14 Dog Breeds With Blue Eyes

Some dogs sport icy-colored irises as a breed trademark, while others may get blue eyes as a recessive trait. Other dogs with a particular coat color, specifically merle (mottled patches) or piebald (a white coat with spots), tend to get blue eyes passed on to them. Some of the most common breeds to have blue eyes include huskies, border collies, and Weimaraners.

If your dog has the merle or piebald gene, it cannot consistently create pigment, which would explain the light eyes. Some dogs, like huskies, have a higher likelihood of heterochromia—two different colored eyes. Note that the American Kennel Club (AKC) specifically disqualifies many blue-eyed purebred dogs from the show ring, as while an individual dog might have blue eyes, the eye color might be technically considered a fault for that breed. But that doesn't mean the dog can't make a wonderful pet.

Blues eyes are undoubtedly beautiful, but if you notice your dog's eyes are suddenly turning blue or cloudy, have your dog checked for cataracts or glaucoma.

Here are 14 dogs with blue eyes.

Warning

When two merle or piebald carriers breed, their litter is at much greater risk of health issues, such as being born deaf, blind, or both. This breeding is considered inhumane. However, a dog with a heterozygous merle or piebald gene bred with a non-carrier dog is safe.

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Siberian Husky

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One of the first dog breeds to come to mind when you think of blue eyes may be the Siberian husky. These stunning dogs commonly have iconic, icy-blue eyes that mirror the tundra of their native land. They can also have brown eyes or a heterochromatic combination of both. Wolf-looking Siberian huskies were bred for companionship and pulling loads by dogsled, making them perfect dogs for families who like to stay active.

Breed Overview

Group: Working (AKC)
Height: 20 to 24 inches
Weight: 35 to 60 pounds
Coat and Color: Double-layered coat in black, gray, red, brown, tan, or white
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
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Australian Shepherd

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Australian shepherds that have merle coloring have a higher likelihood of getting impressive light blue eyes. These dogs tend to have a higher chance of getting a mix of both blue and brown eyes. The herding Aussie is brilliant and full of energy and excels in agility competitions. They are best suited for an active home.

Breed Overview

Group: Herding (AKC)
Height: 18 to 23 inches
Weight: 40 to 65 pounds
Coat and Color: Thick coat can be found in a variety of colors and patterns, including spots, splotches, or merle
Life Expectancy: 13 to 15 years
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Weimaraner

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The Weimaraner is known for its sleek, silver-gray coat and loving, active personality. Their kind eyes can be amber or blue, a perfect complement to the breed's iconic silver-gray coat. These happy, high-energy pooches were bred in the 1800s in Germany for hunting and grew in popularity as companion dogs. They are great with children.

Breed Overview

Group: Sporting (AKC)
Height: 23 to 27 inches
Weight: 70 to 90 pounds (males); 55 to 75 pounds (females)
Coat and Color: Smooth, silver-gray coat
Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years
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Border Collie

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These dogs are considered one of the most intelligent breeds with a thoughtful, intense gaze. The border collie’s eyes can be varying shades of brown, gold, or blue. Blue eyes are more common in merle-coated border collies. With endless energy and high intelligence, these dogs thrive with mental and physical challenges, including agility competitions.

Breed Overview

Group: Herding (AKC)
Height: 18 to 22 inches
Weight: 30 to 55 pounds
Coat and Color: Long coat that can be smooth or rough in white, black, gray, blue, chocolate, and red; most are either two-toned or merle
Life Expectancy: 10 to 17 years

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Dachshund

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Blue eyes may not be desirable in show dachshunds, but they are still a beautiful trait. Doxies with a merle coat will most often have blue-eye variations, including full blue, one blue and one brown, or even both colors in one eye. Bred for hunting badgers and rabbits, these dogs are brave and boisterous and make wonderful watchdogs.

Breed Overview

Group: Hound (AKC)
Height: Standard: 8 to 9 inches for standard; miniature: 5 to 6 inches
Weight: Standard: 16 to 32 pounds; miniature: up to 11 pounds
Coat and Color: Short, long, or wirehaired; colors include red, blue, black, chocolate, and cream
Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years
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Cardigan Welsh Corgi

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These small yet strong dogs are known for their unique features, such as short legs, long bodies, and large, upright ears. To add to their unique looks, the Cardigan Welsh corgi can also have striking blue eyes. Like the dachshund, a Cardigan may have two blue eyes, one blue and one brown, or even both colors in one eye. These unique eye colors are most common in corgis with merle coats. Though Cardigans with light eyes are not desired in the show rings unless they have merle coats, they still look stunning.

Breed Overview

Group: Herding (AKC)
Height: 10 to 13 inches
Weight: 25 to 38 pounds
Coat and Color: Dense double coat in black, white, red, cream, merle, sable, and brindle
Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years
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Great Dane

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These gentle giants turn heads with their size alone, but a Great Dane with beautiful blue eyes is an eye-catcher. Most Great Dane puppies are born with blue eyes that change to brown as they mature. Dapple-coated harlequin and merle Great Danes keep their baby blues their whole life. These large dogs make loving, protective watchdogs and are surprisingly adaptable to homes of all sizes.

Breed Overview

Group: Working (AKC)
Height: 28 to 32 inches
Weight: 140 to 175 pounds (males); 110 to 140 pounds (females)
Coat and Color: Short coat in black, brindle, fawn, blue, merle, or harlequin
Life Expectancy: 6 to 8 years
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Catahoula Leopard Dog

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These dogs are known as leopard dogs for their spotted coats, which can come in a wide array of colors, including blue, red, gray, black, cream, or chocolate. Their eyes can also come in blue, amber, green, brown, or a combination. Most Catahoulas have merle patterns or leopard-like spots of multiple colorings. An American-bred working dog from Louisiana, it hunted and herded and needs a lot of room to run and expend its energy.

Breed Overview

Group: Herding (AKC)
Height: 22 to 24 inches
Weight: 50 to 95 pounds
Coat and Color: Short coat can be a wide variety of colors but is most notable for its leopard-like spots or merle markings
Life Expectancy: 10 to 14 years

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Alaskan Klee Kai

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The Alaskan klee kai looks a lot like a miniature husky, although, unlike its larger relative, it was bred for companionship and not work. The klee kai can have icy blue, brown, hazel, or green eyes. These smaller-sized canines make great small companions and excellent watchdogs.

Breed Overview

Group: Northern Breed (UKC); not recognized by the AKC
Height: 13 to 17 inches
Weight: 10 to 20 pounds
Coat and Color: Thick coat, typically darker on the back (black, red, or gray), the top of the head, and around the eyes with white legs, belly, and lower half of the face and muzzle
Life Expectancy: 12 to 16 years
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Pit Bull

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The pit bull is another dog often born with blue eyes that change color as they mature. However, blue-eyed mature pit bulls do exist, often accompanying blue-, gray-, or brindle-coated pits. The name "pit bull" is a general term for breeds that include the American Staffordshire terrier and the American pit bull terrier. These “bully breeds” can be very active and loving companions.

Breed Overview

Group: Terrier (UKC); not recognized by the AKC
Height: 17 to 21 inches
Weight: 30 to 65 pounds
Coat and Color: Short coat in black, white, blue, gray, brindle, fawn, red, or brown
Life Expectancy: 8 to 15 years
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Dalmation

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These black-and-white spotted beauties most often have dark brown eyes, but can have blue eyes as well. Dalmations are affectionate, smart dog originally bred to guard horses and coaches while on the road, and they are still excellent guard dogs. Of course, they are also strongly associated with fire stations, where they serve as the traditional firetruck companion.

Breed Overview

Group: Non-Sporting (AKC)
Height: 19 to 24 inches
Weight: 45 to 70 pounds
Coat and Color: Short, smooth white coat with black or brown spots
Life Expectancy: 11 to 13 years
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English Bulldog

The Spruce / Kristie Lee

Technically, blue eyes are a disqualifier for the show ring, but that doesn't stop some English bulldogs from sporting baby blues. These muscular, courageous, but friendly dogs were originally bred in England during the 13th century for use in bullbaiting, but today, they are affectionate companion dogs, as well as a national symbol of Britain.

Breed Overview

Group: Non-Sporting (AKC)
Height: 14 to 15 inches
Weight: 40 to 50 pounds
Coat and Color: Short, smooth coat in a variety of combinations of white with fawn, brindle, or red
Life Expectancy: 8 to 10 years

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Old English Sheepdog

Photo © Scott Rich

You can't always easily see the eyes of these shaggy dogs, but Old English Sheepdogs can have eyes of brown or blue, or one of each. These large, muscular dogs were originally bred to help drive cattle from place to place, and they are still protective of their families. Old English Sheepdogs are friendly, affectionate dogs that get along well with children, but they do need regular exercise, and of course, that shaggy coat requires a great deal of grooming.

Breed Overview

Group: Herding (AKC)
Height: 21 inches and up
Weight: 60 to 100 pounds
Coat and Color: Long, shaggy double coat in white with blue, merle, or gray markings
Life Expectancy: 10 to 12 years
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Alaskan Malamute

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Although blue eyes are not that uncommon in the Alaskan Malamute, the AKC considers them a disqualifier from the show ring. This powerful dog is one of the oldest breeds of Arctic sled dog, and their very thick coats, muscular builds, and large size makes it clear that they were born to work hard. These days, however, most are family pets, and they are friendly, gentle, and playful dogs. They do require training from a young age, regular exercise, and plenty of grooming to keep that beautiful coat in good condition.

Breed Overview

Group: Working (AKC)
Height: 23 to 25 inches
Weight: 75 to 85 pounds
Coat and Color: Thick double coat in white plus almost any other color
Life Expectancy: 10 to 14 years

Other eye colors

Brown is the most common eye color in dogs. Purebreds that are least likely to have light-colored eyes include golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, German shepherds, beagles, dobermans, poodles, and many more. Those puppies have a greater chance of having blue eyes if any of these breeds mix with dogs prone to light eyes. Although extremely rare, albinism can occur in any breed, causing pink eyes. The breeds listed above, or mixed breeds with the above are more likely to have blue eyes.

FAQ

What percentage of dogs with blue eyes are deaf?

Five to 10 percent of all dogs experience deafness, but it's their coat color—usually piebald and merle—not their eye color, that is associated with deafness.
Why are dogs born with blue eyes?

Dogs, like most mammals—even humans!—are born with blue eyes because the iris lacks melanin, which develops as they age.
What do blue eyes in dogs mean?

Blue eyes mean only that the dog has reduced pigment levels in its iris, and is very common in some breeds.

15 Blue Dog Breeds for Lovers of this Unique Color

14 Dog Breeds With Blue Eyes

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Other eye colors

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