Eye Colour In Dogs

[Dame Aussie]

My Anatolian x Maremma has lightish eyes, I wouldn't call them amber but in some lights they almost look yellow. They also shine a lot at night, we can see him from right down the back of the yard, two glowing green lights...it's a bit scary even when we know it's just him :laugh:

Oh and my Aussie has lighter eyes with one half blue...

Edited January 29, 2013 by Aussie3

[JulesP]

This shows Amber's eyes quite well.

[casowner]

I do recall something that said it was a deep seated primal instinct against yellow eyes because wolves have yellow eyes (do wolves have yellow eyes?).

Yes, wolves have yellow / amber eyes, so do a lot of Anatolians.

I actually like the look of the black mask with yellow eyes. So I'm biased.

But I do know that most breeds prefer medium to dark brown eyes.

Lovely photo, lovely dog.

Do most guardian breeds have lighter eyes? I'd think, again in terms of dog jobs, they'd want to be seen so lighter eyes would be an advantage, whereas in earth dogs, lighter eyes would be a disadvantage.

Mine (one of Lilli's) has the same type of coat colour as Raven (Lilli's pictured) but has dark eyes

[BJean]

Mine (one of Lilli's) has the same type of coat colour as Raven (Lilli's pictured) but has dark eyes

They are very dark! :)

I found this summary on eye colour:

http://www.kwestmals.com/malcolorEyes.html

There is an enormous amount of mythology in various breeds regarding the reasons for preferred eye color and shade. The reality is that I have never found any scientific evidence that any shade of eye color is more functional than another. No good dog is a bad color, and for the most part that statement extends to eye color as well.

In Malamutes and many other breeds (but not Siberians), dark brown eyes are strongly preferred. Again, there is an incredible amount of mythology surrounding this characteristic. It is very important to note that wild canid populations worldwide have quite a bit of variation in eye color. Irregardless of the environment they live in most of the population falls within the lighter shades, and they almost always have lighter colored eyes than most domestic dogs. If dark eyes had a functional advantage there would be considerably more selection against the lighter shades in wild canids.

The “preference” for dark eyes appears to have little to do with function and considerably more to do with human perception. Light eyes give the dog a “harder” look. In a light eyed dog the pupil is very visible and this makes it easy to see exactly where the dog is looking. For most humans the resulting clearly visible direct stare results in an unconscious perception of threat. This is actually capitalized on by a few guardian breeds for whom light eyes are the stated preference.

Dark brown eyes soften the dog’s expression, make it very difficult to see the pupil, and thus give the dog a much friendlier appearance. It is absolutely true that dark eyes contribute greatly towards the “soft expression” called for in the Malamute standard. As such they can be considered important from a cosmetic perspective. It should be noted, however, that there is no factual evidence for the idea that there is a functional basis for dark eyes in the breed.

<Behluka, I'd love a black silver wolf sable ASD with black mask and yellow eyes.>

Edited January 29, 2013 by lilli

[Janba]

This shows Amber's eyes quite well.

You often find pale eyes in tris as well. The paler eyes seem to have no disadvantages over darker eyes

Edited January 29, 2013 by Janba

[Steve]

Lot of the time there is no good reason as its about what the people who were first working on the breed preferred and selected for .

Brown eyes are generally considered to be friendlier - or they are to me.

[BJean]

Lot of the time there is no good reason as its about what the people who were first working on the breed preferred and selected for .

Brown eyes are generally considered to be friendlier - or they are to me.

Yes.

[Greytmate]

Dark eyes appear softer and larger, especially in combination with a dark rim. Some of the companion breeds were selected for their cute, baby-like features (neotony) and large dark eyes would contribute a lot to this effect in breeds like cavaliers and pugs.

[Sayreovi]

In Tollers, a lighter eye is preferred in the flesh coloured dogs and IMO make a Toller really look like a Toller. The eye colour is meant to blend with the dog, so darker features (skin colour) mean a darker eye the lighter the skin the lighter the eye. I have two flesh coloured Tollers with light eyes, and a darker (close to black) with almost black eyes who also looks like he is wearing eyeliner!

No real reason other than just being appealing. I personally love the lighter eye, it's beautiful and more expressive, lovely mixtures of gold and brown. It's hard to get a good photo of it though but I've attached my boy (with dark features) and my little girl who is his daughter. Was in the shade so appears darker than usual but you get the general gist of it :)

[Guest Clover]

Lilli what a stunning animal .

[zeebie]

ANKC standard for poodles states -> brown poodles to have dark amber eyes

But where is defination of WHAT amber is, as when you say Green to someone they can imagine dark green/olive green/jade green etc.But how do you describe amber?

[Alyosha]

Interesting that in most sight hounds a lighter eye is permitted. I think it's probably because a darker eye means a softer expression.

I have to beg to differ. Afghan, Azawakh, Basenji, Borzoi, Deerhound, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound standards all state must be dark, or dark preferred.

Only Ibizan, Pharaoh, Saluki, Sloughi and Whippet permit lighter eyes.

:D

[Diva]

Interesting that in most sight hounds a lighter eye is permitted. I think it's probably because a darker eye means a softer expression.

I have to beg to differ. Afghan, Azawakh, Basenji, Borzoi, Deerhound, Greyhound, Irish Wolfhound standards all state must be dark, or dark preferred.

Only Ibizan, Pharaoh, Saluki, Sloughi and Whippet permit lighter eyes.

:D

Which makes sense, as Pharoah and Ibizan require a brown nose, they are 'b b' brown and have to have lighter eyes. Saluki and Whippet accept brown noses for some colours, so they accept b b and therefore have to accept lighter eyes too to make genetic sense. Not sure about Sloughi. I thought dun greyhounds had brown noses, but maybe the show standard doesn't allow for that.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Diva

[rebelsquest]

Greyhound standard is dark eyes preferred.

[Diva]

Greyhound standard is dark eyes preferred.

Yes that was my point. So presumably duns would not do well in the ring? As I think they have brown noses, and I don't think any dog with a genetically brown nose can have dark eyes?

Edited January 29, 2013 by Diva

[Greytmate]

Greyhound standard is dark eyes preferred.

Yes that was my point. So presumably duns would not do well in the ring? As I think they have brown noses, and I don't think any dog with a genetically brown nose can have dark eyes?

I took my two dun greyhounds in the greyhound sweepstakes ring, and the judge clearly wasn't impressed with them. Neither of them have perfect conformation, but the judge didn't even bother to watch them moving, so I am guessing the light eye and coat colours didn't impress.

I don't know of any other dun greyhounds that have been in the ring. If you wanted to show a greyhound you wouldn't buy a dun greyhound, I'm not even sure if the colour is in show lines.

[Guest Clover]

Photo 41 - 2013-01-29 by clover_elvis, on Flickr

I have a slight obsession with odd eyes and parti eyes now that a certain blue eyed freak is in my life. Luna is a Border Collie x who knows what.

Edited January 29, 2013 by Clover

[becks]

Interesting dark eyes give soft expression and yet dark eyes are wanted in guarding (not guardian!) breeds when you think a harder expression would be of more use?

[Tralee]

Dark pigment in eyes is dominant.

A lighter colour means the dog carries a recessive gene.

The lethal genes are recessive.

The dominant traits are the more hardier characteristics.

The Maremma can have a colour which the Italians call 'Castanya'(sp!) which is solid black.

[alotanewfs]

Brown Newfoundlands will always have a lighter eye, as dark as possible is better but some range from almost pale yellow to a dark amber.

Picture is my boy, who is recognised by a lot of exhibitors as having excellent eye colour for a brown.

In Newfoundlands I believe the darker eye is preferred to complete the sweet docile expression, a light eye can look 'stary' or 'harsh' sometimes in a dark coated dog.

Edited January 29, 2013 by alotanewfs