Brindle

Brindle is a pattern that combines eumelanin and phaeomelanin, and the dog must carry genes for expression of pigment types for brindle to show. Otherwise it will appear as solid red/black.
Brindle appears as black/liver/blue/isabella stripes on a red to cream base. The stripes can vary from sparse to very thick, with many varying terms for the different shades and types (see also Brindle terms explained) The brindling can appear all over the dog or be restricted to tanpoints or on the light areas of a grizzle dog. A dog can, however, never be brindle with tanpoints, only tanpoint with brindled points.  In longhaired dogs it can often be almost impossible to see any striping in the adults due to the coat roaning the colours.

These two littermate great danes well show how brindle shades can vary even within a litter.

This akita combines brindle with urajiro markings, which creates an interest effect.