When do Puppies Eyes Change Color?

The eyes of a dog are a huge part of what makes them so appealing. They rarely have the same eye color when they are born as they do when they are fully matured. When a puppy is born, its eyes are closed for the first eight to fourteen days. They can only find their mother by dragging its body around its pen and siblings to acquire milk. It is blue when they finally open their eyes.

The fact that their eyes turn blue when they finally open them adds to the intrigue. What causes blue eyes in puppies? When do their eyes turn blue? These and other questions would be treated in this article and a genuine and informative response will be provided.

Why do Puppies Have Blue Eyes?

The lack of melanin in their irises, which only begins to develop as they get older, is the reason why puppies have blue eyes when they are born. Their eyes appear to be blues because of the lack of melanin, although they are a clear color. To elaborate, the blue hue of their irises is created by a lack of melanin in combination with light refraction and reflection.

If you have been lucky enough to own litters of newborn puppies, you must have probably observed that their eyes haven’t yet opened. They will be securely closed for the first 8 to 14 days. They will be effectively blind throughout this time and will rely on their paws and nose to navigate their surroundings, usually while on the lookout for their mother.

You’ll often see them climb over or under their siblings to get where they want to go, which is a cute sight to see. After this period has passed, a puppy’s eyes will then gradually open, allowing you to view their eyes for the first time. The majority of the time, they will be a foggy blue color.

Some puppies, however, will have eyes that are somewhat greyer or a different shade of blue when they are born. All pups are unique, just like babies. Seeing your puppy’s eyes for the first time can be a wonderful experience, and many owners treasure this memory for the rest of their lives.

As a result, it’s important to keep a tight eye on your puppies at this early period to ensure you don’t miss out. When we stare into the eyes of our puppy, we can feel an emotional connection and form a link that will last a lifetime.

When do Puppies Eyes Change Color From Blue?

Puppies’ eyes often change color from blue to the final color during the 9 to 12-week period in their development. Your puppy’s eyes should now have a permanent hue that will last till adulthood.

Puppies will come in blue after they have opened them. Their eyesight takes several weeks to fully mature and becomes keen, and then the color changes.

They will not have the same range of vision as an adult dog before this happens, and will occasionally knock into or stumble over items about the house.

Similarly, it will take several weeks for them to begin developing melanin in their eyes, which is directly responsible for the eye color they will develop, with larger amounts of melanin resulting in darker eyes and smaller amounts resulting in lighter eyes.

As a result, you will rarely observe a sudden change in a puppy’s eye color; rather, the transition will be gradual, lasting 9 to 12 weeks. It may take 3 to 4 weeks for their eyes to fully grow into the permanent hue they will have as adults, rather than the blue they are born with.

At What Age do Puppies Eye Color Change?

If you notice a sudden change in the color of your puppy’s eyes, don’t be alarmed; this is a common occurrence that occurs 3 to 6 weeks after they are born.

When your dog’s eyes start to turn a different color, he may rub his face against your hands or other things, such as his crate. He may also make strange sounds, such as sniffing the ground or licking his paws. If your puppy’s behavior changes in any of these ways, you may consider taking him to the vet.

An eye exam will assist you in identifying the issue and, if necessary, taking corrective action. The age of your puppy isn’t as critical at this point, but having him examined by an eye specialist is.

Puppy eye alteration at a young age is a sign that something is amiss. The cornea, iris, and choroid are the three layers of tissue that make up the eye.

The cornea and iris of your puppy begin to alter as he grows older, and the choroid begins to slough off as a result.

What age does a puppy’s eye alter to signal a problem?

Any alteration could be a sign that the eye is injured, inflamed, or infected, and it should be checked out by an eye professional.

Some dog eye disorders are easy to spot. This is why you should have your dog examined by an eye specialist at the first sign of any eye alteration.

Other eye issues, such as dry eye and infections, can lead to even more serious complications. Conjunctivitis, an infection of the eyes, is a frequent eye condition in dogs that can create issues in puppies.

If your dog is scratching his face and irritating his eyes, it could be a sign of a bacterial infection. Make an appointment for your dog to see a veterinarian for an accurate diagnosis.

Many pet owners wonder how to detect whether their dog has eye problems while they’re puppies, and they’re always looking for answers. Holding your hand near their eyes is the easiest technique to check for eye abnormalities in puppies. Keep an eye on them to see whether they get red or swell. If they turn red, it could mean your dog’s eyes are infected or have conjunctivitis, and he or she should see an eye specialist right away.

If your dog’s eye troubles persist for so many days, he may have a more serious problem than an infection that requires additional treatment.

What Causes Puppies Eye Color to Change?

Melanin is the primary pigment that causes puppies’ eyes to change color. Other elements, though, can also play a role. Puppies with liver-colored fur, for example, may have a gene that causes them to have amber eyes, according to some data.

Moreover, the color of these amber eyes varies greatly according to the breed, ranging from yellow to gray.

Puppies with Merle also known as speckled coats have a higher chance of keeping their blue eyes throughout adulthood.

The merle gene, which is responsible for shaping the dark pigment in the eyes of most dogs with this pattern, is to blame for this.

Although blue is the most prevalent color, merle dogs are prone to random mutations. This can result in them having two distinct colored eyes – a condition known as heterochromia.

Huskies are another dog breed that is recognized for their gorgeous blue eyes, which are visible after the puppy opens them.

However, unlike other breeds with blue eyes, such as Border Collies, Old English sheepdogs, and both Welsh and Pembroke corgis, Huskies do not need to inherit their blue eyes from their parents.

Instead, a mutation near the ALX4 gene on chromosome 18 gives Huskies their unique blue eyes. Let’s avoid all this technical jargon. What this essentially implies is that, as compared to other breeds, the likelihood of your husky puppy having blue eyes is extremely high.

Furthermore, the color of a puppy’s coat can usually predict the color of its eyes in adulthood. As a result, puppies with darker coats are more likely to grow darker eyes; whereas puppies with lighter coats are the polar opposite.

Can Dogs Eyes Remain Blue?

Yes, there are dogs with blue eyes that never change. It’s not uncommon to observe it in some breeds, despite its rarity. Breeds are not all the same when it comes to coloration, as you may already know. Some dogs like Border Collies, Australian Shepherd, Siberian Huskies, and Cardigan Welsh Corgi have permanent blue eye color. 

Some certain breeds of dogs have blue eyes due to specific reasons. They include:

• Genes: This is the most important component in determining the color of a dog’s eyes. Some breeds, such as Siberian Huskies and Border Collies, have special genes that cause their eyes to be permanently blue. They do not, however, have any health hazards related to their DNA, unlike Merle dogs.

• The Merle Gene: Merle-coated dogs are more likely than non-merle-coated dogs to have permanent blue eyes. The gene causes the pigmentation of the fur, face, and eyes to be diluted, resulting in vivid blue eyes. However, there are significant health concerns associated with the merle coat color in dogs. For more information, go here.

• White Patches: Blue eyes are more common in dogs with white spots on their faces. The bigger the potential, the more dominant the patches are. The inability to create melanin around the face, especially the eyes, causes the white areas.

• Albinism: Albinism is characterized by a loss of pigmentation that results in blue eyes, white skin, and a pink nose.

• Heterochromia: This is a state in which a dog’s eyes are of two different colors. Heterochromia can be caused by a loss of pigmentation, a genetic mutation, or even medical conditions such as glaucoma and cataracts. In such circumstances, the dog’s eyes will be different colors, usually blue and brown.

How to Know if My Puppy Will Keep its Blue Eyes.

Take a peek at the parents if you want to know if your puppy will keep their stunning blue-eyed peepers. If your dog has blue eyes, he or she will most likely follow in their footsteps. As previously said, this is dependent on the dog’s breed. If your dog has the merle gene, its grown eye color will most likely be blue, but we’ll look into that more later.

Merle Gene

When a dog’s cells are unable to acquire pigmentation, but have prominent light patches of fur or are completely white, the chances of their adult eye color being blue are higher. Such dogs are said to possess the merle gene. Two dogs with the merle gene should not be permitted to mate, as this can result in major health problems in the litter, including blindness, deafness, or both.

Conversely, it cannot be said that the eye color of all dog breeds is determined by their coat color. Siberian Huskies, for example, have blue eyes due to a genetic abnormality unrelated to their coat. Furthermore, the color of a dog’s coat can never accurately predict the color of its eyes.

When do Puppies Develop a Permanent Eye Color?

The color of a puppy’s eyes can only be determined after it has fully matured. During the first three months following birth, your puppy’s eye color will progressively change. The permanent eye color can be determined once the eyes have fully matured, which takes about 12 weeks.

After twenty-one to twenty-eight days, a puppy’s permanent eye color may appear. As the weeks pass, you may notice that it becomes darker or more toned, indicating that it is fully grown. If you can’t distinguish the color of your dog’s eye after three months, you may need to see a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis.

Conclusion

Throughout the lifetime of a dog, its eyes go through various changes. The eyes remain closed until about eight to fourteen days after birth. They begin to open their eyes when they are two weeks old. At this stage, the color is blue or contains blue tints. This stage, however, does not last long, as they progressively shift to a more permanent hue beginning in week four.

The duration of this transition varies from dog to dog, but it normally takes 9 to 12 weeks. Now that you know why and when your puppy’s eye color changes, you can tell your friends about it so they can see the incredible transformation your pets go through as they grow up.