The coat of a Tibetan Mastiff comes in a variety of colors including black, blue, gold, and brown. This breed’s fur can also be red, white, or lilac. Not all colors are accepted by kennel clubs.
Tibetan Mastiffs have a unique appearance. This is due to their long thick coat and impressive color variations.
Tibetan Mastiff Coat Colors
Because Tibetan Mastiffs aren’t seen as real Mastiffs, more colors are tolerated in competitions. If you don’t plan on participating in contests with your Tibetan Mastiff, this won’t be a concern for you.
There are six main colors for a Tibetan Mastiff’s coat. These are black, brown, blue/grey, gold, red, and white. Their coat can be plain or it can come in several combinations.[1]
For example, some Tibetan Mastiffs have white and tan markings on their feet, chest, or above their eyes.
Black
This is considered to be the most common color in Tibetan Mastiffs. Your dog can be fully black or have some markings of distinctive colors. Black Tibetan Mastiffs are one of the least expensive dogs of this breed.
Black is a strong, dominant color. The most common color combination in black Tibetan Mastiffs is black and tan.
Black and Tan
The combination between black and tan is one of the few color mixes accepted by kennel clubs. It is debatable whether this is a common color or not.
Some say that their appearances are caused by a very recessive gene in their DNA. Their tan tones vary from a rich chestnut to a lighter color. [2]
Brown
Another kennel accepted color in Tibetan Mastiffs is brown. This coat color comes in different shades and undertones. Your dog’s coat can be either rich mahogany, chocolate brown, or a lighter shade such as a pale biscuit.
Brown Tibetan Mastiffs are usually compared to bears because of their coat color and large size. This is one of the reasons why the breed is also called “a bear dog”.
Blue
The blue in Tibetan Mastiffs is caused by a dilute gene. This gene is inherited from one of its parents. It adulterates the black pigment, resulting in a variety of shades.
Some of the color variations of a blue Tibetan Mastiff are silver-grey, charcoal grey, or blue-grey.
Blue Grey and Tan
Tibetan Mastiffs’ coat appears blue-gray when its undercoat has a lighter color than the dominant one. Tan markings also appear on this color.
This color combination isn’t always accepted by kennel clubs. Certain breeders specialize in blue Tibetan Mastiffs.
If you want to participate in competitions with your dog without encountering problems, search for the perfect breeder.
Red
Red isn’t a standard Tibetan Mastiff coat color. Fully red Tibetan Mastiffs are extremely rare. One of the most expensive Tibetan Mastiffs ever sold is a Red Chinese Mastiff. This emphasizes their majesty.
This dog’s name is Big Splash. It was bought by a Chinese man in 2011. Big Splash is seen as an impeccable breed with a lion’s blood. The price paid for it was $1.5 million.
Gold
All shades of gold are accepted by kennel clubs. From light shades to pure golden fur, this coat color is hard to find. This makes them one of the most expensive breeds.
Gold Tibetan Mastiffs were highly requested during the breed’s chart-topping period. The most expensive dog ever sold was a Golden Tibetan Mastiff. The price paid for it was $1.95 million.
Related: Tibetan Mastiff Price
Red Gold
Red gold Tibetan Mastiffs get their appearance from red markings. [3] These can occur in various places on their bodies, such as their chest, feet, or mane. The red-gold look can also be caused by a red undercoat and a gold dominant color.
This color combination is common for Tibetan Mastiffs. It is also accepted by kennel clubs.
White
White is the rarest Tibetan Mastiff color. White Tibetan Mastiffs have a majestic appearance. They are also expensive. White markings are the only ones common in dogs. These usually appear on the chest, chin, or feet.
Many pale gold Tibetan Mastiffs are sometimes mistaken for white ones. Some people think that white Tibetan Mastiffs are not purebred.
Rare Tibetan Mastiff Colors
Besides white and red, Tibetan Mastiffs can come in other very rare colors. Some of them are saddle, cream, brindle, or lilac. An unusual color combination is black and white. None of these tones are recognized by kennel clubs.
Some Tibetan Mastiffs can also have a wolf-like appearance. This is caused by a greyish-red undercoat with stripes or patches over the top.
While some of these color variations are representative of native dogs, they aren’t accepted during competitions.
Can a Tibetan Mastiff Be Tri-Colored?
Tibetan Mastiffs can be tri-colored. This occurs when they have multi-colored markings on top of their dominant color. Light bottoms, red/cream/tan/silver points, black/blue sable, and white are some examples of multi-colored markings.
The most common tri-color combinations in Tibetan Mastiffs are:
| Dominant color | Second color | Third color |
| Black | White | Red points |
| Black | White | Tan points |
| Black | White | Light bottoms |
| Black | Red/cream/tan/silver points | Light bottoms |
| Blue | Red points | Light bottoms |
| Chocolate | White | Light bottoms |
| Red | Black/blue sable | Light bottoms |
| Cream | Black/blue sable | Light bottoms |
| Gold | Red points | Light bottoms |
On What Body Parts Are Markings Accepted by Kennel Clubs?
White, tan, blue, gold, or red markings are accepted by kennel clubs only on certain body parts. Some examples are on the side of the muzzle, around the eyes, on their hind legs and forelegs, and under the tail.
It is important to do your research before signing up your Tibetan Mastiff for a competition. Some judges are stricter than others. You can end up disqualified if your dog doesn’t fully respect the appearance standards.
Small markings on the chest or star-shaped ones are also accepted.[4]
Tibetan Mastiffs Color Comparison
The colors of Tibetan Mastiff’s coat is different than other Mastiffs. Because they aren’t considered real Mastiffs, kennel clubs are more indulgent when it comes to their colors.
There are more official colors for Tibetan Mastiffs compared to other breeds. Even so, there are some colors that overlap between them and other Mastiffs.
Tibetan Mastiff vs English Mastiff Official Colors
The English Tibetan Mastiff is the only breed seen as a true Mastiff. They have a completely different appearance than Tibetan Mastiffs. Kennel clubs only accept four colors in English Mastiffs. For Tibetan Mastiffs, there are also accepted color variations.
Some of these are tan markings on a dominant black coat or red undertones on a golden one.
| Breed | Colors |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Black, black and tan, brown, blue, gold, red gold |
| English Mastiff | Fawn, apricot, brindle[5], piebald |
Tibetan Mastiff vs Pyrenean Mastiff Official Colors
Like Tibetan Mastiffs, Pyrenean Mastiff aren’t considered pure Mastiffs. Because they aren’t recognized by all kennel clubs, they cannot participate in competitions. This makes their list of accepted colors larger than the one of Tibetan Mastiffs.
| Breed | Colors |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Black, black and tan, brown, blue, gold, red gold |
| Pyrenean Mastiff | White with black/dusk/light tan/brindle/red/gray/gold/sand patches |
Tibetan Mastiff vs Bullmastiff Official Colors
Bullmastiffs have much less accepted coat colors than Tibetan Mastiffs. Bullmastiffs’ color limitation can be caused by genetic issues and diversity.
| Breed | Colors |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Black, black and tan, brown, blue, gold, red gold |
| Bullmastiff | Red, brindle, fawn |
Tibetan Mastiff vs Neapolitan Mastiff Official Colors
There are few similarities between the coat of a Tibetan Mastiff and that of a Neapolitan Mastiff. Black and blue are recognized by kennel clubs in both breeds. Besides this, Tibetan Mastiffs are accepted in a bigger variety of coat colors.
| Breed | Colors |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Black, black and tan, brown, blue, gold, red gold |
| Neapolitan Mastiff | Black, blue, mahogany, brindle, tawny |
Tibetan Mastiff vs Spanish Mastiff Official Colors
Unlike Tibetan Mastiffs, Spanish Mastiffs have few regulations when it comes to their color. Neither of these breeds are seen as true Mastiffs. As for Spanish Mastiffs, they aren’t accepted by all kennel clubs.
| Breed | Colors |
| Tibetan Mastiff | Black, black and tan, brown, blue, gold, red gold |
| Spanish Mastiff | Black, particolored, yellow, brindle, red, grey, fawn |
FAQs
What Are the Colors of a Tibetan Mastiff’s Eyes?
The eye color of this breed depends on its genes. Most Tibetan Mastiffs have brown or black eyes. Blue or grey eyes are only seen on blue and blue-grey and tan dogs.
What Is the Pigmentation of a Tibetan Mastiff’s Face Parts?
Tibetan Mastiff’s lips, nose, and eyes are usually black. This is common for black, black and tan, or brown Tibetan Mastiffs. For Tibetan Mastiffs with a lighter coat color, such as blue or gold color combinations, their nose can be grey or a pale brown shade.
Where Do Tibetan Mastiffs’ Colors Come From?
The color of a Tibetan Mastiff’s coat comes from the dog’s genes. Depending on its parents’ DNA, a Tibetan Mastiff puppy will only have certain color combinations. Thorough research on the genes of your Tibetan Mastiffs will help you determine what color the puppies will be.
