The Tri color Bully has three solid colors in it’s coat compared to the standard one or two found in the majority of Bullies. Two of the colours found will be tan and white whilst the base color can vary.
What is a Tri Colored Bully?
This refers to the unique color combination that can be found on American Bullies. This is produced by rare genetics in the Bully breed from the Agouti series gene locus. The Tan Point gene is the specific gene needs to produce Tri Color Bullies and it is recessive, this means that both parents need to possess the gene. The best way to identify whether a Bully is Tri Color and its different shades is through a DNA Test
Other than the genetics around color these dogs are just regular Bullies. They have the same fantastic temperament you should expect from a Bully dog. Additionally they make fantastic family pets in addition to their beautiful looks.
Are Tri Color Bullies Rare?
Due to the need to combine two recessive genes without a targeted breeding program there would be practically no Tri Color Bullies. Thankfully there are breeders who breed specifically for these traits, despite this they are still uncommon and come with a premium price.
Within Tri color itself there are combinations which are rarer than others, as the main color is produced by the regular shades available to a bully you will find colours such as Blue, Champagne (Lilac) to be rarer than the more common colorings such as Black or Fawn.
Tri color is a relatively new trend as previously there were concerns around whether they were cross breeds. This made them less desirable which led to less targeted breeding. In recent years however this view has changed and there are a number of expanding breeding programs dedicated to producing more Tri color Bullies.
Are Tri Color Bullies Pitbulls?
According to the AKC (American Kennel Club) there are four different breeds which are officially classifed as Pitbull’s these are.
- American Pit Bull Terrier
- American Staffordshire Terrier
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- American Bully
Whilst similar in origins there are differences between all the breeds above and referring to each only as a Pitbull will not give a clear picture. Most commonly you will find the American Pit Bull Terrier is referred to as a Pitbull. Meanwhile you will find the other three breeds have their own unique references. These are Amstaff for American Staffordshire Terrier, Staffy for Staffordshire Bull Terrier and Bully for the American Bully.
Based on the above a Bully is technically a Pitbull but by referring to one as such you will paint a misleading picture in most peoples minds.
The American Bully is a cross breed largely between the American Pit Bull Terrier and American Staffordshire Terrier. However there are elements of various Bulldogs and also Mastiff blood mixed in.
What Colors can a Tri Color Bully have?
There are a number of different Tri combinations of which we will go through the specifics below.
Black Tri Bully – This is one of the more commonly seen Tri Colors. The Black coloring is often found in the Bully breed so it only requires the addition of the rarer tan gene to produce.
Choco Tri Bully – The Chocolate coloring also referred to as liver is a dilution of the Black gene and is recessive. This leads to this version of the Tri Bully being less common than Black.
Blue Tri Bully – This is the result of a dilution gene which can effect Black and Liver coats. When this dilution gene is present along with a Black coat it results in the Blue (Silver-Grey) coat. Due to the rarity of this gene this a rare in Tri Bullies.
Lilac Tri Bully – This works in the same way as the Blue Tri Bully, the difference is that it dilutes the gene from a Chocolate/Liver Bully. This combination of two rare effects in addition to the Tri color makes this a very unique combination.
Brindle Tri Bully (Trindle) – This is another rare combination this time combining the Brindle stripe pattern with elements of the tan from the Tri Color
Piebald Tri Bully – Another rare combination and it displays in a different way to any other Tri variant. Rather than a tuxedo style pattern there will be spots with 2 different colors.
Ghost Tri Bully – This is another rare pattern which can appear with any color combination. This is where the tan points from the tricolor are diluted in color. This is due to the usually dominant Black allele not being present.
What is a Tri Merle Bully?
Merle Bullies have a very distinct pattern in which patches of their fur are mottled and different in color. Due to the ability for this to be present on any color of bully it effectively adds a third colour to any where there would normally be two.
The Tri Merle Bully is not considered to be a true Tri color. Merle is linked to a range of health issues and is not recognised by the AKC due to this. Due to these additional health concerns responsible breeders do not breed for this to be present.
How much does a Tri Color Bully Puppy cost?
The amount you can expect to pay for a Tri Color Puppy varies dependent on a number of factors. These include size, build, bloodline as well as the colors making up the Tri pattern. The below table gives a rough indication of the amounts you could expect to pay from an established breeder.
| Tri-Color Variant | Puppy Price |
| Black Tri Bully | $4,000 – $6,000 |
| Choco Tri Bully | $5,000 – $7,000 |
| Blue Tri Bully | $5,000 – $7,000 |
| Lilac Tri Bully | $8,000 – $12,000 |
| Brindle Tri Bully | $6,000 – $8,000 |
| Piebald Tri Bully | $6,000 – $8,000 |
| Ghost Tri Bully | $10,000 – $15,000 |
How big are Tri Color Bullies?
Bullies come in four recognised different sizes and a few which are unrecognised. All of the varying sizes are able to display the Tri colors outlined in this article. The four recognised sizes by the ABKC (American Bully Kennel Club) are.
| Size of Bully | Height | Weight |
| Pocket Bully | 14 – 17 Inches | 20 – 65 Pounds |
| Classic Bully | 17 – 20 Inches | 50 – 70 Pounds |
| Standard Bully | 17 – 20 Inches | 65 – 85 Pounds |
| XL Bully | 20 – 23 Inches | 85 Pounds + |
The other types of Bullies you may see are listed below.
XXL American Bully – As the name suggests this is an even larger version of the American Bully. This refers to any Bully which is over the height of 23 inches. This is currently unrecognised due to additional health concerns. Additional weight added due to the size puts a lot of extra pressure on joints and organs which can lead to a decrease in quality of life.
Micro/Exotic Bully – These refer to Bullies which are smaller in stature to the Pocket Bully. Like the Pocket Bully these are created by cross breeding usually with the Patterdale Terrier. There are additional health concerns in Micro Bullies due to the body size not being fit for their needs. This again often leads to additional health issues and a shorter lifespan.
Extreme Bully – This relates to their build rather than size. Any of the various sizes can be built as Extreme although it usually refers to Micro/Pocket. As the name suggests it is an extreme muscular look with the head, shoulder and neck all being larger than a regular Bully.
