Have you ever examined your dog’s eyes closely? Your pet’s brown or blue eyes must have caught your attention. Siberian huskies have blue eyes instead of the characteristic brown eyes of dogs. It is well known that Huskies have beautiful blue-colored eyes. According to some, this glowing blue eye color is due to the cold Siberian weather.
Husky puppies’ eyes are naturally blue, but as they grow in size and become older, the amount of melanin they produce changes the color of their eyes. There is an altered duplication near the ALX4 gene that causes blue eyes husky. Husky eyes have fewer melanin pigments because of this gene.
Eye Color is Explained by Genetics
Study results in 2018 seem to authorize that duplication on the 18th chromosome is responsible for the icy hue in the eyes of huskies. A current study proposes that the duplication of the ALX4 gene is associated with eye color in humans and mice.
Since no studies have formerly linked this gene with eye color in humans or mice, this study was somewhat of a breakthrough. Australian shepherds without merles, which tend to also have blue eyes, share the same genetic peculiarity.
This chromosomal aberration typically results in lighter-colored eyes in huskies with this chromosomal anomaly. Researchers say the mutation may affect more than just the dogs’ eyes since not all dogs with it are blue-eyed. In addition to blue eyes, Huskies can also have brown or blue eyes.
Blue Eyes in Huskies Vs. Other Breeds
Blue eyes are linked with particolored and merle variations in numerous dog breeds. A piebald dog’s coat frequently has white spots on the abdomen and neck, which comes from the MITF gene. Boxers, American Staffordshire terriers, bull terriers, and Dalmatians are breeds that can have blue eyes due to this gene modification.
As the MITF gene is associated with hearing, it is often the case that piebald dogs with blue eyes also have at least partial hearing loss. But when it comes to Huskies, hearing loss is very rare and it is not related to blue eyes.
It has a coat pattern that contains patches of black, silver, brown, beige, or white. Herding breeds, such as Australian shepherds and collies, are more vulnerable to this disease, but it can occur in other dogs, too, including great Danes, French bulldogs, and dachshunds. Double-merle puppies regularly have deafness and/or blindness due to the double merle gene. Merle, however, is a recessive gene, unlike piebald.
Due to the mutation that causes their blue eye color, huskies (and certain non-merle Australian shepherds) don’t have any known genetic imperfections that will hinder their growth. Though blue eyes tend to be more sensitive to the sun than any other color, dog owners should be conscious of this. Piebald and merle variations are not affected by genetic duplication. No matter if they are brown, black, or gray, huskies can have blue eyes.
Probable Eye Color Blends
Husky eyes come in a diversity of colors, including hazel, hazelnut, blue, and brown. When a dog has one blue and one brown eye, it is known as bi-eyed, while when the dog has one blue and one brown eye, it is known as split-eyed.
In otherwise blue eyes, some parti-eyed Huskies may appear to have pie-shaped sections of brown coloring. This is an equitably common incidence. The American Kennel Club accepts all of these eye colors.
Other Eye Colors of Huskies
You must have observed the fascinating color of the eyes of Siberian Huskies. Other than blue eyes husky, some breeds sometimes have brown or split eyes, despite being famous for their outstanding blue eyes. In order to determine whether these different colors affect a Siberian husky’s vision, it is important to know their different eye colors. There are a few of the variations in eye color you can see in huskies.
Brown Eyes
Even though Huskies are well-known for their icy blue eyes, they can also have brown eyes. The huskies’ exclusive coat makes their brown eyes look royal with their exceptional coat color. Like the blue color, huskies have variable brown shades.
Bi-Colored Eyes
Siberian huskies with two different eye colors are an occasional characteristic, but they can still be found. There is a lively blue eye in one of these dogs and a deep brown one in the other.
The eyes of Siberian huskies can be bicolored or particolored in about 15% of dogs. Among five Siberian huskies, only two would be blue eyes husky, while two others would possess brown eyes. The occasional incidence of two different eye colors in Siberian huskies is simply understood.
Parti-Colored Eyes
A Siberian husky with this exclusive eye color is one of the fewest in the world. One of the husky’s eyes may have both brown and blue shades, known as party eyes or split eyes. It provides the dog with a distinguishing look that’s sometimes considered strange. The two-toned eye of huskies does not affect their eye health and vision in any way.
Eye Color of Husky Puppies May Change
About two weeks after their birth, husky puppies open their eyes for the first time. The eyes of Husky puppies may appear blue at first, but their eye color may not remain the same as they age. Their eyes begin to change color as soon as they are four weeks old or five weeks old.
Dogs with any eye color are healthy, and they can compete in conformation rings regardless of their eye color. Some Husky’s eyes will eventually change color to brown, while others will remain blue.
Huskies’ Eye Color Stop Changing
By the age of 12-16 weeks, a Husky’s eyes generally have established into their everlasting color. They start altering about 5-8 weeks after birth. A number of owners have described that the coats of their Husky dogs have started to alter after the age of six months. You might want to take your Husky to the vet if the color of its eyes fluctuates after this age, just to make sure that they have an eye problem.     Â
Key Takeaways
Some people think that blue-eyed huskies are not the true breed of the husky breed. Do not trust this myth. Kennel clubs from all over the world take huskies of different eye colors including blue eyes husky. You could join any dog show irrespective of the color of your Siberian husky’s eyes.
Huskies can be brilliant friends for humans. The husky can be the devoted, loyal buddy you greatly need if you take good care of it. Additionally, you should love your Siberian huskies irrespective of their eye color and make sure they’re well cared for.
0 Comments