Is there an Albanian pit bull with the rare merle color?

Among ordinary, standard pit bulls, you cannot find dogs with a beautiful and spectacular merle color.

However, on the Internet you can often see photographs of merle-colored pit bulls.

These dogs look very unusual and therefore attract everyone's attention.

However, if the merle color is unacceptable according to the standard, then where do such dogs come from?

It's simple: we are talking about a new, very rare variety of this breed, called the Albanian pit bull.

What do they look like in the photo?

There is no separate breed called “Albanian pit bull” . However, this does not mean that merle pit bulls do not exist.

Such puppies can be born, but will be considered a breeding marriage and, of course, admission to exhibitions and breeding is closed for them.

Externally, the so-called Albanian pit bulls look very similar to ordinary American pit bull terriers, the only thing that distinguishes them from standard representatives of the breed is their unusual marbled color, in which black or brown uneven shapes are located on a light gray or light beige background, complemented by white markings spots.

In addition, they can be slightly larger than standard dogs of this breed..

What is

Officially, this breed of dog does not exist; you cannot buy it at any price. Unofficially, the proposed cost reaches $20,000. Many dog ​​handlers are inclined to believe that the Albanian pit bull is the most ordinary representative of the American pit bull terrier, just unusually colored. But American dog breeders have been trying for many years to prove that spotted pit bulls have a right to exist; they are a separate breed, superior to the ordinary pit bull in its characteristics. The unusual color for this fighting dog is called merle. Connoisseurs of everything unusual and rare are already ready to purchase Albanian pit bull puppies of such an outlandish color, no matter how much they cost.

Origin story

Attempts to breed merle pit bulls have been made in the United States for several decades..

Moreover, the purpose of breeding these dogs was not only a beautiful and spectacular color, but also to improve strength, hunting and protective qualities.

For this purpose, breeding work was carried out, which consisted of interbreeding pit bull terriers with Catahoula leopard dogs - a very rare and little known breed outside the United States, the representatives of which are distinguished by their unusual merle color.

Moreover, the origin of the Catahoula leopard dog is not known exactly.

It is assumed that it came from crossing local Indian dogs with red wolves, there is also a version that its ancestors were dogs of conquistadors and, possibly, Beaucerons - a fairly popular herding breed.

The so-called Albanian pit bulls are currently not recognized by any cynological federation in the world.

A little history

To understand why the Albanian is a dog that cannot be included in the list of official breeds, it is necessary to study the biography and history of its breeding and purpose. Some dog handlers consider these pets dangerous to their environment, which also contains some truth.

Leopard cat - the best breeds of this color

The United States is considered the birthplace of leopard pit bulls. This country is on the list of leaders in breeding new and unusual breeds. As a result of certain experiments, specialists decided to transform the standard type of dog and create a new breed.

Interesting! It took breeders more than 20 years to obtain the “merle” gene and transform the dogs.

In addition to color, work was done on improving other features of the animals. The merle pit bull should be much stronger than its ancestors. Experts wanted to get a breed that would hunt large animals and protect humans. In addition to the best characteristics, the dog is given an unusual appearance, which should attract the attention of breeders and buyers.

Blue pit bull terrier

To obtain the bright spotted color, the pit bull terrier had to be crossed with a Catahoula dog. This is a leopard dog, which is distributed only in America. In the family of these pets there are wolves and dogs of indigenous Indians. As a result of such crossing, it is difficult to predict the further character and behavior of the spotted pit bull.

Marriage or breed

The merle color is considered a breeding defect among American pit bull terriers, of which Albanian pit bulls are a variety.

Expert opinion

Kozhevin Semyon Kirillovich

Expert dog handler.

“Pit bull terriers with merle or leopard coat patterns look very unusual, so it is not surprising that dogs with this color have become incredibly popular on the Internet. However, we should not forget that it is considered a breeding defect among standard American Pit Bull Terriers and that it is not without reason that this coat color is considered prohibited in a breed where almost all other colors are acceptable. Genetically, merles can be associated with health and mental problems, and while there are breeds in which these pathologies are rare, pit bulls are not one of them. Therefore, purchasing a so-called Albanian pit bull is a kind of lottery, the winning in which will be the acquisition of a healthy animal with an unusual color, and the losing will be the purchase of a dog with problematic health and an unbalanced psyche. Whether to take risks or not is up to each future owner, but experts still recommend refraining from purchasing such dogs.”

Lifehack for breed lovers

Many people are interested in the question of what to do if they really like the merle color, but don’t want to buy such a dog. There is a life hack that will suit owners of any short-haired breed. You need to take your pet to a grooming salon, where specialists will dye the fur to match the color of the leopard.

Using gentle ingredients, groomers will transform the dog’s appearance without harming the animal. Along with coloring, you can trim the nails, clean the ears, eyes, or completely wash the pet.

Dog with dyed fur

The advantages of this procedure:

• Significant savings. Instead of looking for an Albanian pit bull for several million, the salon will dye the wool for 2,000-3,000 rubles.*
• No harm to the dog's health. The paint is safe for animals; in addition, a number of hygiene procedures are additionally carried out.
• The ability to change your image over time. If you don't like the merle color, you can remove it or do another coloring.
• The coloring pigment fits well on any type and color of coat.
• The bright color of the pet will attract the attention of those around you.

This life hack is safe for the dog and its owner. This is a smart way to decorate your pet that does not require unnecessary costs and other factors.

Note! It is recommended to do coloring only in specialized salons, with paint suitable for dogs.

Character traits

Albanian pit bulls differ from standard dogs only in their unusual coloring, but not in their temperament. They are just as confident, energetic and active.

These are very hardy, strong and practically insensitive to pain animals, characterized by well-developed hunting instincts and innate aggression towards other people's dogs..

Like standard pit bull terriers, representatives of the Albanian variety of this breed are always ready for action, they are not afraid of anyone and are ready to fight with any opponent, even if they are several times their size.

CAREFULLY!

Aggression towards people in these dogs should be unacceptable in principle; moreover, all attempts to develop it in an Albanian pit bull can lead to very sad consequences, up to and including complete uncontrollability of the pet’s behavior.

Due to characteristics associated with the merle color gene, Albanian pit bulls can be mentally unstable and more aggressive than dogs of other, standard colors.

Merle color

The Albanian pitbull leopard color looks extremely exotic. This coloring is considered unacceptable for many breeds. Pit bulls are no exception. At the same time, spotted dogs attract a lot of attention. However, it is impossible to find them in domestic latitudes. After all, attempts to select a new breed are being made by American breeders. It is worth noting that so far such experiments have not been crowned with serious success.

Advantages and disadvantages

pros:

• Beautiful, spectacular and very unusual color.
• Strength and endurance.
• Well developed hunting instincts.
• Great reaction.
• We are always ready to take active action: for example, a peacefully dozing pit bull can take off at lightning speed in the next moment and attack the enemy.
• Suitable for almost any sport, be it agility or dragging weights.
• Intelligence, intelligence and fairly good learning ability.

Minuses:

• Stubbornness, sometimes reaching the point of obstinacy.
• Increased zoo aggression.
• The need for early socialization, as well as proper education and professional training.
• You cannot teach skills related to aggression towards people, in particular, detaining and escorting a violator.
• They do not like loneliness and need constant communication with their owners.
• Risk of health or mental problems associated with merle genetics.

Albanian pit bulls are not suitable as pets for people who have never owned a serious dog breed in their home before..

It is also necessary to take into account that these dogs, more than standard pit bulls, may be predisposed to increased viciousness, aggression and behavioral disruptions.

Only a strong, self-confident person who is well versed in dog breeding and knows how to properly raise a pet so that in the future it does not become a source of many problems or even accidents can become the owner of an Albanian pit bull.

Features of character and behavior

In general, most pit bulls have a fairly calm, balanced character. Yes, they are fearless and feel almost no pain. But they were bred primarily for fighting dogs, so they show aggression towards people extremely rarely and only if they have been specially trained.

At the same time, they treat children quite calmly and even friendly, often allowing them things that they would never allow adults.

It's more complicated with pets. The pit bull usually ignores cats and other small things, as well as small dogs - a Chihuahua or Spitz can bark at him for hours, but he won’t even pay attention to them.

But larger dogs may well be at risk. Especially if they show even slight aggression towards the pit bull or its owner, the reaction will be lightning fast.

For reference! The ancestors of the American pit bull are the terrier and the bulldog.

Dimensions, weight and other distinctive features

Options	Data
Height	Can range from 46 to 66 cm in males and from 43 to 61 cm in females.
Weight	Depending on gender and height is 14-37 kg
Head	Medium in length, shaped like a rectangle. The skull is wide and flattened in the frontal part, the cheekbones are well defined. The jaws are strong, well developed, and have a scissor bite.
Muzzle	Square, quite deep and voluminous.
Ears	Set high, left natural (semi-erect or rose-shaped) or docked.
Eyes	Almond-shaped or round, low-set. Their color can be any, including bluish, typical of the merle color.
Neck	Muscular and slightly convex, but at the same time dry, widening downward.
shoulder blades	Set obliquely, strong and well muscled.
Back	Not long, rather wide and strong, slightly sloping towards the base of the tail.
Rib cage	Deep and voluminous, but not too wide.
Forelegs	Straight and parallel with strong, vertical pasterns.
Hind limbs	With well-muscled, fairly long thighs and regular joint angles. Tail
Tail	Low set, fairly short and not too thick, tapering towards the end. In a state of excitement and when moving, the dog raises it to the line of the back.
Wool	Without undercoat, short, harsh, shiny and close-lying.

The weight of the dog should correspond to its height, but in general the Albanian pit bull looks like a strong, strong and muscular dog.

Breed Features

In general, it is almost no different from a regular pita, the only difference is the color. As a rule, the weight of males reaches 36 kg, and females, in the range of 28-30 kg. In this case, the dimensions of the animal depend on the massiveness of the skeleton.

The appearance is characterized by the following features:

• square head,
• flat forehead,
• slightly sagging cheeks, no folds,
• there are pronounced eye sockets in some individuals,
• deep jaws with large teeth that close tightly,
• high set ears,
• almond-shaped or oval eyes,
• flared nostrils,
• short and powerful neck,
• strong shoulders,
• straight line of the back,
• a toned tummy without hair.

The skin fits tightly to the body and does not wrinkle. Paws and tail are medium size. The coat is short, without undercoat.

Basic colors

• Blue merle (blue merle) . Black spots of uneven shape, scattered on a light grayish background, complemented by white markings.
• Red merle (red merle) . Spots of a brownish or reddish hue, located on a pale brown, beige or fawn background. This color also has white markings that set off the main color of the coat.

Many Albanian pit bulls have more or less pronounced tan, and the brighter it is, the more impressive the dog looks.

Breeding

To get a dog with such an original appearance, American cynologists decided to cross the American pit bull with the Catahoula breed, whose representatives are famous for their leopard color. Why was this done? Perhaps the selectors were only interested in the original colors? In fact, breeders focused on the unique qualities of the Catahoulo. After all, the blood of wolves and Indian dogs flows in the veins of representatives of this breed. These dogs have extreme strength and endurance. From time immemorial they have been used to hunt dangerous wild animals, in particular bear and wild boar. The decision to crossbreed the above breeds was driven by the desire to create aggressive pets that are capable of fearlessly fighting prey.

The appearance of the Albanian pit bull was facilitated by the introduction of a special gene, which, in fact, causes the leopard color. During the selection process, absolutely no results were achieved for a long time. After all, the gene that was supposed to give the merle coloring did not manifest itself in any way. More than a dozen years were spent on this. Ultimately, the gene did make itself felt. Thus, dog handlers were able to get a pit bull with a spotted color.

Life expectancy and what diseases are they susceptible to?

Albanian Pit Bull Terriers are predisposed to only a few diseases, such as:

• Allergy.
• von Willebrand disease
• Hemangioma or histocytoma of the skin.
• Hypothyroidism.
• Volvulus or bloating of the stomach and intestines.
• Diseases of the musculoskeletal system, including dysplasia.
• Aortic stenosis.

However, because the double merle gene can be associated with a variety of health problems, these dogs may be susceptible to other ailments, such as congenital blindness and deafness, as well as weakened immune systems.

IMPORTANT!

Among pit bulls of this variety, early mortality is high and there are frequent cases of the birth of offspring suffering from developmental defects, often incompatible with life.

That is why most professional breeders consider it inappropriate to specially breed such dogs and, as a rule, discard them from breeding.

Standard American pit bulls live 12-15 years, but as for the Albanian variety of this breed, the life expectancy of its representatives depends on factors such as heredity and the state of the immune system.

Danger of the M gene

This gene affects the "spotting" of the coat in dogs. Naturally, there are species for which the presence of such a gene is the norm. These include collies, dachshunds, and some types of shepherd dogs. However, there are many breeds for which this coat color is not typical, and pit bulls are precisely such.

It is believed that the presence of the M gene, which manifests itself fully, can lead to sterility in the dog. It is also noted that it can cause various neurological and mental diseases - individuals with the M gene (if it is not typical for their breed) are more likely to encounter such problems. In addition, the unfortunate animal may face a number of other troubles, which include deafness, blindness, serious problems with the immune system and even stillborn puppies.

All things considered, it is hardly worth exposing an unfortunate animal to such suffering just to see a spotted pit bull terrier. A slight improvement in hunting qualities is also not worth the dog suffering so much.

Basic rules of care

It is recommended to brush Albanian pit bulls with a brush for short-haired dogs or a special mitten once a week. They are bathed no more often than once every 2 months, and it is recommended to use hypoallergenic shampoos for short-haired dogs.

Ears and eyes should be examined regularly, but cleaned only when they become dirty and, preferably, using special cleaning products..

You can brush your pet's teeth 1-2 times a week with a toothbrush and dog toothpaste, or simply give him chewing toys or treats designed to remove plaque.

Nails are trimmed with nail clippers if they grow excessively and begin to curl inward, causing discomfort to the dog.

Albanian Pibuls are not intended for year-round outdoor keeping because due to their short hair and complete absence of undercoat, they do not tolerate frost well..

Caring for puppies

Even before the puppy arrives in the house, you should buy toys for dogs. The pet store has a large selection, but it is better to check with the seller which ones are suitable for pit bull puppies. It is necessary to remember that during the period when the puppy is cutting its teeth, it really wants and simply needs to chew something. Let these be special toys, not a new sofa.

When buying a puppy, you should ask the breeders what it ate. In the first month of life, the baby should be fed up to 6 times, at the age of 2.5-3 months - up to 5 times, 4-5 months - 4 times, a six-month-old pet needs food 3 times a day.

Protein in the diet is important for puppies.

How to feed?

The basis of the diet of such an active dog should be protein products of animal origin.

Meat or meat products are best suited for this, which are recommended to be supplemented with rice, buckwheat or oatmeal, as well as fermented milk products, raw or boiled vegetables.

In addition, vitamin and mineral supplements should be added to your pet's food, but this should be done only after consultation with a veterinarian.

If the Albanian pit bull eats ready-made food, preference should be given to high-quality hypoallergenic food with a high protein content.

Where is the photo of a representative of this breed from?

There is currently only one actual photo of a bred so-called "standard" spotted Albanian pitbull available on the Internet. This is a pit bull named Titus.

Photo of leopard color

For 2021, this is the only representative that has such a bright and pure “cheetah” color, the rest of the photos are only edited. There are other representatives with a similar color, but so far only Titus has it so clearly expressed.

To be honest, Sobakus.com generally doubts that this photo is true. It became popular on English-language resources at the end of March 2021 and the color in the photo is too unusual, even for a merle. This is most likely done with the help of a special beauty salon for pets. In the photo, apparently, the dog is in such an institution.

How to choose?

Despite the fact that the breed is not officially recognized, it is recommended to buy such a puppy only from a kennel that breeds pit bulls.

At the same time, it is very important that the future pet comes from dogs of healthy lines and, of course, that one of its parents is not merle, since offspring born from two merles are usually characterized by an unstable psyche and weak immunity, in addition, they may there may be many hidden congenital malformations, which will certainly cause health problems for the pet in the future.

Considering that Albanian pit bulls are predisposed to congenital blindness and deafness, it is recommended to pay special attention to checking the health status of the selected puppy, and, preferably, to have it examined in a clinic.

You also need to observe the kids for some time to make sure that they have a stable psyche and are not overly aggressive.

You should not adopt a puppy that angrily attacks other dogs or, especially, tries to attack people..

He almost certainly has serious mental problems, which are not always possible to correct even with the help of proper education and professional training.

Vaccinations and susceptibility to disease

The Spotted Pitbull is prone to a variety of illnesses, so it's worth visiting your veterinarian every three months.

Frequent problems faced by pit owners:

• deafness;
• blindness;
• sterility;
• heart diseases;
• diseases of the digestive system.

The vaccination schedule for puppies includes the first vaccination at the age of 8-9 weeks and a booster vaccination at 12 weeks (enteritis, distemper, leptospirosis, parvovirus, hepatitis).

At 7 months a rabies vaccination is given. In the future, to maintain immunity, dogs are revaccinated annually.

It is important to understand that during this period the puppy’s body is weakened, so the risk of natural infection increases. For vaccines that require repeated administration, a two-week quarantine is required after the second vaccination, since the animal is more susceptible to viruses and diseases.

The opinion of dog handlers

Pit bull terrier breeders and competent dog handlers unanimously assure that the colors merle and leopard have nothing in common with a purebred pit bull, and those who pass them off as Albanian dogs are simply not literate or conscientious ordinary people.

• A color of this type will most likely not be recognized, at least this is what dog experts advocate.

If there were no genetic danger for gauze, then most likely each representative would have a chance for a new color.

Merle color

A pit bull of this merle color is rare and is a breed defect. This type manifests itself in its infancy; as a result, it is difficult to say by birth how atypical a dog is; most of them are simply drowned for fear of serious pathologies.

So boxer breeders categorically do not keep white puppies, knowing that they are not healthy, but for the Welsh Corgi Cardigan, this type of color is natural and accepted by the standard.

List of genetic problems associated with the “M” gene

Various physical and mental disabilities, unfortunately, will not allow the dog to live a high-quality and long life. How natural is it to leave such puppies, knowing that there will be no waiting for them in the future - happiness. Numerous problems currently known for the “M” gene:

• Complete or partial blindness, underdeveloped eyes, strabismus;
• No viability at birth or rapid death in the first weeks of life;
• Complete absence of developed organs - vision, hearing and tail.
• Possible deformities in the form of underdevelopment of the mouth and nasal cavity;
• Mentally unbalanced, emotionally unstable dogs;
• Unpainted eyes, nose, eyelids.

Reviews

• Marina, 25 years old, Dmitrov

Unfortunately, out of ignorance we purchased pita with this color. The unusual eye color seemed so beautiful that they believed there were no problems. We brought the puppy in at 2 months, after 2 weeks we realized that he couldn’t see, and after another month he had problems with hearing. They had to castrate him and leave him on the sofa; they later explained that this was a marriage.

They couldn't return the money. The dog still lives, but we go to the veterinarians as if we were going to work. Don’t repeat my mistakes, better find out in advance everything about these supposedly Albanian, unique pit bulls.

Albanian Pitbull – exists or not

The merle pit bull is still an unrecognized breed. There is controversy surrounding dogs because the animals do not meet the established requirements.

The country of Albania has nothing to do with the breeding of Albanian pit bulls

Spotted pets are classified as one of the varieties of the American pit bull breed. Animals are similar to each other in character, development, principle of nutrition and structure. The main difference from the standard American breed is its unusual color - merle. With its spots on the pet's fur, the color resembles leopard print. The unusual exterior attracts attention and looks exotic. It is the uniqueness of the breed that influences such popularity of dogs.

The merle-colored pit bull does not fit into the usual standards, and therefore causes a lot of controversy among dog handlers. Initially, certain rules were prescribed for the dog’s exterior:

• eye color;
• head shape;
• coat color;
• paw position.

Important! The merle pitbull was obtained as a result of unofficial experiments, so at the moment it is considered a defect.