9 Dogs With Blue Eyes That'll Have You Mesmerized
9 Dogs With Blue Eyes That'll Have You Mesmerized
Though all dogs are beautiful in their own way, dogs with blue eyes are especially stunning. Sometimes the blue coloring is due to a coat color called merle, which features "irregularly shaped patches of diluted pigment and solid color," according to the University of California, Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory. Merle is incredibly popular, but it can become harmful for dogs in some cases: Breeding two merle-colored dogs together can lead their puppies to have auditory and visual problems.
Other dogs from certain breeds sometimes rarely have blue eyes. German Shepherds, for example, will rarely have blue eyes due to a genetic variation, though most breeders consider it a fault. Sometimes dogs will have two differently colored eyes, with one blue or partially blue, which is called heterochromia (which can sometimes indicate a health problem).
Scientists have also found that for some breeds, blue eyes are caused by a genetic mutation that is passed down through recessive genes, which means both of the parent dogs must carry the gene to pass it to their offspring, according to National Geographic. For other breeds, blue eyes are the result of a genetic mutation that actually results in decreased pigmentation, so the dogs' eyes aren't really blue — they just look like they are.
But, in addition to the fascinating — and confusing — science behind the trait, dogs with blue eyes are mesmerizing just because, well, they are. Here are 10 dog breeds that can have striking blue eyes.
Australian Shepherd
According to the American Kennel Club, Native Americans called Australian Shepherds "ghost eye" and believed them to be sacred. (Also, contrary to what their name tells you, Australian Shepherds likely originated in the Basque region of Spain.)
Siberian Husky
A 2018 study found that Siberian Huskies have blue eyes due to a gene mutation that results in decreased pigmentation. “There’s no blue pigment," geneticist Kristopher Irizarry of the College of Veterinary Medicine at Western University of Health Sciences told National Geographic. "It’s about the way the light enters and exits the eye, creating the appearance of blue, the same way the sky looks blue but outer space is not blue.”
Yep, your own eyes are deceiving you.
Weimaraner
Weimaraner puppies often have blue eyes, but they don't always stay that way as they age, according to Dogtime. Melanin is what determines eye color, and when puppies are born, their eyes don't produce enough of it to give them a clear color. Something similar can happy with white babies, who are often born with blue eyes that then change to green or hazel or brown.
German Shepherd
A genetic variation can cause German Shepherds to have blue eyes, but it's incredibly rare, and breeders consider it a fault, according to All About Shepherds. Shepherds with the variation are often called Blue German Shepherds. Often, blue eyes in a Shepherd would result if the dog is actually a mix with something like a Husky.
Dalmatian
Some Dalmatians have blue eyes or one blue eye due to their coat coloring, which is caused by a gene that is unfortunately also associated with deafness.
Border Collie
Your average Border Collie has a black and white coat and dark brown eyes, but some with different color variations can have blue eyes, according to the New England Border Collie Rescue. Border Collies with just one blue eye are called "walleyed." One study noted that Border Collies with merle coats or blue eyes had a higher prevalence of deafness.
Cardigan Welsh Corgi
Cardigan Welsh Corgis with merle coats will often have blue eyes, though some breeders consider the coloring a fault if their coat is anything but merle blue.
Shetland Sheepdog
Shetland Sheepdogs, also called Shelties, can have blue eyes if they have a blue merle-colored coat.
Great Dane
Most Great Dane puppies are born with blue eyes that eventually turn brown. When the Great Dane has a merle gene that causes merle coat coloring their blue eyes can remain. The black-and-white coat that can cause blue eyes in a Great Dane is known as "harlequin," according to the AKC.
You'll get lost in their baby blues.