Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes?

Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes
Australian Shepherds With Different Colored Eyes :: In Conclusion – Some Australian Shepherds have what’s known as heterochromia or wall eye. This is when the dog is born with two different eye colors. Some other dog breeds look like this as well, as do plenty of other animals.

Are Australian Shepherds with blue eyes deaf?

ears Deafness – Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute Why are some Aussies deaf? The most common cause of deafness in Aussies is a lack of melanocytes (pigment cells) in the inner ear. These cells help translate air vibrations caused by sound into electrical impulses that travel to the brain.

If the cells are absent, the dog will be deaf. This form of deafness is present from birth. Deafness can also be acquired, due to chronic ear infections, old age, trauma, or disease but the most frequent cause of deafness in Aussies is due to pigment deficit in the ear. Why do some Aussies not have pigment cells in the inner ear? The lack of melanocytes is related to excessive white markings on the head.

Genes which cause white markings can impact not only the skin and hair, but any part of the body that is pigmented. It doesn’t matter whether the white markings are because the dog is a double merle (two copies of the merle gene) or because normal white markings are overextended on the head.

Are all double merles deaf? Most are because most have a lot of white on the head. Occasionally, if a double merle is from parents that have only a very small amount of white and come from families with little white a double merle may have coloring in the head, in which case it will not be deaf. Are blue eyes are related to deafness? Blue eyes may be associated with deafness, but not always.

In some breeds, like the Dalmatian, the association is high. In Aussies it does not appear to be a significant factor. How can I tell if a puppy is deaf? The most conclusive way is to have a vet do a BAER test. The test is non-invasive and isn’t too expensive.

It will tell you if the puppy has total hearing loss in either ear. It can be done in a small animal practice, but not every vet will have one do to the expense of the equipment and isufficient client demand, so you may need to travel to a clinic that offers it. If BAER testing isn’t readily available, you can do a home test that may tell you if the puppy can hear or not.

Put the puppy in a room away from other dogs. The room or space used should offer minimal distractions. Have someone stand on one side of the space to draw the puppy’s attention—not to get it to come, but just to get it to look toward them. A second person should stand on the opposite side of the room.

When the puppy is looking at the first person, the second one should make a distinct noise. A wooden spoon hitting the bottom of a pot or squeezing a loud squeaky toy should do it. Don’t do anything really loud or scary; you don’t want to traumatize the puppy. If the pup does not react at all after 2-3 tries, it is likely the puppy is deaf.

What is a BAER test? BAER stands for Brainstem Audio Evoked Response. This test must be done by a vet who has the proper equipment. It will measure involuntary nerve response to an auditory signal. It can detect whether the dog is deaf in one or both ears.

Can an Aussie be deaf in only one ear?
Yes.
How can I tell if my dog is deaf in only one ear?

If a dog is deaf in one ear only, it will have functional hearing but mayl have some difficulty orienting on the direction of a sound. In time most dogs learn to compensate. If you notice that your dog has trouble locating a sound source, or turns toward an echo instead of to you when you call, it may be deaf in one ear.

Is it possible to get deafness in a tri to tri cross?
Yes, particularly if a puppy has a lot of white on or close to one or both ears.
If I produce a deaf puppy, can it be placed?
Yes, but it will need someone committed to lifetime care for a special needs dog.
Is deafness hereditary?

In that the underlying cause of almost all deafness in Aussies is a lack of melanocytes in the inner ear and this is a result of too much white on or around the ears, a trait governed by heredity, it is inherited. Not every dog with too much white is deaf, so there are probably additional genetic factors which determine whether the dog is deaf.

However, if breeders make efforts not to produce puppies with white on or close around the ears they can significantly reduce the frequency of deafness in the breed.
Deaf dogs, including those deaf in only one ear, should not be bred.
How can I avoid producing deaf puppies? Don’t breed merle to merle.

Don’t breed dogs with excessive white markings. If a dog has produced offspring that have excessive white, breed it only to mates that have less white than it does and which come from families where excessive white is uncommon or absent. : ears Deafness – Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute

Why don’t Aussies have tails?

What Creates the natural bobbed tail? – The natural bobbed tail is a recessive gene within the Australian Shepherd dog breed genetic code. This genetic mutation curbs the tail, naturally creating a shortened tail that is only about one or two vertebrae in length.

The recessive gene responsible for the naturally occurring bobbed tail of an Australian Shepherd dog is the T gene mutation, also known as the C189G gene. This genetic trait exists within every Australian Shepherd pup, and those puppies who are born with a bobbed tail have one copy of this gene. While not every Aussie pup exhibits the C189G gene mutation, every Aussie possesses the ability to pass on the recessive gene.

When genetic code is being written for a new puppy, there are three possibilities for whether or not the bobbed tail will naturally occur. The options are as follows:

Two copies of a normal tail gene will produce a genetically normal tail in the pup One copy of a normal gene and one copy of a C189G gene will produce a bobbed tail. Two copies of the C189G gene will likely result in a puppy that dies in the womb.

Although there are only three genetic outcomes for an Australian Shepherd puppy’s tail formation, it is interesting to note that only 20% of Aussies have a naturally occurring bobbed tail. Similarly, only about one in five dogs in the Aussie breed will be born with a merle coat. The merle coat is a similarly recessive gene, although the merle gene mutation does not carry the same dire effects.

Why are Australian Shepherds so special?

Personality: – Aussies are active yet easy-going dogs that love to romp with children. They tend to get along well with other pets. The breed is considered highly intelligent and easy to train. Aussies are known for being especially eager to please their owners.

Do blue-eyed dogs see differently?

Do Dogs With Heterochromia Have Health Problems? – While it’s commonly believed that different colored eyes in dogs is a sign of blindness or vision problems, dogs with hereditary heterochromia have normal vision. Another fairly common belief is that dogs with heterochromia have hearing problems,

This is untrue in the vast majority of cases, though Dogster points out that dalmatians with heterochromia do have a higher prevalence of deafness. As mentioned previously, acquired heterochromia can result from an eye injury or a health condition. Acquired heterochromia can also be similar in appearance to several eye conditions, including cataracts and glaucoma, so it’s important to have your dog checked by a vet if you notice their eyes changing color.

Most dogs with heterochromia don’t have any related health problems — they just have a more unique set of peepers than other pups!

Do Australian Shepherds like to cuddle?

Can I cuddle with my Australian Shepherd? – The short answer is simply: yes, with the right people. Your Aussie was bred historically to be a dog that guards and herds livestock. This dog is protective and smart but also very strong-willed and loyal. He doesn’t like to be left alone for long periods,

He will bond with his owner or family members and then tend to protect them, as well.
His sense of loyalty will lie with his family and only them.
Aussies tend to be very wary of strangers.
This isn’t a dog that will automatically let just anyone into his group of people he feels compelled to keep safe.

It takes a while for him to warm up to a new person, and sometimes, it won’t happen at all. While Australian Shepherds can be very affectionate, loving, and cuddly dogs with their family members, they may not act the same way at all with someone they don’t know. Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes

Do Australian Shepherds like to swim?

Are Australian Shepherds Natural Swimmers? – There really isn’t such a thing as a “natural swimmer” when it comes to dogs. Some can swim more easily than others due to their body shape, but that doesn’t mean that they innately know how to swim or anything of their sort.

For instance, Pugs and Bulldogs are usually not very good at swimming because of their squished face and stocky body.
They’re simply too heavy for their small limbs to keep their head above water very easily.
Mini and Toy Australian Shepherds do have a very practical body type.
They were bred for herding, so their limbs are often long and plenty capable of keeping their body afloat.

However, they still have to learn how to swim, even if they will do so without much of a problem. When you get these dogs around water, they will usually learn how to swim by themselves. They don’t need swim lessons. They may be able to swim with some success on their first try, but they will always need more practice before they are very good at it.

Just like people, as they practice, these dogs will get better.
They will probably never be as happy around water as some of the water breeds, though.
Labrador Retrievers, Poodles, and similar dogs were bred to love water, while the Australian Shepherd wasn’t.
For the most part, they were bred to keep their feet firmly on the ground.

If you count “natural swimmer” only as dogs that naturally love the water, these dogs do not fall into that category. However, if you’re counting any dog that can learn to swim with some ease, then the Australian Shepherd will likely be included. Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes

Why do Australian Shepherds lick so much?

Miniature Australian shepherd licks too much Q: We have a great miniature Australian shepherd with the sweetest disposition. He is, however, a licker. How do we get him to stop licking everyone? A: Licking is normal behavior for dogs. A mother dog licks her puppies to bond with as well as clean them and to stimulate elimination.

Puppies groom their litter mates by licking; they will also lick their mother’s mouth to stimulate her to regurgitate.
Adult dogs lick each other in greeting, friendliness or deference.
When your dog licks you, he may be showing his affection, or simply because your lotion or skin tastes good.
A compulsive licker may have unintentionally been taught this behavior by his owner: He learns that licking gets him attention, even if it’s negative.

If your dog licks in specific circumstances – as part of an exuberant greeting, perhaps – give him a more acceptable way to show his affection. Ask for a sit or a shake – any behavior that’s incompatible with him putting tongue to skin. Alternatively, when your dog licks you, immediately stand up and walk away.

You want to teach your dog that if he licks, you will leave. When you pet your dog, if he starts to lick, stop touching him and look away, ignoring him. It’s important that all family members discourage this behavior – if your dog is rewarded by some people for licking, he won’t learn not to do it. Be patient and consistent and the licking will stop.

is owner of West County Canine, and also teaches classes at the, : Miniature Australian shepherd licks too much

What 2 breeds make an Australian Shepherd?

Australian Shepherd History – The Australian Shepherd did not get its start in Australia. The Basques, who lived in the borderlands between France and Spain, relied on Pyrenean Shepherds to work alongside their herds. In the 1800s, the Basques began migrating to Australia to keep sheep.

Their Pyrenean Shepherds crossbred with other working dogs, including Collies and Border Collies, creating the modern version of the Australian Shepherd.
The Basques later immigrated to the United States (with their dogs in tow), and the breed became known as the Australian Shepherd.
These fearless herding dogs fast became popular for their skill and stamina.

They took their place as an iconic part of “cowboy culture” in the American West and still work on ranches and as rodeo performers.

Why do Australian Shepherds stare at you?

Dogs Are Telling Us How They Feel – Your pup also uses eye contact to express emotions, both positive and negative. In their wolf ancestors, staring is considered threatening and rude. Some dogs still retain that attitude. That’s why you should never stare down strange dogs or hold dogs still to stare into their eyes.

If a dog gives you a hard stare, with unblinking eyes and a stiff posture, back away and don’t make eye contact. You might see this in your own dog when there is a bone or other valued treat at stake. Resource guarding is often accompanied by a hard stare and other aggressive body language. If you see it in your dog, consult a professional trainer or behaviorist,

Of course, a lot of dog staring is exactly what it seems — an expression of love. Just as humans stare into the eyes of someone they adore, dogs will stare at their owners to express affection. In fact, mutual staring between humans and dogs releases oxytocin, known as the love hormone.

Why does my Aussie sit on me?

Why Does My Australian Shepherd Sit on Me? – Some dogs are family canines, treating all members with the same love and affection. The Australian Shepherd is not one of them. They, like some other animals, have their one chosen person, which is probably you if your dog sits on you all the time. When the Australian Shepherd chooses their person, they begin to exhibit loyalty towards you, even to an extreme degree. In fact, given that some Shepherds don’t appreciate alone time, you may find your dog wants to spend all their time with you. When they were a puppy and didn’t weigh much, you didn’t mind when your Australian Shepherd hopped in your lap or curled up for a nap on the floor right on your feet. Now that they’re upwards of 50 pounds (the average for an adult female) or even 70 pounds (a standard adult male weight), it’s a little different. If your Shepherd sits on your feet as an adult, within a few minutes, you’ve got pins and needles. Should they hop in your lap, it’s almost like the wind gets knocked out of you. Even once you catch your breath, you’re held captive on the couch until you get can get your dog to budge. Remember though, your Australian Shepherd is doing this as a way of saying they love you. The close-knit bond the two of you have means the world to your Shepherd. They just want to be near their favorite person, even if that sometimes means being on top of you, quite literally. The fact is, Separation anxiety is real and they get real attached to their dog owners. This is a big enough deal I had my Aussie vet friend write us an entire article about it for this site. If you’d like to check it out, click here -> What To Do If My Australian Shepherd Has Separation Anxiety Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes

Do Australian Shepherds with blue eyes go blind?

Coat Color & Health – Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute What color-associated health issues occur in Aussies? Dogs that have two copies of the merle gene virtually always have abnormally developed eyes which frequently are blind. They may also be deaf due to lack of pigment in the inner ear.

Areas of white markings typically cover pink skin. If the skin is exposed (eye rims, lips, nose) or sparsely covered with hair (sometimes the top and end of the muzzle) there is risk of UV sun damage if the dog spends a lot of time in intense sunlight. The type of deafness found in double merles can also occur in dogs that have white markings on or around the ears.

The functional defect is the same in merles and non-merles (lack of pigment in the inner ear) but caused by different genes. Dilute, a non-standard color that sometimes occurs in the breed, is associated with skin problems in some breeds. However, this does not appear to be a consistent problem in dilute Aussies.

Blue eyes are not more susceptible to eye defects and disease but they are more sensitive to bright light (just as they are in blue-eyed people.) There is no clear association of blue eyes to deafness in Aussies; deaf Aussies virtually always have too much white on the head or are double merle. Why is the merle gene sometimes lethal? It isn’t.

The myth arose from some very early research that indicated that there might be very serious health issues in double merles other than with the eyes and ears defects we are familiar with. This has proven not to be the case. Will double merles have health problems other than being blind or deaf? The only health issue other than those of the eyes and ears is a risk for sun damage to pink areas of skin if the dog spends a lot of time in sunlight.

Some very early studies of double merles indicated that they might have or develop a wide range of health issues, however there is no definitive research supporting those early suppositions and anecdotal evidence from owners of double merle Aussies does not support it, either.
What kind of eye defects do double merles have? Dogs that inherit two copies of the merle gene (“double merles”), usually have multiple eye defects, generally with associated vision loss which often goes to the point of blindness.

Any part of the eye can be affected. Irises are frequently deformed, sometimes grossly so. Pupils may be subluxated (off-center). The lens may be subluxated (out of place). The retina may be abnormal, and the optic nerve may be improperly developed. The entire globe of the eye may be abnormally small (microphthalmia).

Most double merles will have one or combination of these defects in each eye. All of this can be avoided by not breeding merle dogs to each other. Are eye problems common in Aussies because we have so much merle? Dogs with two copies of the merle gene usually have multiple and significant problems with the eyes.

Dogs with only one or no merle genes will not have the eye problems typical of a double merle. Aussies do have a number of eye diseases, but these are independently inherited and can be found in any color dog. Even though some of these bear some resemblance to the problems seen in double merles, they are genetically distinct.

Puppies who have only one merle parent and normal merles from two merle parents are be no more likely to have eye problems than any other dog.
Are dogs out of many generations of merle to merle breeding more likely to have or throw eye problems? No.
The number of generations of merle to merle breeding has no bearing on whether or not a dog will have or carry eye problems.

Except for the problems that occur in double merles, the fact a dog is merle is only a coincidence if it happens to have other eye diseases. The only exception is iris coloboma, which is much more frequent in merles but still occurs in non-merles, too.

Does breeding merle-to-merle increase the possibility of deafness in the breed? Only in the puppies that inherit two copies of the merle gene.
This can be avoided by not breeding merles to each other.
Is it safer to breed two blue merles together than two red merles? The problem with merles isn’t whether they are blue or red but in the breeding of any two merles to each other.

The base coat color doesn’t matter. : Coat Color & Health – Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute

How does a dog see the world?

Can Dogs See Color? – Dogs can see color, but only in shades of blue and yellow. Because dogs can only see two colors, they have dichromatic vision. They can also see shades of gray. Colors such as red, orange, and green are out of a dog’s color spectrum, so these colors are not visible to dogs.

Do dogs with blue eyes go deaf?

It is estimated that about 5 to 10 percent of dogs in the United States suffer from deafness, either in one ear (unilateral) or both ears (bilateral). But most dogs with hearing issues cope well with their disability, are very trainable, and can even go on to compete in dog sports,

AKC GoodDog! Helpline trainer Erin Rakosky tells us more about canine deafness and living with a deaf dog.
Causes: Deafness can be either inherited or acquired.
Hereditary deafness can be either cochleosaccular or neuroepithelial in origin.
Cochleosaccular is the most common cause of deafness and is associated with coat color patterns.

Do Aussies with blue eyes have vision problems?

Areas of white markings typically cover pink skin.
If the skin is exposed (eye rims, lips, nose) or sparsely covered with hair (sometimes the top and end of the muzzle) there is risk of UV sun damage if the dog spends a lot of time in intense sunlight.
The type of deafness found in double merles can also occur in dogs that have white markings on or around the ears.

Some very early studies of double merles indicated that they might have or develop a wide range of health issues, however there is no definitive research supporting those early suppositions and anecdotal evidence from owners of double merle Aussies does not support it, either.
What kind of eye defects do double merles have? Dogs that inherit two copies of the merle gene (“double merles”), usually have multiple eye defects, generally with associated vision loss which often goes to the point of blindness.

Most double merles will have one or combination of these defects in each eye. All of this can be avoided by not breeding merle dogs to each other. Are eye problems common in Aussies because we have so much merle? Dogs with two copies of the merle gene usually have multiple and significant problems with the eyes.

Puppies who have only one merle parent and normal merles from two merle parents are be no more likely to have eye problems than any other dog.
Are dogs out of many generations of merle to merle breeding more likely to have or throw eye problems? No.
The number of generations of merle to merle breeding has no bearing on whether or not a dog will have or carry eye problems.

Does breeding merle-to-merle increase the possibility of deafness in the breed? Only in the puppies that inherit two copies of the merle gene. This can be avoided by not breeding merles to each other. Is it safer to breed two blue merles together than two red merles? The problem with merles isn’t whether they are blue or red but in the breeding of any two merles to each other.

The base coat color doesn’t matter. : Coat Color & Health – Australian Shepherd Health & Genetics Institute

Can Australian Shepherds be deaf?

Why Do Australian Shepherds Have Blue Eyes Much like humans, dogs tend to lose their hearing, either partially or completely, as they age. Some dogs begin to lose their hearing at a young age, and certain breeds of dog are more susceptible to becoming deaf. Dalmatians, German Shepherds, Australian Shepherds, and Boston Terriers are just some of the breeds that are known to be more genetically predisposed to deafness.