Dogs with blue eyes are amazing! Some people admire the unusual beauty, others consider it unnatural and even dangerous, but no one remains indifferent.
The most famous dog breeds with blue eyes, of course, are the Husky. Moreover, many believe that all light-eyed dogs are a mixture of the blood of these sled dogs. Of course, this is not true, and today we will tell you what kind of dogs have blue eyes.
Yakutian Laika
It is an ancient breed bred by the indigenous peoples who inhabited Northeast Russia. The breed was multi-purpose: it was used as draught animals for towing people and cargo, and as a hunting force for small game (birds, hares, fur-bearing animals) and big game (moose, bears).
Since 2005, there is a standard of the breed, according to which Yakutian Laikas are allowed any eye color, including heterochromia.
However, the founders of the breed long ago considered dogs with bright blue eyes worse than their brown-eyed relatives. They thought they had a poorer coat, less eyesight, and less sense of smell. Therefore such pups were culled.
Australian Shepherd
The dog from Australia is well-known for its well-balanced body, bushy coat, kindly disposition, and stunning eyes of all colors and combinations – and this does not contradict the universally recognized world standards!
Catahoula Leopard Dog
It is one of the types of dogs with blue eyes, native to the United States, first mentioned back in the 16th century. Its exact origins are not known. It is believed to have the blood of dogs imported by Spanish conquerors. The local Choctaw Indians, who lived on Lake Catahoula at the time, interbred them with the local red wolves.
In 1979, the government of Louisiana declared leopard dogs an official symbol of the state. Cynologists consider this breed to be a hunting breed. All eye colors are allowed in the breed standard.
Beauceron or French Short Hair Sheepdog – representatives of this breed are considered by some to be the ancestors of leopard dogs from Louisiana. These powerful, well-muscled dogs are herding dogs. They are usually dark animals with brown eyes of all shades, but different colored eyes are allowed for the Harlequin variety.
Great Dane
The world knows different dog breeds with blue eyes, but this one is the largest companion dog. The first description of the breed was given in 1880 at a show in Berlin. Since then, the standard has undergone numerous revisions and changes. Now the Dane must have the darkest eye color possible, but for blue-colored individuals, a slight lightening of the iris is allowed, and heterochromia is allowed for harlequin colors.
Collie
It is another shepherd breed, just like the sheltie and decorative mini collie come in mostly brownish-red shades, but marbled colors can also be found. Only for such coat dogs with dark blue eyes is not a reason for disqualification.
There are several other breeds in which a similar gene mutation occurs. For their representatives, lighter eyes or heterochromia are acceptable but still undesirable. Such breeds may include dachshunds.
Dachshunds in general come in a wide variety of colors! But the rarest of the standard is marbled. Marbled dachshunds often boast a unique eye color.
Bobtails
Old English sheepdogs – though they do not show such a variety of colors as dachshunds, can also be blue-eyed, but they are very rare.
In fact, among any breed (or non-breed) there can appear representatives with amazing sky-colored eyes – it’s all a mutation at the genetic level. But for most breeders – dogs with two blue eyes are a serious defect, due to which the individual is excluded from breeding.
But for their owners, these miracle dogs with their stunning crystal eyes are unique, inimitable, and, most importantly, loved!