21 Blue Nose Pit Bull Facts You Should Know

Blue nose pit bulls are an adorable, smart, and extremely rare type of American Pitbull Terrier whose distinct blue-gray coloring and light-colored noses set them apart.

1) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Rare Because A Recessive Gene Causes Their Coloring.

Blue nose pit bulls get their rare blue coloring from a genetic variation. This causes a dilution of black pigment in their skin, resulting in their soft blue-grey coat and pale nose. This means that technically, their blue hue is just a very light shade of black.

The gene is recessive, meaning both parents of a blue nose pit bull must also be blue nose pit bulls–and even two blue nose parents might not always produce a blue nose pup. A similar genetic variation also gives the red nose pit bull its reddish-brown coat and nose–pit bulls’ skin and fur colors are all in the genes.

2) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Descendants From Dogs Used in UK Fighting Rings, a Practice Banned by the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835.

Blue nose pit bulls come from a long line of predecessors unfortunately used in fighting and battling rings in 18th and 19th Century Britain. These dogs were forced to fight each other and other animals (including bears, rats, and bulls) for sport. This tragedy eventually led to the breed being banned from the UK for the pups’ safety. Several breeds were involved in these fighting rings, all of which shared common ancestry with bulldogs. These included pit bull cousins and predecessors like the American Staffordshire Terrier and Bull Terrier.

Luckily, such practices have since been outlawed. Their demeanor being well-suited for fighting is a myth long since debunked. Blue nose pit bulls are sweet, playful, easily trainable dogs that deserve to be loved as family pets in today’s day and age. Today’s pit bull is bred for work and companionship and is not naturally aggressive. Their tragic past is all the more reason to adopt one!

3) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Love To Dig.

Blue nose pit bulls are known to be talented diggers! Digging is a great outlet for their strong bodies and active brains. Terriers are bred to dig out burrowing animals and kill vermin, and the American Pit Bull Terrier is no exception. However, blue nose pit bulls are incredibly receptive and can be easily trained not to dig in unwanted areas. Put them to work in your yard, give them a designated digging area, or ban digging altogether and opt for other outdoor play activities–blue nose pit bulls are flexible!

4) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Shed Very Little or Not at All.

Like all dogs, you might see a slight increase in your blue nose pit bull’s shedding around fall and spring, but it’s nothing too serious. Pit Bull Terriers have a single coat, meaning they have a top coat but lack the undercoat common for heavy-shedding breeds. Moreover, this single layer of fur is short and glossy, meaning you certainly won’t be finding big chunks of it everywhere. Shedding is often linked to poor nutrition or emotional stress, so as long as you keep your blue nose pit bull well-fed and happy, shedding shouldn’t be a problem in your household.

5) Legend Has It Blue Nose Pit Bulls Were Once Used As “Nanny Dogs” To Look After Children.

As legend has it, pit bulls were once referred to as “nanny dogs” or “nursemaid dogs” and were trusted to gently guard and play with children. Vintage photos abound of 19th Century toddlers and their pit bull bodyguards. Today’s blue nose pit bulls are known to be naturally just as adorable and loving with children. They’re known to be patient and gentle and ranked the second highest in temperament tests for tolerance, second only to the Golden Retriever (according to the American Temperament Test Society).

6) Blue Nose Pit Bulls’ Size Can Range Widely–From 30 Up to 90 Pounds.

A blue nose pit bull’s height and weight depend largely on those of its parents. They’re typically around 15-20 inches tall, and while their weight usually hovers somewhere in the middle, it can range from 30 pounds all the way up to 90 pounds. If you know the size of a blue nose pit bull’s parents, you can adopt one of any size based on your family’s needs–a large pit bull for active play and longer walks, or a smaller, more portable family pet.

7) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are NOT a Separate Breed From the American Pitbull Terrier.

It’s a common misconception that blue nose pit bulls are a separate breed entirely from the American Pitbull Terrier. In fact, they’re one of up to 23 different color types of the same breed. Other rare colors include the aforementioned red nose pit bull, the blue fawn pit bull, and the merle pit bull.

The broader category of “pit bull” also expands past just the American Pitbull Terrier, including also the American Staffordshire Terrier, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, and the American Bully.

8) The Same Genes That Make Blue Nose Pit Bulls Blue Might Also Slow Down Their Immune System, Cause Skin Allergies, or Lead to Vision Problems.

Not all blue nose pit bulls have health problems, but it’s worth noting that some may require extra care. The same genetic variation that creates blue nose pit bulls’ beautiful color can unfortunately also have some adverse effects. This risk arises as a result of the smaller gene pool inherent to a rare type of dog. Health issues that may arise include a slower immune system, sensitive skin, cataracts, deafness, and premature hair loss.

9) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Generally Very Loving and Loyal and Respond Well to Obedience Training.

Blue nose pit bulls are known to be highly trainable. They respond well to learning obedience commands thanks to their high intelligence and physical prowess. As their owner, you can shape your blue nose pit bull’s manners and also teach them a variety of tricks and abilities. They respond particularly well to clicker training, which is a gentle and encouraging training method done using a small, inexpensive “clicker” device.

Pit Bulls in Showbiz

Pit bulls’ talent for obedience training is why Mr. Worldwide is not the only Pitbull in showbiz. In the early Hollywood era circa the 1930s, pit bulls were often chosen to appear in comedy films. They were prominently featured in the Our Gang and Little Rascals series. Even nowadays, pit bulls are often a Hollywood choice–three red nose pit bulls shared a role as Brad Pitt’s fictional dog Brandy in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

10) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Very Active, Which Keeps Them Generally Very Healthy.

Blue nose pit bulls are known for their muscular, stocky build. This gives them the ability to run or hike comfortably with you and your family. Their enthusiasm is a great motivator, reminding you to get your daily exercise in, too!

Since blue nose pit bulls naturally love to run, jump, and play, they generally keep themselves in great shape. They’re at relatively low risk for fatal health conditions.

Pit Bulls and Agility Trials

Pit bulls also excel at agility trials, a popular canine sport, thanks to their speed and smarts. You can take a local agility course with your blue nose pup, sign up for competitions, or just set up a practice course in your backyard for fun.

11) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Were Originally Bred From Old English Terriers and Old English Bulldogs.

Blue nose pit bulls, like all types of pit bulls, are descendants of Old English Terriers and Old English Bulldogs.

Though now extinct, Old English Terriers were an adorable, white “working terrier” in 18th Century England, bred for dog shows. They are also a common ancestor of many other terrier breeds, like the Boston Terrier, the Rat Terrier, and the Bull Terrier.

The Old English Bulldog is an American breed, recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) as a member of its Guardian Dog group. These dogs are confident, friendly, and docile, not unlike the blue nose pit bull.

12) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Highly Intelligent, Meaning They’re Exceptional at Brain Games Like Fetch.

Blue nose pit bulls are incredibly smart, which contributes to them being highly trainable and adept at agility sports. This also means they love a brain exercise, the most classic doggy version of which is fetch. Dogs like pit bulls love fetch because they’re naturally good at it, and it means quality time with an encouraging owner. Retrieving abilities are passed down genetically, meaning certain breeds have a natural aptitude for such games.

In his 1994 book The Intelligence of Dogs, canine psychologist Stanley Coren, in tandem with a group of obedience trial judges, developed a canine intelligence test. Dog breeds score based on the number of repetitions it takes them to learn a trick and their success rate at recalling said trick on the first try. Out of over 100 breeds, pit bull-related breeds ranked average to above average, meaning they can memorize new tricks with just a couple dozen repetitions!

13) Blue Nose Pit Bulls’ Short, Stiff Coat Makes Them Easy To Groom.

Their short, glossy fur makes blue nose pit bulls very easy to groom. Most don’t require haircuts, just the occasional bath. And most don’t even need to be brushed regularly. However, many pit bulls enjoy being brushed, and daily brushing can provide extra luster and remove excess dead skin. Ensuring your dog eats adequate protein, vitamin E, omega-3, and omega-6 will also ensure that they grow a shiny coat from the inside out.

14) Blue Nose Pit Bulls’ General Life Expectancy Is 10–15 Years.

Blue nose pit bulls usually live 10-15 years, the average lifespan for any dog. They grow to their adult size in just a year after birth. Pit bulls are considered adults in mind and body by the time they’re 18 months old, but you can start training them as early as eight weeks.

You can rest easy knowing that your family pet blue nose pit bull should live for over a decade! That’s long enough for your kids to grow up with their “nanny dog”, for you and your pet to become obedience trial champions together, or simply for you to build a strong bond and healthy lifestyle alongside your pup.

15) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Can Eat a Lot and Should Ideally Be Fed a High-Protein Diet.

Since blue nose pit bulls are so active, they require a primarily protein-based diet and can eat a lot. Dogs are carnivores, so meat-based foods are best for their overall health. A raw diet might be optimal if you’re willing to invest in it. This would consist of raw bones, meat, eggs, fish, fruit, and vegetables in tandem with some vitamin and fatty acid supplements. However, if you lack the time or money, reputable brands of dry or canned foods are still effective and inexpensive.

16) Blue Nose Pit Bulls’ Blue Noses Were Actually Accidental!

Blue nose pit bulls were originally bred in the UK and Ireland for their gorgeous blue-grey coats. The pale noses seen on some (but not all) blue nose pit bulls emerged by accident. The same genetic variation that provides bluish or silver fur can also extend to a pup’s nose coloring, meaning the light blue-grey nose was simply a side effect. The pigmentation is diluted compared to that of pit bulls with the typical black nose. Some blue nose pit bulls have the rare blue nose to match their coat, some share the traditional pit bull’s black nose, and for some, their nose coloring changes over time.

17) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Sweet Family Pets–Not So Much Guard Dogs, Despite the Stereotype.

The pit bull is often stereotyped as a “guard dog” due to its fierce loyalty and muscular build (as well as its ancestral ties to the UKC Guardian group). But while your blue nose pit bull may be protective over you in particular, pit bulls don’t tend to make ideal guard dogs because they simply love people too much.

A well-socialized pit bull will have a bubbly personality and love both adults and children. For this reason, blue nose pit bulls make for, primarily, great family companions. They’re perfect for playing and exercising, not so much fending off intruders!

18) Pups With Two Blue Nose Parents May Not Have a Blue Nose or May Grow Out of It.

The blue nose pit bull’s blue-grey complexion and pale nose come from a recessive gene, which is why their coloring is so rare. This means that it takes two blue nose parents to make a blue nose pup, and even then the nose coloring is not guaranteed. Blue nose parents might have a litter with all black or even red noses. Some pups might be born with the famous blue-ish nose, but it fades to black within two or three years.

This means that if you’re dead set on a blue nose pit bull pup with a permanently blue nose, it’s best to adopt a pup that’s already a year or two old!

19) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Very Strong and Record-High Jumpers.

Blue nose pit bulls’ active lifestyle and naturally muscular build mean they’re exceptionally strong–and that means they’re famously high jumpers! Pit bulls can jump up to 13 feet. Their natural agility also makes American Pit Bull Terriers strong climbers.

This means that blue nose pit bulls are capable of jumping or climbing a fence, but don’t fret–there are ways to keep them safe in your fenced-in yard. Since they respond so well to training, it’s easier to teach them their boundaries. And if all else fails, even competitive pit bull jumpers need a 20-30 foot running start–so you can always place obstacles within that distance of your fence.

20) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Are Very Sensitive to Human Emotions and Will Respond to the Emotions You Show Them.

Blue nose pit bulls are known empaths–they’re very sensitive to human emotion since they care about their humans so much. Their braininess extends to emotional intelligence as well. “nanny dogs” are one of the family, so they’ll certainly pick up on any strong emotional signals you put out.

Pit Bulls and Anxiety

If you’re worried about your pit bull being overly emotional or picking up on anxiety from surrounding people, you may be able to treat your pet with CBD oil. Studies show that CBD helps make the brain more susceptible to serotonin, which may provide natural anxiety relief for your pit bull. One study by Frontiers in Veterinary Science showed that CBD-infused dog treats reduced cortisol levels in dogs’ blood after a fear-inducing stimulus. And a Colorado State University study even showed that CBD significantly reduced seizure frequency in dogs.

21) Blue Nose Pit Bulls Appreciate a High-Energy Family. They Love To Play!

Blue nose pit bulls’ loving nature combined with their physical and mental prowess means that they love to play! Since they love both adults and children, playing with your blue nose pit bull can be fun for the whole family. As aforementioned, they love hikes and long walks as well as brain games like fetch and agility practice. A blue nose pit bull is the perfect option for an active family looking for a playful, sweet, high-energy pup!

Blue nose pit bulls are a rare and beautiful subsection of the strong, intelligent, loving American Pit Bull Terrier breed. They make great family pets and encourage an active lifestyle while providing a friend to lean on. If these 21 facts were of interest to you and you think your family is a match, consider adopting a blue nose pit bull pup!