register for free
View our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Our sister sites
Moobli
Dogsey Veteran
Moobli is offline  
Location: Scotland
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 19,298
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:18 PM

Blue eyes

Why do some breeds have blue eyes? Today I read an opinion on this subject ...

"The reason huskies sometimes have blue eyes is because they are close bred. So close in fact wolf has had to be introduced."

I am not at all sure that it is true that blue eyes is an indicator of close breeding but would very much like to know the reason why some dogs have blue eyes (or one of each).
Reply With Quote
Ben Mcfuzzylugs
Dogsey Veteran
Ben Mcfuzzylugs is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,723
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:25 PM
I think I remember reading something about the blue eye colour
That in general its to do with the lack of pigment - so a result of the white in the dogs
So mainly dark dogs shouldnt have blue eyes
But the huskey inherits blue eyes independent of coat colour so dark dogs can have light eyes

(and the page also said something about it being a possiblility the some other breeds like border collies can also have this blue pigment too but it is very rare)

Not sure, I will have to have a look and see if I can find it again because it was interesting
Reply With Quote
smokeybear
Dogsey Veteran
smokeybear is offline  
Location: Wiltshire UK
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,404
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:26 PM
What about the breeds that have amber eyes then, what is that down to?
Reply With Quote
Ben Mcfuzzylugs
Dogsey Veteran
Ben Mcfuzzylugs is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,723
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:29 PM
http://www.cardicommentary.de/geneti...ofblueeyes.htm
Thats an interesting one saying the blue eyed gene actually is not just recessive but is at least 4 genes rather than 2
Reply With Quote
Ben Mcfuzzylugs
Dogsey Veteran
Ben Mcfuzzylugs is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,723
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:31 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear View Post
What about the breeds that have amber eyes then, what is that down to?
http://netpet.batw.net/genetics/dog.i.color.html I would assume the coat colour in many cases
Reply With Quote
ClaireandDaisy
Dogsey Veteran
ClaireandDaisy is offline  
Location: Essex, UK
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 14,147
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:31 PM
Originally Posted by Moobli View Post
Why do some breeds have blue eyes? Today I read an opinion on this subject ...

"The reason huskies sometimes have blue eyes is because they are close bred. So close in fact wolf has had to be introduced. i saw a husky rip a sheep's throat out in 3 seconds flat. Aggressive breeds become aggressive because of the deliberate small gene pool".

.
I don`t understand why you`re taking note of someone whose understanding of genetics include the bit in red......
Reply With Quote
Ben Mcfuzzylugs
Dogsey Veteran
Ben Mcfuzzylugs is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,723
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:34 PM
Ahh think I have remembered The argument was someting around the idea that in many breeds blue eyes on a dark coated dog would indicate a phantom merle - but there is the beleif that in some breeds it is also possible but more rare for the dog to actually not be a merle but have a true black coat with true blue eyes

Dunno if its true or not but those were the arguments
Reply With Quote
smokeybear
Dogsey Veteran
smokeybear is offline  
Location: Wiltshire UK
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 14,404
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:36 PM
So if we take coat colour into consideration (which is what I was trying to get at with my original question) can we then say that close breeding is not a factor?

Or do we go back to the "hybrids are best" argument?

As of course neither dogs with brown eyes nor hybrids would rip a sheep's throat out?
Reply With Quote
Ben Mcfuzzylugs
Dogsey Veteran
Ben Mcfuzzylugs is offline  
Location: UK
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,723
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:44 PM
Originally Posted by smokeybear View Post
So if we take coat colour into consideration (which is what I was trying to get at with my original question) can we then say that close breeding is not a factor?

Or do we go back to the "hybrids are best" argument?

As of course neither dogs with brown eyes nor hybrids would rip a sheep's throat out?
lol well I was just talking about the eye colour and ignoring the bit about aggressive inbred dogs

The statment in the main is a bit rubbish that dogs are aggresive because they are inbred

I dont know a whole lot about huskeys, but if what things are saying is true that it takes a combination of at least 4 recesive genes to produce blue eyes then it would take some pretty strong selections to breed honogenous for blue eyes, it is possible to do that there would have to be a fair amount of inbreeding

But all sorts of things are possible - for example more natural selection over time for blue eyed dogs in nothern climates

Just speculating really, havent seen anything to say they are more inbred than other breeds, and havent seen anything saying inbreeding causes agression unless you are inbreeding aggressive animals

Of course I am against inbreeding for many other reasons, but eye colour isnt one of the arguments
Reply With Quote
Moobli
Dogsey Veteran
Moobli is offline  
Location: Scotland
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 19,298
Female 
 
11-05-2012, 12:55 PM
Originally Posted by Ben Mcfuzzylugs View Post
I think I remember reading something about the blue eye colour
That in general its to do with the lack of pigment - so a result of the white in the dogs
So mainly dark dogs shouldnt have blue eyes
But the huskey inherits blue eyes independent of coat colour so dark dogs can have light eyes

(and the page also said something about it being a possiblility the some other breeds like border collies can also have this blue pigment too but it is very rare)

Not sure, I will have to have a look and see if I can find it again because it was interesting
Thanks Ben. I did think the comment I read was probably a bit too simplistic to be accurate.

I am guessing that border collies also inherit blue eyes independent of coat colour also?
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Blue eyes in dark coated dogs Ben Mcfuzzylugs General Dog Chat 30 30-01-2011 08:07 PM
A puppy with blue eyes astle9 General Dog Chat 14 24-05-2010 02:35 PM
eyes (blue film on puppies newly-opened eyes - normal?) inneedofhelp Dog Health 1 12-07-2006 12:56 PM

© Copyright 2016, Dogsey   Contact Us - Dogsey - Top Contact us | Archive | Privacy | Terms of use | Top