Until fifteen minutes ago, we thought that the fabulous Australian Cattle Dog is the only breed whose breed standard uses the words, “speckled” and “mottled” in its color section: From the standard: Color: Blue – The color should be blue, blue-mottled or blue speckled with or without other markings. Red Speckle – The color should be of good even red speckle all over, including the undercoat, (neither white nor cream), with or without darker red markings on the head.
A friend of NPDD, however, has pointed out that using a “weighted” search via Google through AKC’s standards folder, there are four breeds which used the term “mottled” in their standards, but only the ACD uses the term “speckled”: https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/BluetickCoonhound.pdf
Color: Preferred color is a dark blue, thickly mottled body, spotted by various shaped black spots on back, ears and sides. Preference is to more blue than black;
https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/RatTerrier.pdf
piebald dog with only mottled/spotted skin. Disqualification – Rat Terriers are never a solid ground color without white markings, or bi-colored without one color …
https://images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/AustralianCattleDog.pdf
Color: Blue – The color should be blue, blue-mottled or blue speckled with or without other markings. The permissible markings are black, blue or tan markings …
images.akc.org/pdf/breeds/standards/Collie.pdf
mottled or “marbled” color predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings as in the. “Sable and White” and usually has tan shadings as in the “Tri-color.
When it comes to the Australian Cattle Dog, what’s the difference between speckled and mottled? As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words: Both images were found on Pinterest and we will very happily credit the owners and photographer upon receipt of information. Show us YOUR ACDS!
A speckled Australian Cattle Dog
A blue mottled Australian Cattle Dog
The top dog is mottled, the bottom is speckled. Your captions are reversed.
Thanks, Charlotte!!
My blue mottled 🙂
Australian Cattle Dog/ Rat Terrier mix.
@Rebel.the.blueheeler
here is Ned an Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog
Mick, he’s wonderful! His breed is still not very well known in the US, but Stumpy Tails are quite popular in Australia, aren’t they?
This is Honey. Speckled or mottled?
Cindy, we always defer to breed experts, and perhaps our ACD friends will help us out here, but it’s our understanding that speckled is identified by dots or spots, while mottled is more “patchy” than spotted. You live with Honey and see all her sides; given the aforementioned explantation, which would you say she is?
Can anyone tell me what kind of heeler we have? He also has very tiny spots of brown/red but not many.
Perhaps one of our readers has some ideas?
He’s a blue speckle,there spots are actually black. I have a silver blue speckle he looks the same mine has a lot more spots though and his spots a light silver blue and his mask. He also has the red/tan freckles on his muzzle and front legs.
Wow! Looks identical to mine!
Looks a lot like my Merlin. Not quite sure what he is either, being that he is a rescue.
Those last 3 dogs look like border collies. Border coolies can have short, medium, or long coats. Lots of border collies are mottled or speckled, some both. Some are merle, Not all border collies are black and white with long coats.
https://www.isdssheepdogarchive.org.uk/sheepdog-writers/101-isds/barbara-sykes/192-know-your-border-collie-coat-and-characteristics.html