Dog color
Brown
A general brown. In horses a colour of its own (seal brown): near-black with lighter brown on the muzzle, around the eyes, on the flanks and inside the legs. In eggs the usual mid-brown shell.
215 Dog breeds list Brown. It is in a club standard for 189 breeds. At least one club disqualifies it in 30 breeds.
Breeds whose standards accept Brown
| Breed | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akita | Standard (“any colour (American Akita)”) | Standard (“Brown, Black Overlay (Akita)”) | Standard (“any color including white (Akita)”) | Standard (“Brown & White (Akita)”) | Standard (“any colour (American Akita)”) |
| AkitaAmerican | Standard (“any colour”) | Standard (“Brown, Black Overlay”) | Standard (“any color including white”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“any colour”) |
| Alaskan MalamuteEyes | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| American Cocker Spaniel | Standard (“including brown and brown with tan points”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Any solid color other than black (ASCOB)”) | Standard (“Chocolate”) | Standard (“including brown and brown with tan points”) |
| American Cocker SpanielASCOB | Standard (“including brown and brown with tan points”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Any solid color other than black (ASCOB)”) | Standard (“Chocolate”) | Standard (“including brown and brown with tan points”) |
| American Cocker SpanielParticolour | Standard (“brown and white”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“Two or more definite well-broken colors, one of which must be white”) | Standard (“Chocolate & White Particolour”) | Standard (“brown and white”) |
| American English Coonhound | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Eskimo DogEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Dark to medium brown is the preferred eye color”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Foxhound | Standard (“Any colour”) | Standard (“Black Brown & White”) | Standard (“Any color is acceptable”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| American FoxhoundEyes | Standard (“brown or hazel”) | Standard (“of a brown or hazel color”) | Standard (“brown or hazel”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Hairless TerrierEyes | No ruling | Standard (“When eyes are brown, a darker brown is preferred”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Leopard Hound | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Leopard HoundEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“any shade of yellow or brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| American Water SpanielEyes | Standard (“a light yellowish brown to brown, hazel or dark tone”) | Standard (“a light yellowish brown to brown, hazel or of dark tone”) | Standard (“hazel or brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Anatolian ShepherdEyes | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown to light amber”) | Standard (“golden to brown”) | Standard (“Golden to brown”) | No ruling |
| Appenzeller Sennenhund | Standard (“havana brown”) | Standard (“havana brown”) | Standard (“Havana brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“havana-brown”) |
| Appenzeller SennenhundEyes | Standard (“in black dogs dark brown, brown”) | Standard (“in black dogs dark brown, brown”) | Standard (“In Black dogs they are brown to dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“in black dogs dark brown, brown”) |
| Australian KelpieEyes | Standard (“brown, harmonising with the colour of the coat”) | Standard (“brown, harmonising with the colour of the coat”) | Standard (“brown, harmonizing with the color of the coat”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown, harmonising with the colour of the coat”) |
| Australian ShepherdEyes | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Azawakh | Disqualifying | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all shades of brown to include chocolate”) | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Barbet | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling |
| Basset Hound | No ruling | Standard (“Black Brown & White”) | No ruling | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Basset HoundEyes | Standard (“may shade to mid-brown in light-coloured hounds”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“The eyes are brown”) | Standard (“may shade to mid-brown in light coloured hounds”) | Standard (“may shade to mid-brown in light-coloured”) |
| Bavarian Mountain Scent Hound | Standard (“reddish brown”) | Standard (“Reddish Brown”) | Fault | No ruling | Standard (“reddish brown”) |
| Bavarian Mountain Scent HoundEyes | Standard (“or slightly lighter”) | Standard (“or slightly lighter”) | Standard (“brown of varying shades”) | Standard (“or slightly lighter”) | Standard (“or slightly lighter”) |
| Beagle | Not recognised | Standard (“Brown & White”) | No ruling | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| BeagleEyes | No ruling | Standard (“of a brown or hazel color”) | Standard (“brown or hazel in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Bearded Collie | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Belgian LaekenoisEyes | Standard (“brownish colour”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brownish colour”) |
| Belgian MalinoisEyes | Standard (“brownish colour”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brownish colour”) |
| Belgian ShepherdEyes | Standard (“brownish colour”) | Standard (“eyes brown”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brownish colour”) |
| Belgian TervurenEyes | Standard (“brownish colour”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brownish colour”) |
| Bergamasco SheepdogEyes | Standard (“a darker or lighter shade of chestnut colour depending on the colour of the coat”) | Standard (“chestnut, with the darkness of the color varying from hazel to dark brown”) | Standard (“dark chestnut, with the darkness of the color varying with the color of the coat”) | Standard (“dark chestnut colour preferred, but depends on colour of coat”) | Standard (“a darker or lighter shade of chestnut colour depending on the colour of the coat”) |
| Berger PicardEyes | No ruling | Standard (“medium to dark brown”) | Standard (“brown, with the darkness of the color varying with the color of the coat”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Boerboel | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“All shades of brown (tan, red)”) | No ruling | Standard (“all shades of red, brown, yellow (fawn)”) |
| BoerboelEyes | No ruling | Standard (“all shades of brown (preferably darker than the coat) are acceptable”) | Standard (“Shades of brown preferred”) | No ruling | Standard (“all shades of brown (preferably darker than the pelt) are acceptable”) |
| Bohemian ShepherdEyes | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Border Collie | Standard (“brown or chocolate colour”) | Standard (“all colors or combination of colors and/or markings”) | Standard (“brown dogs”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“brown or chocolate colour”) |
| Border CollieEyes | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“any eye color is acceptable”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) | Standard (“brown in colour”) |
| Borzoi | Disqualifying (“brown (including cocoa, coffee, chocolate)”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Any color or combination of colors is acceptable”) | Standard (“Any colour, except merle”) | Disqualifying (“brown (including cocoa, coffee, chocolate)”) |
| BorzoiEyes | Standard (“dark brown to brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown to brown”) |
| Boykin SpanielEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Eyes range from yellow to amber to varying shades of brown”) | Standard (“varying shades of yellow or brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Bracco Italiano | Standard (“White with more or less large brown patches”) | Standard (“White & Brown”) | Standard (“White with orange or chestnut patches”) | Standard (“White with orange, amber or chestnut markings”) | Standard (“White with more-or-less large brown patches”) |
| Bracco ItalianoEyes | Standard (“of a more or less dark ochre or brown colour depending on the coat colour”) | Standard (“a dark amber to orange or brown color depending on the color of the coat”) | Standard (“Dark ochre or brown in color, depending on coat color”) | Standard (“Dark ochre or brown, depending on coat colour”) | Standard (“of a more or less dark ochre or brown colour depending on the coat colour”) |
| Braque du Bourbonnais | Standard (“fine brown ticking (formerly called “wine dregs”)”) | Standard (“Chestnut”) | Standard (“fine brown or fawn ticking”) | Standard (“Liver & White”) | No ruling |
| Braque Francais Pyrenean | No ruling | Standard (“Chestnut”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| BrittanyEyes | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown to dark”) | No ruling |
| Carolina DogEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Carpathian SheepdogEyes | Standard (“various shades of brown”) | Standard (“various shades of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Caucasian Shepherd DogEyes | Standard (“different shades of brown from dark to hazelnut”) | Standard (“different shades of brown from dark to hazelnut”) | Standard (“The eyes are brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“different shades of brown from dark to hazelnut”) |
| Central Asian Shepherd Dog | Disqualifying (“genetic brown”) | Disqualifying (“genetic brown”) | Standard (“reddish brown, gray brown”) | No ruling | Disqualifying (“genetic brown”) |
| Cesky Terrier | Standard (“light-coffee-brown”) | Standard (“light coffee”) | Standard (“light coffee brown”) | Standard (“light brown”) | Standard (“light coffee-brown”) |
| Cesky TerrierEyes | Standard (“Brown or dark brown in grey-blue coated dogs”) | Standard (“The color is brown or dark brown”) | Standard (“brown to dark brown in blue-gray dogs”) | Standard (“In blue-grey dogs – black or brown”) | Standard (“Brown or dark brown in grey-blue coated dogs”) |
| Chesapeake Bay Retriever | Standard (“Any colour of brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all shades of brown, ranging from light cocoa to dark chocolate”) | Standard (“any shade of brown”) | Standard (“Any colour of brown”) |
| Chinese Shar-Pei | Standard (“All solid colours acceptable”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“any solid color”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“All solid colours acceptable”) |
| Chinese Shar-PeiEyes | Standard (“Lighter colour permissible in dilute-coloured dogs”) | Standard (“In the dilute colored dogs the eye color may be lighter”) | Standard (“In the dilute colored dogs, eye color may be lighter”) | No ruling | Standard (“Lighter colour permissible in dilute-coloured dogs”) |
| ChinookEyes | No ruling | Standard (“any shade of brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Coton de Tulear | No ruling | Standard (“Puppies ... may have the acceptable colors of light tan, light brown, dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“White & Brown”) | No ruling |
| Croatian SheepdogEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown or black in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Curly-Coated RetrieverEyes | Standard (“in livers brown tone to blend with coat colour”) | Standard (“Black or brown in black dogs and brown or amber in liver dogs”) | Standard (“black or brown in black dogs, brown or amber in liver dogs”) | Standard (“in livers brown tone to blend with coat colour”) | Standard (“in livers brown tone to blend with coat colour”) |
| DalmatianEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Eye color is brown or blue, or any combination thereof”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Danish-Swedish Farmdog | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“White & Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Danish-Swedish FarmdogEyes | Standard (“Slightly lighter eye colour permissible in dogs with yellow or liver brown patches”) | Standard (“Slightly lighter eye color permissible in dogs with yellow, or liver/brown patches”) | Standard (“in dogs that have yellow or liver patches a somewhat lighter eye is acceptable”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Deutscher Wachtelhund | Standard (“Solid brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“solid brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Deutscher WachtelhundEyes | Standard (“Medium brown, as dark as possible”) | Standard (“Medium brown, as dark as possible”) | Standard (“brown to hazel”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Doberman Pinscher | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Red & Rust”) | Standard (“red”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Doberman PinscherEyes | Standard (“lighter shades are permitted for brown dogs”) | Standard (“medium to darkest brown in black dogs”) | Standard (“medium to dark brown in black dogs”) | Standard (“medium to darkest brown in black dogs”) | Standard (“lighter shades are permitted for brown dogs”) |
| Drentsche Patrijshond | Standard (“brown markings”) | Standard (“Brown Markings”) | Standard (“brown markings”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Dutch Shepherd | Not recognised | Standard (“The brindle may be black or a dark brown”) | Fault | No ruling | Not recognised |
| English Cocker SpanielEyes | Standard (“Dark brown or brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Dark brown or brown”) | Standard (“Dark brown or brown”) |
| English FoxhoundEyes | Standard (“hazel or brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“hazel or brown”) | Standard (“hazel or brown”) |
| English ShepherdEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Dark or medium brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Entlebucher Mountain DogEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Must be brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Field SpanielEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark hazel, brown or nearly black, depending on the color of the dog”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Finnish Lapphund | Standard (“all colours are permitted”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all colors are allowed”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all colours are permitted”) |
| French Spaniel | Standard (“The brown varies from cinnamon to dark liver”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“The brown varies from cinnamon to dark liver”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | No ruling |
| German Longhaired Pointer | Standard (“Self coloured brown”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | No ruling | Standard (“Solid brown”) | No ruling |
| German Shorthaired PointerEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Eye color is brown”) | Standard (“Varying in shades of brown to tone with coat”) | Standard (“Varying in shades of brown to tone with coat”) |
| German Spitz | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all colors”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| German SpitzGiant | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all colors”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| German Wirehaired PointerEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Eyes are brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“hazel or darker”) | No ruling |
| Glen of Imaal TerrierEyes | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) |
| Golden RetrieverEyes | No ruling | Standard (“medium brown acceptable”) | Standard (“Eye color is brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Great Pyrenees | Disqualifying | Standard (“Reddish Brown Markings”) | Disqualifying | Fault | Disqualifying |
| Greater Swiss Mountain DogEyes | Standard (“Hazel to chestnut brown”) | Standard (“brown, dark brown preferred”) | Standard (“hazel to chestnut brown”) | Standard (“Hazel to dark brown”) | Standard (“Hazel to chestnut brown”) |
| HarrierEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown or hazel color in darker dogs”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| HovawartEyes | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“Varying shades of brown”) | Standard (“Dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) |
| Irish SetterEyes | No ruling | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Irish Water SpanielEyes | No ruling | Standard (“a warm tone of medium to dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“medium to dark brown”) | No ruling |
| Jagdterrier | Standard (“dark-brown”) | Standard (“Dark Brown”) | Standard (“dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Kangal Shepherd DogEyes | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Golden to brown in colour”) | No ruling |
| Karelian Bear DogEyes | Standard (“Brown of different shades”) | Standard (“Brown of different shades”) | Standard (“brown of varying shades”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Kromfohrlander | Standard (“light brown, tan to very dark brown markings”) | Standard (“White & Brown”) | Standard (“tan or light to dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“light brown, tan to very dark brown markings”) |
| KromfohrlanderEyes | Standard (“medium brown permitted”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“medium brown permitted”) |
| Labrador RetrieverEyes | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Lagotto Romagnolo | Standard (“brown (in different shades)”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“solid brown of varying shades”) | Standard (“brown (in different shades)”) | Standard (“brown (in different shades)”) |
| Lagotto RomagnoloEyes | No ruling | Not recognised | No ruling | Standard (“ranges from ochre to dark hazel and brown”) | No ruling |
| Lakeland TerrierEyes | No ruling | Standard (“warm brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Leonberger | Standard (“reddish brown”) | Standard (“Reddish Brown”) | Standard (“reddish brown”) | Standard (“reddish brown”) | Standard (“reddish brown”) |
| LeonbergerEyes | Standard (“Light brown to as dark brown as possible”) | No ruling | Standard (“light to dark brown in color”) | Standard (“Medium to dark brown”) | Standard (“Light brown to as dark brown as possible”) |
| Lhasa Apso | Standard (“brownish”) | Standard (“Liver”) | Standard (“All colors are acceptable”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Löwchen | Standard (“brown coats and derivatives”) | Standard (“Chocolate”) | Standard (“dogs with brown coats”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown coats and derivatives”) |
| MastiffEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown, the darker the better”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Miniature American ShepherdEyes | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Mountain Cur | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Mountain CurEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Eye color is brown, ranging from dark to amber”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Mudi | Standard (“Liver (brown)”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Liver (brown)”) |
| MudiEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Merle – Brown, blue or partially blue eyes”) | Standard (“other colors may have brow, amber, or yellow eyes”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Neapolitan Mastiff | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“acceptable, but not preferred: brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Neapolitan MastiffEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Shades of amber or brown, in accordance with coat color”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Newfoundland | Standard (“Brown: The brown colour goes from chocolate to bronze”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown: Chocolate or bronze”) | Standard (“Brown: The brown colour goes from chocolate to bronze”) |
| Norwegian LundehundEyes | No ruling | Standard (“yellow-brown to brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Nova Scotia Duck Tolling RetrieverEyes | Standard (“amber to brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“amber to brown, harmonizing with the coat color”) | Standard (“Brown to amber, blending with coat colour”) | No ruling |
| Old English SheepdogEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Olde English Bulldogge | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown brindle”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Olde English BulldoggeEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark to light brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pembroke Welsh CorgiEyes | Standard (“brown, blending with colour of coat”) | Standard (“variations of brown in harmony with coat color”) | Standard (“brown, blending with the color of the coat”) | Standard (“brown, blending with colour of coat”) | Standard (“brown, blending with colour of coat”) |
| Perro de Presa Canario | Not recognised | Standard (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | No ruling | Not recognised |
| Perro de Presa CanarioEyes | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“medium to dark brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) |
| Peruvian Inca Orchid | Standard (“The hair can be any colour or combination of colours, except merle”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“browns”) | No ruling | Standard (“The hair can be any colour or combination of colours, except merle”) |
| Peruvian Inca OrchidSkin and scales | Standard (“dark brown going to light blond”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“browns”) | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown going to light blonde”) |
| Peruvian Inca OrchidHairless · Skin and scales | Standard (“dark brown going to light blond”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“browns”) | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown going to light blonde”) |
| Peruvian Inca OrchidEyes | Standard (“all shades of brown”) | Standard (“all shades of brown”) | Standard (“all shades of brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“all shades of brown”) |
| Plott Hound | No ruling | Standard (“Brown Brindle”) | Standard (“Any shade of brindle”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Plott HoundEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Brown or hazel”) | Standard (“brown or hazel in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| PointerEyes | Standard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”) | Standard (“Either hazel or brown according to colour of coat”) |
| Polish Lowland SheepdogEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown in color”) | No ruling | Standard (“colour hazel to brown”) | No ruling |
| Pomeranian | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Chocolate”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown, light or dark”) | Standard (“brown, light or dark”) |
| Poodle (Miniature) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“All solid colours”) |
| Poodle (Standard) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“All solid colours”) |
| Poodle (Toy) | Standard (“Brown should be deep, rather dark, uniform and warm”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Browns”) | Standard (“Browns”) |
| Portuguese Podengo | Standard (“In the Small Podengo ... accepted but not preferred: ... brown”) | Standard (“shades of brown/red”) | Standard (“In the Pequeno ... also acceptable, but ... not preferred: tones of ... brown”) | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Portuguese PodengoEyes | Standard (“from honey to brown, in accordance with the coat”) | Standard (“from honey to brown”) | Standard (“from honey to brown”) | Standard (“from light to dark brown”) | No ruling |
| Portuguese Podengo Pequeno | Standard (“In the Small Podengo ... accepted but not preferred: ... brown”) | Standard (“Chestnut”) | Standard (“In the Pequeno ... tones of ... brown”) | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Portuguese Podengo PequenoEyes | Standard (“ranging from honey to brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“ranges from honey to brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Portuguese Pointer | Disqualifying | Disqualifying | Standard (“any shade of yellow or brown”) | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Portuguese PointerEyes | Standard (“brown, of a darker colour than the coat”) | Standard (“brown, of a darker colour than the coat”) | Standard (“brown in color”) | Standard (“Eyes brown, of a darker colour than the coat”) | No ruling |
| Portuguese Sheepdog | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“chestnut”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Portuguese Water Dog | Standard (“brown of various shades”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“various shades of brown”) | Standard (“various shades of brown”) | Standard (“brown of various shades”) |
| Portuguese Water DogEyes | Standard (“The iris is black or brown”) | Standard (“Black or various tones of brown”) | Standard (“brown or black”) | No ruling | Standard (“The iris is black or brown”) |
| Pudelpointer | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Liver”) | Standard (“Solid brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Pumi | Disqualifying (“chocolate coloured ... coat”) | Standard (“Born Brown”) | Disqualifying (“chocolate color”) | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“chocolate-coloured ... coat”) |
| Pyrenean Mastiff | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“White & Brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling |
| Pyrenean MastiffEyes | No ruling | Standard (“hazel or brown color that range from light to dark”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Rafeiro do AlentejoEyes | Standard (“brown (preferably dark)”) | Standard (“brown (preferably dark)”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Rater ValenciáEyes | Standard (“iris color brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Redbone CoonhoundEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown to hazel in color, with the darker color preferred”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Romanian Mioritic Shepherd DogEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“hazel or brown in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Russell Terrier | Not recognised | Standard (“Brown Markings”) | Standard (“black, tan, or brown markings”) | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Russian Toy | Standard (“brown and tan”) | Standard (“Brown & Tan”) | Standard (“brown and tan”) | Standard (“brown and tan”) | Standard (“brown and tan”) |
| Russian ToyEyes | No ruling | Standard (“Red Brown dogs have eyes and eye rims that are brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka | No ruling | Standard (“Brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Saint Bernard | Standard (“A broken reddish-brown mantle is of equal value”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“any shade of brown and white”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“A broken reddish brown mantle is of equal value”) |
| Saint BernardEyes | Standard (“dark brown to nut-brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown to nut brown”) |
| SamoyedEyes | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“medium to dark brown”) | No ruling |
| Schapendoes | Standard (“All colours are permitted”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“All colors are permitted”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| SchapendoesEyes | Standard (“Their colour is brown”) | Standard (“Their colour is brown”) | Standard (“They are brown in color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Schipperke | Fault (“Grey, brownish or reddish tones in the top coat”) | Disqualifying (“Chocolate”) | Standard (“brown (light mocha to dark chocolate)”) | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Scottish DeerhoundEyes | No ruling | Standard (“generally dark brown, brown or hazel”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Sealyham Terrier | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“tan”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Siberian Husky | Not recognised | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“all colors, from black to pure white”) | Standard (“all colours”) | Not recognised |
| Siberian HuskyEyes | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“any shade of ... brown”) | Standard (“brown”) |
| Skye TerrierEyes | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Eyes brown”) | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“Brown”) |
| Small Munsterlander Pointer | Standard (“Brown-white and brown roan”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“Brown and white”) | Standard (“Brown & white”) | Standard (“Brown-white or brown roan”) |
| Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier | Disqualifying (“brown coat”) | Fault | Disqualifying (“white or brown color”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Disqualifying (“brown coat”) |
| Soft Coated Wheaten TerrierEyes | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Spanish Water Dog | Standard (“white, black and chestnut in their different shades”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“all shades of black or brown”) | Standard (“Solid black, brown or white of various shades”) | No ruling |
| Spanish Water DogEyes | Standard (“of a hazel to chestnut colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Spinone Italiano | Standard (“white with brown (chestnut) markings”) | Standard (“Brown Roan”) | Standard (“white with brown (chestnut) markings”) | Standard (“white and brown”) | Standard (“white with brown (chestnut) markings”) |
| Stabyhoun | Standard (“brown”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“brown”) |
| StabyhounEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“brown in brown or orange dogs”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Swedish LapphundEyes | Standard (“Brown, preferably dark brown”) | Standard (“Brown, preferably dark brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Swedish Vallhund | Standard (“greyish brown ... or reddish brown”) | Fault | Standard (“yellow/brown sable”) | Standard (“Grey Brown”) | Standard (“greyish brown ... or reddish brown”) |
| Taiwan DogEyes | Standard (“Brown is also acceptable”) | Standard (“Brown is also acceptable”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Disqualifying (“All other colours than above mentioned e.g. ... brown (liver)”) | Standard (“Brown”) | Standard (“chocolate brown”) | Fault (“chocolate/liver ... undesirable”) | Disqualifying (“All colours other than above-mentioned e.g. ... brown (liver)”) |
| Tibetan MastiffEyes | Standard (“any shade of brown”) | Standard (“any shade of brown”) | Standard (“Any shade of brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“any shade of brown”) |
| Tosa | Not recognised | Not recognised | Standard (“brown”) | No ruling | Not recognised |
| TosaEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Eye color is brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| VizslaEyes | Standard (“The brown eye harmonising with the coat colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling |
| Welsh Springer SpanielEyes | No ruling | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | Standard (“dark to medium brown”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| White Swiss Shepherd DogEyes | Standard (“colour brown to dark-brown”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“Brown to dark brown”) | Standard (“colour brown to dark-brown”) |
| Wirehaired Pointing Griffon | Standard (“self-coloured brown (liver) coat”) | Standard (“Brown & Gray”) | Standard (“solid liver”) | Standard (“Solid liver brown”) | No ruling |
| Wirehaired Pointing GriffonEyes | Standard (“Dark yellow or brown”) | Standard (“Eye color ranges in all shades of yellow and brown”) | Standard (“Dark yellow or brown in color”) | Standard (“Dark yellow or brown”) | No ruling |
| Wirehaired VizslaEyes | Standard (“The brown eye colour harmonising with the coat colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“The brown eye colour harmonising with the coat colour”) |
| XoloitzcuintliEyes | Standard (“black, brown, hazel, amber or yellow tones”) | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“black, brown, hazel, amber or yellow tones”) | Standard (“black, brown, hazel, amber, or yellow tones”) |
| Yakutian Laika | Standard (“White and any patching (bicolour or tricolour)”) | Standard (“Brown & White”) | No ruling | Standard (“Brown & White”) | No ruling |
| Yakutian LaikaEyes | Standard (“odd eyes (one brown, one blue)”) | Standard (“Any color is permissible including brown”) | No ruling | Standard (“blue segments on brown iris”) | No ruling |
| Yugoslavian Shepherd Dog | Standard (“dark brown that looks almost black”) | No ruling | Standard (“a very dark brown that is nearly black”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Yugoslavian Shepherd DogEyes | No ruling | No ruling | Standard (“dark brown to chestnut”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Brussels Griffon | Disqualifying (“brown and tan, liver colour”) | Alternate (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Brussels GriffonRough | Disqualifying (“brown and tan, liver colour”) | Alternate (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Brussels GriffonSmooth | Disqualifying (“brown and tan, liver colour”) | Alternate (“Brown”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Norfolk Terrier | Not recognised | Alternate (“Brown”) | Not recognised | Not recognised | Not recognised |
Breeds where Brown is a fault
| Breed | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bouvier des Flandres | Disqualifying (“coat chocolate brown”) | Fault (“Brown”) | Fault (“chocolate brown ... dogs”) | Fault (“chocolate brown ... highly undesirable”) | Disqualifying (“coat chocolate brown”) |
| Cirneco dell’EtnaEyes | Not recognised (“never grey, brown or yellow”) | Fault (“Brown or yellow iris is a fault to be severely penalized”) | Not recognised (“they should never be brown or dark hazel”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Keeshond | Not recognised | Fault (“never containing tan, brown, or orange tones”) | Fault | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Norwegian Elkhound | Fault (“Colour in brown or yellow”) | Fault (“Yellow or brown shading”) | Fault (“Yellow or brown shading”) | Fault (“Any pronounced variation from the grey colour ... undesirable”) | Fault (“Colour in brown or yellow”) |
| Old English Sheepdog | Fault (“any shade of brown undesirable”) | Fault (“Brown & White”) | Fault (“any shade of brown”) | Fault (“any shade of brown undesirable”) | Fault (“any shade of brown undesirable”) |
| Standard Schnauzer | Not recognised | Fault (“shadings or mixtures thereof in the topcoat such as ... brown”) | Not recognised | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Vizsla | Fault (“Red, brownish or lightened colour is undesirable”) | Not recognised | No ruling | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Wirehaired Vizsla | Fault (“Red, brownish, light yellow or lightened colour shadings are undesirable”) | Fault (“Red, brown or yellow colors are faulty”) | No ruling | Fault (“Dark brown or pale yellow undesirable”) | Fault (“Red, brownish, light yellow, or lightened colour shadings are undesirable”) |
Breeds where Brown is disqualified or not accepted
| Breed | FCI | AKC | UKC | KC | KUSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belgian Shepherd | Disqualifying | Disqualifying (“Brown”) | Not recognised | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Briard | Disqualifying (“brown ... colour”) | No ruling | No ruling | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“brown ... colour”) |
| Bulldog | No ruling | Disqualifying | No ruling | Not recognised (“Brown”) | Not recognised |
| Carolina Dog | No ruling | Disqualifying (“brown/liver coat color”) | Disqualifying (“brown/silver”) | No ruling | No ruling |
| Carpathian Sheepdog | Disqualifying (“Coat color that is brown, brindle, yellow or flecked in these colors”) | Disqualifying (“Coat color that is brown, brindle, yellow or flecked in these colors”) | Not recognised | No ruling | No ruling |
| Caucasian Shepherd Dog | Disqualifying (“Genetic brown colour in any variation or nuance”) | Disqualifying (“Genetic brown colour in any variation or nuance”) | Disqualifying (“Solid chocolate (defined as any shade of solid brown ...)”) | No ruling | Disqualifying (“Genetic brown colour in any variation or nuance”) |
| Cirneco dell’Etna | Disqualifying (“Coat colour that is solid brown”) | Disqualifying (“self-colored brown or liver”) | Disqualifying (“Any black, brown or brindle in the coat”) | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Hovawart | Disqualifying (“brown”) | Disqualifying (“brown”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“brown”) |
| Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever | Disqualifying | Disqualifying (“brown coat”) | Disqualifying | Not recognised | No ruling |
| Pug | Not recognised | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Not recognised (“Brown”) | Not recognised |
| Puli | Disqualifying | Not recognised (“Brown”) | Not recognised | Not recognised | Disqualifying |
| Rhodesian Ridgeback | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“brown and tan in brown/liver nosed dogs”) | Not recognised | Not recognised | Not recognised |
| Samoyed | Disqualifying (“should never give the impression of being pale brown”) | Disqualifying | Disqualifying | Not recognised | Disqualifying (“should never give the impression of being pale brown”) |
| Transylvanian Hound | Disqualifying (“Brown ... colour with markings”) | Disqualifying (“Brown ... colour with markings”) | Disqualifying (“Brown ... base color”) | No ruling | No ruling |
Color changes
How Brown can appear or change over an animal's life.
Blackchanges toBrown
Coat · In the sun · can change back
Bluechanges toBrown
Eyes · With age · from 2 weeks