In the weeks and months after their birth, puppies go through various stages of development. In the process, they slowly but surely transform themselves from completely helpless puppies to small, alert young dogs.
Part of this development is also the puppy’s initially blue eyes changing colour. In the following we will explain why this is the case and by when puppies will have blue eyes.
Key facts at a glance
- Because their iris initially lacks the pigments responsible for color, most dogs are born with blue eyes.
- After five or six weeks, puppies’ eyes will slowly begin to darken.
- At about six months old, a puppy’s eyes have reached their final color.
- Some dogs’ eyes remain blue for life due to their genetic makeup.
Why do puppies have blue eyes?
Eye color is created by pigment cells in the iris. The more pigment there is, the darker the dog’s eyes will be. Since a puppy’s eyes are pigmentless at birth, a newborn dog will almost always have blue eyes to begin with. Over time, pigments form and with them the later eye color of the four-legged friend.
When do puppies change eye color?
Typically, puppies’ eyes will remain blue for the first five to six weeks of life and then slowly begin to darken. This process takes some time. The puppy’s final eye color will not be apparent until about six months old.
Some puppies keep blue eyes permanently
If a puppy’s eyes have not darkened by the age of two months, chances are they will not change color. Because just like in humans, the eye color in dogs is also determined by the genes. Depending on the genetic predisposition, it is therefore quite possible that the eyes will permanently retain their blue color.
Dog breeds with blue eyes
There are some dog breeds where blue eyes are quite common. These include the Border Collie, the Australian Shepherd, the Dalmatian and the Siberian Husky.
In part, blue eye color may be linked to deafness. This is the case, for example, with the Dalmatian. If they have blue eyes, the risk of deafness is significantly higher compared to their brown-eyed counterparts.
In other breeds, such as the Siberian Husky, there is no connection between eye color and possible deafness. His eyes can be either brown, amber or blue. Some huskies also have one blue eye and one brown eye. Regardless, deafness is very rare in them.
Blue eyes in puppies – our conclusion
As you can see, it is normal for a puppy’s eyes to be a bright blue at birth and start to darken after a few weeks. If the color does not change within the first two months, the puppy’s eyes are likely to remain blue all the time.
You will find out what eye color your dog will later have after about six months at the latest. From this point on, the puppy’s eye color no longer changes.