Dog Is Tri-Color?

You can know if your dog is tri-color by observing its coat colors. Your dog is tri-color if its coat has three distinct colors. The colors can be in a combination of black, blue, and gray, or black, white, and brown.

What Makes a Dog Tri-Color?

KIT gene mutation is what makes dogs tri-color. The distinction is that, instead of the dog being pure black or black and white, it contains tan patches.

What Is the Difference Between a Pitbull and an American Bully?

The difference between a pitbull and an American bully is that while the latter is more masculine and broader with a larger head, the former is slender and not as masculine.

Bottom line 

Coat color in tricolored American bullies is a genetic trait passed from parents to offspring. The feature can be expressed differently. Therefore, the bully breed has several color variations.

A tricolored American bully is a dog that exhibits three different coat colors and color patterns. The three colors must include chocolate, blue, lilac, or blue. However, the tricolored American bully’s actual appearance can vary substantially due to the effects of dilution and intensity genes on tan points.

Now you have the answer to the question, “What is a tri-colored American bully?” You can use the information in this article to determine if a tri-colored American bully is the right dog species for your home.