8 Yellow Dog Breeds & Yellow Dog Names

Yellow fur — also known as fawn fur — isn’t an uncommon trait in dogs, but it’s rare enough to make a golden dog stand out in the average dog park. Their blonde hair is the result of recessive genes similar to those that cause freckles and fair skin in human beings. The two types of melanin — eumelanin and pheomelanin — determine the color of a dog’s coat, with yellow fur occurring when pheomelanin alone is produced. Being a recessive trait, it requires both parents to be yellow. Some breeds have been completely overtaken by this recessive gene and produce only yellow dogs, while occurrences of yellow dogs are rarer in some breeds. Over a dozen yellow dog breeds exist in the world, but we’re here to focus on eight yellow dog breeds and even provide you with suggested yellow dog names for your new canine.

#8. Golden Retriever — A Working Dogs That Also Balances Family

Not all golden retrievers have fawn coats, but every member of the breed displays fur that ranges from white to a more burnished auburn gold. They’re equally distinguishable by the heaviness of their double-layered coat. In the wild, it serves as insulation and allows them to swim more capably without freezing. Golden retrievers are known for their warm personalities and their gentle demeanor towards children. These dogs were originally bred for hunting and tracking, and that means they need a decent amount of activity to stay happy and healthy.

The golden retriever is a perfect family dog, and you can hear more about its advantages here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Sunshine

Bringing an animal home into your house can suddenly make everything feel more alive. If you want to recognize the impact your friendly boy or girl has on the world around them, there’s no more fitting name than Sunshine.

#7. French Bulldog — A Cartoon Pup Brought to Life

With their bulging eyes and short snouts, the French bulldog is one of the most unusual-looking dog breeds you’ll find anywhere. However, while those unique faces have made them a popular choice for a companion, they can also lead to serious respiratory issues. Fortunately, breeders recognize the issue and are trying to breed healthier traits back into the Frenchie population. Even without those short snouts, French bulldogs are the consummate lapdog. Not only are they affectionate and good-spirited with kids, but they can adapt well to living in smaller spaces such as apartments.

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French bulldogs are a playful and lovable breed, and you can learn more about their unique traits here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Butterball

Frenchies tend to have stocky little bodies, and that makes them an ideal choice for yellow dog names like Butterball. It’s a playful choice that reflects both the looks and the personality of this small dog breed.

#6. Labrador Retriever — Suited for Practically Any Role

While there’s a rumor that yellow labs are the laziest members of the breed, it’s a notion that has zero scientific basis. Labrador retrievers are one of the most popular breeds in the world, and that’s largely thanks to the fact that they’re such diligent and versatile work dogs. It’s one reason why labs are such a popular choice for seeing-eye dogs, but they’re also regularly used for hunting and agility training. These dogs combine an exceeding cleverness with a desire for approval, and that makes them adaptable to basically any role as a pet or service animal.

Labrador retrievers regularly rank at the top of America’s favorite dog breeds, and you can discover why here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Taxi

Labradors are active dogs, and you just might find them pulling you to your destination on your walks if you don’t properly train them. But any yellow dog can comfortably be fitted with the name “Taxi”.

#5. Goldendoodle — Easy on the Eyes and the Nose

Golden retrievers are friendly and lovable dogs, but they’re also notorious for their heavy shedding. If you love a golden’s personality but can’t handle the allergies, a Goldendoodle might offer the solution. This “designer” breed is achieved from breeding a poodle with a golden retriever — and while that means that you can’t be entirely sure which personality traits it will get from each species, you can be confident that a Goldendoodle will be hypoallergenic. Despite their name, Goldendoodles can range in color from cream to black, and they can take on one of three different fur types.

The Goldendoodle isn’t a breed officially recognized by the AKC, but you can learn why it still deserves your attention here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Butterscotch

“Goldendoodle” sounds like the name of a cookie so why not double down on the sweets theme and go with a name that suits both the coat color and the breed. It’s a sweet name that’s suitable for any sweet yellow dog in your life.

#4. Corgi — Little Dogs with Big Brains

The short and stubby Welsh corgi comes in a variety of different colors and patterns, but yellow is one of the most common base patterns for this little dog with a big personality. Despite their size, corgis were bred as herding dogs. That means that they’re both highly active and highly intelligent. That intelligence often manifests through a mischievous streak, and new corgi owners will find themselves both delighted and frustrated by the antics of their new pup. Raising a corgi is never boring, but you have to be careful to train them well or they’ll end up setting the rules of the house on their own terms.

There’s a lot more to the Welsh corgi than surface appearances would let on, and you can uncover those hidden depths here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Mustard

Corgis can often look like little hot dogs on legs, so it’s only fitting to give a yellow one a name like Mustard. It’s a bright and playful name for one of the yellow dog breeds that really embraces that tone.

#3. Jindo — Loyal Companions, For Those Who Earn Their Trust

The Jindo is the national dog breed of Korea, and the regal demeanor and serious expression of this hunting dog reflects a serious mind and some of the sharpest wits of any breed. Like corgis, jindo are highly intelligent dogs that can cause a lot of trouble if they aren’t properly trained. Fortunately, it’s a process that pays off for those willing to go to the effort. The jindo isn’t easy to trust, but they’re exceedingly loyal to the people they accept into their family. They’re also known for being quiet and fastidious, making them a far more sedate counterpart to the rambunctious corgi.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Hwang

Variations of the name Hwang appear in abundance throughout the world, but it actually stands for the word “yellow” in its original Korean. That makes it one of the most fitting yellow dog names out there.

#2. Chow Chow — A Bit of Dog With a Bit of Cat

With its sandy-colored coat and wild mane, it wouldn’t be hard to mistake the chow chow for the strangest-looking and tiniest lion on the planet. But oddly enough, they also have a feline personality to match. The typical chow has an independent personality, enjoys its privacy, and is notable for being fastidiously clean. Training the chow chow can require serious discipline, and you can expect to invest a lot of energy making sure they get the abundant exercise they need. This is one of the more difficult yellow dog breeds to care for, but they offer a unique distinction from more common yellow dog breeds like golden retrievers and labs.

The fussy chow chow has a lot to offer, and you can learn more about the specifics here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Dandelion

Whether you want it to simply reference the pleasant flower or a play on a chow’s leonine features, Dandelion is the type of name that can put a smile on anyone’s face.

#1. Carolina Dog — A Wild Dog With a Lot of Heart

We’d be remiss to not put the Carolina dog on this list considering the fact that they’re also colloquially known as “yellow dogs”. A native to the American Southeast, Carolina dogs resemble dingos and are often found running wild in packs. Don’t let that scare you off from this breed, though. A Carolina dog is likely to be shy upon first meeting you, but their personalities are well worth getting to know. They’re prodigiously smart and active dogs who are great hunting companions and solid choices for general outdoor activities. But once it gets acclimated, a Carolina dog is generally a low-maintenance canine.

Learn about the Carolina dog, also referred to as the Dixie Dingo, here.

Suggested Yellow Dog Name: Mellow

Not only does it rhyme with yellow, but it’s a good choice for a breed of dog that’s relatively low on drama. A fawn Carolina dog could grow comfortably into this name, but the same holds true for many of the yellow dog breeds on this list.

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