Huskies are quite a distinctive breed due to their unique wolf-like appearance. You might have seen many pictures of huskies and probably even dreamt of having one. They can be quite an intelligent dog breed due to their unique behavioral traits.
You have probably seen that the eyes of the huskies are of different varieties. Some of them can be enchanting blue; some can be brown, and sometimes bi-colored as well.
You might be wondering the reason behind this fantastic feature. “Why Do Huskies Have Different Eyeclours” -this article will be quite a deep understanding of their unusual eye color spectrum.
Apart from the reasoning behind this characteristic, we will also delve into the various types of husky eye colors you can find. But first of all, let us start with a short description of the cause behind their different eye colors.
Why Do Huskies Have Different Eye Colors?
As we have said in the introduction, a husky can have blue and brown eye colors. Apart from that, they can have different colored pupils in different eyes, or it can also be a beautiful, distinctive mixture of brown and blue.
One of the main reasons they can have different eye colors, although they are inherently the same breed lies in their genetic coding. To look briefly at how genetics work, we have to understand that any characteristics of a living creature pass down from the parents through a structure called genes. These incredibly complex biological compounds contain millions or billions of codes that determine how the offspring will be.
Apart from mixing parents’ genes, there will always be some mutation in their genome sequence. That is why a child is not an exact mix of the parents.
Now, there is a specific compound called melanin when it comes to the Huskies, which determines eye color. However, the concentration of melanin hides into the genetic coding of the Husky itself.
It is pretty striking that the same compound, melanin, is also responsible for the skin color of human beings. It determines which portion of them will have a dark color and which portions will have white for the huskies.
The lack of melanin in the eyes causes the eye to be blue, whereas the presence of melanin makes eyes brown. As melanin is only a pigmentation compound and has no function other than colors, lack of melanin is not a disease.
As the distribution of melanin is somewhat random in offspring, huskies can have both colored eyes. Generally, the huskies have either blue eyes or brown eyes.
However, in some cases, they can even have heterochromia or bi-eyed/particolored eyes. In the case of big-eyed Huskies, one of the eyes will be brown, and the other will be blue. At the same time, particolored huskies will have a mixture of brown and blue colors in their eyes.
So, the different colored eyes come from their genetic coding and lineage. In the next section, we will discuss the various types of eye colors possible for Huskies.
Related:
Husky Eye Color Chart:
Primarily huskies can have two different eye colors- blue and brown. The majority of the husky population has either of these two colors. However, there could be three more combinations of blue and brown, which constitute the five total types of eye color possible for Huskies.
We will show them in a chart format and later explain each one of them in more detail. Let us check the chart first.
Color Percentage
Blue 40%
Brown 40%
Bi-eyed 10%
Parti 5%
Green 5%
Now, let us discuss the different types of colors that the Husky can have in more detail.
Blue Eyed Huskies:
Blue is one of the two most common eye colors for the huskies, constituting about 40% of the total husky population. The American Kennel Club recognizes the blue-colored huskies as one of the primary Husky eye colors.
Apart from the official recognition, blue-eyed huskies have a stunning look to them, making them more popular than their other counterparts.
The lack of melanin in the eyes causes them to have completely blue eyes. There could be several shades of blue possible for the huskies as well.
You may have heard someone claiming to have a white-eyed husky. When the shade of blue is too light, it may seem to be white. At the same time, there could be deep blue-eyed huskies as well.
No matter what, there will be dark-colored rings around the iris. This dark skin protects the eyes from the sun glares in the sun. Blue-eyed huskies are a pleasure to the eyes.
Brown Eyed Huskies:
Brown Eyed huskies are as typical as the blue-eyed huskies, and it is also a recognized Husky eye color by the American Kennel Council (AKC).
One of the exciting facts about brown-eyed huskies is that the genes responsible for brown coloration are recessive. If you have some idea what that means, you would know why the following statement is true.
Even if the parents of a husky have blue eyes, the offspring can have brown eyes. It isn’t apparent amongst many husky owners. As the blue-eyed genes are not recessive, the other counterpart can become dominant.
Like the blue-eyed huskies, there is a range of brown colors as well. The brown color can vary from light hazel color to dark brown tone. The latter can cause a bit of confusion amongst the owners as well.
The dark color can merge with the black iris and give the impression of having a black-eyed husky. Whereas, that is not the case here. We will discuss the black-eyed Husky later in this article.
If you are going to take a husky, there is almost an 80% chance that you will adopt either a blue-eyed husky or a brown-eyed husky. The rest of the eye colors are rare, and it only comprises 20% of the entire husky population.
Bi-Eyed Huskies:
Bi-eyed huskies generally have two different colored eyes. Most of the time, they will have one blue eye and one brown eye. The scientific name of this type of eye-coloration is known as Heterochromia.
While it is more common amongst huskies, you can observe a similar phenomenon amongst humans, cats, horses, etc. There is a scientific reason behind this, and we will look into it briefly to bust a common myth.
So far, we have discussed how the concentration of melanin determines the color of the eye. Genetic coding of a particular husky fixes the concentration of melanin. Apart from that, the genetic code also determines the distribution of the said compound in the body.
Due to some mutation, it could be that one eye had more melanin, and the other eye was lacking melanin. That gives rise to what we know as Heterochromia.
There is a common misconception that Heterochromia is bad for huskies. However, we can guarantee that this condition is not bad for the huskies’ health. It is just a color distribution and serves a no different purpose.
However, there is a specific condition where you need to be worried, and we are going to discuss that in more detail later in this article. So, if you ever get a chance to adopt a bi-eyed husky, know that they are scarce, and they are perfectly normal.
Parti-Colored Huskies:
Parti-colored huskies are even rarer than the bi-eyed huskies, and they have a mystical look to them. We call it particolored when there is a combination of both brown and blue in their eyes.
You will understand it better if you see a photo of those magnetic eyes. These colors often blend near the rim of the eyes. It might look quite different from the other Huskies, but they do not have any inherent diseases because of their unique eyes.
If you are looking for this type of huskies for your home, you should remember that they are tough to find. When there is a shortage of a demanding dog, the price tends to go quite steep. So, even if you are lucky enough to find one for you, be prepared to spend a fortune over them.
Green-Eyed Huskies:
Here is the final and rarest form of Huskies, which have green-colored eyes. Naturally, it shouldn’t be green as the only possible colors are brown and blue.
All the huskies go through a change in their eye color. As they are all born with beautiful blue eyes, Huskies can change their eye color to brown if that’s its destiny. However, there is a slight chance that the eye color can be green, but there is a very slight chance of this color.
During the transition from blue to brown, it goes through a color of green. There is a minimal chance that the color of the eyes remains green perpetually.
Again, there is nothing to worry about when it comes to their eye color. As long as the eye color changes during the first year, you have nothing to fear.
Related:
Why Do Huskies Have Blue Eyes?
As we have discussed so far, there are two primary eye colors for Huskies. While brown and blue are the most common eye colors for the Huskies, there are two more combinations.
However, let us focus on the blue-eyed huskies as they are pretty different from the other blue-eyed dog breeds. It is a common fact that blue eyes are closely related to the color of the coat as well.
Generally, in other dog breeds, the presence of the merle gene causes dilution of melanin, and it results in blue eyes. However, the activation of this particular gene also forces the dog to have a white or light-colored coat.
As you can guess, huskies are an exception to this case. Huskies can have dark-colored coats while having blue eyes. The primary reason behind it is the absence of merle genes in the Huskies.
So, in their case, the blue eyes are there for a different reason, which we have already discussed. The genetics of the particular Husky in question decides whether the dog will have blue eyes, brown eyes, part-colored eyes, bi-eyes, or green eyes.
As there is a chance of mutation, we cannot always be sure whether the offspring will have blue-colored eyes, brown-colored eyes, or one combination.
Generally, the genetics of the parents and the mutation are the main two reasons behind having blue-colored eyes. The only astonishing fact is that the Huskies are different from other dog breeds with blue eyes.
Related:
Why Do Huskies Have One Blue Eye?
Most of the huskies you will see are most likely to have two primary eye colors: blue and brown. The chances of having either of them are as high as 80%.
However, there are cases when you could come across a husky having a blue eye and brown eye. As you already know, they are called bi-eyed huskies, and the chance of seeing one of those is pretty less.
Although it begs the question: Why do some huskies have one blue eye? The reason lies in the genetic coding of these dogs. A specific type of gene sequence ALX4, the canine chromosome 18, causes selective pigmentation of their eyes.
It is different from the other dog breeds as the gene responsible for the blue eyes is called merle. If a dog has a merle gene, the dog will inherently become light-colored. However, that causes pigmentation of both coat and eyes.
In huskies, the ALX4 gene also determines the distribution of melanin, and it causes selective pigmentation. When one of the eyes is selected to have less pigmentation, it stays blue from its pup years. The other eye changes into a brown color due to the coding of this gene.
As a result, the Husky will have different colors in their eyes, which gives rise to the word Heterochromia.
Related:
Do Husky Change Eye Color When They Grow Up?
It is common among many animals that they change their eye colors when they grow up, and Huskies are not an exception either.
It is pretty fascinating that all husky pups have blue eyes at first. So, if you have adopted a Husky which is less than five weeks old, it is likely that the Husky will still have blue eyes.
The change in their eye color (if it is in their destiny to have different colored eyes), stars when they are 5-9 weeks old. In about 12 to 16 weeks, it will have its permanent eye color.
So, after that point, you should not expect any change in their eye color. However, there could be some critical cases where the color of the eyes can change. You have to be aware of these diseases because they are curable at early stages.
Cataracts are one of the most common reasons for this color change. The early observation of this disease is the slight discoloration of the eyes, and it will start to have a white tinge to their eye color.
It is a common belief that brown-colored eyes are less likely to have this disease than blue-colored eyes. However, it is simply not true. Scientists have proven that cataracts are genetic, and it has nothing to do with eye pigmentation.
If you observe that the color of your Husky’s eye is changing beyond the age of one year, you should go to a veterinarian as soon as possible. It could save your beloved dog from potential blindness.
Cataracts are also known as Corneal Dystrophy in the scientific community.
It is entirely natural for Husky to change their eye color when they are young. However, at later stages, it can be a cause of alarm.
Husky Eye Color Facts That You Should Know:
Huskies are brilliant pets, and having them around is such a joy in general. Their beautiful eyes are always a hot topic when it comes to huskies. So, we will provide you some of the best eye color facts about the huskies you should know. Let us start with the now:
- The color of the eyes in huskies is determined by the gene ALX4, or canine chromosome 18, whereas for humans, blue eyes result from two genes HERC2 and OCA2. So, even if the eye color of the husky matches with your blue-colored eyes, know that the reason is pretty different.
- If you observe that your mix-breed dog has blue eyes, it does not mean that they are a descendent of Huskies. Many dog breeds have blue eyes as one of their primary eye colors.
- One exciting fact about the blue eye colors of Huskies is that the reason is quite different from the other dog breeds. While the merle gene is responsible for the blue eye of other dog breeds, ALX4 is why huskies have blue eyes.
- Huskies can have more than two eye colors. While the most common eye colors for Huskies are blue and brown, there can be a mixture of these colors and green colors. However, the other three categories are much rarer than the primary two colors.
- All huskies are born with blue eyes. They slowly change their color when they are a few months old, and the change continues till they are almost 12-14 weeks old.
- If you want a blue or brown-eyed husky, there is a high chance that you will get it at a reasonable cost and availability. However, the other huskies might be a lot harder to find, and they will be incredibly pricey.
- Although you might hear that blue-eyed huskies are at risk of having cataracts as they cannot stop the sun’s glare, it cannot be further from the truth. The fact is that cataracts do not happen due to sun glare at all. It is genetic, and 10% of all huskies are at risk of being diagnosed with cataracts.
- Regular eye check-up is a must for the huskies due to the predisposed condition of having cataracts. The sooner you know about it, the better.
- Once the blue eyes become lighter during the first year of the husky, you cannot expect the shade to become darker with age. It is for the best if the shade remains as it is for the rest.
- Huskies can have any coat color while having blue eyes. It is not valid for any other dog breeds. If any other dog has blue eyes, it is almost guaranteed to have light-colored or white fur.
Can Huskies Have Brown Eyes?
Yes, Huskies can have brown eyes. As per the consensus, almost 40% of the total husky population has brown eyes. Huskies are almost as likely to have brown eyes as blue eyes.
Even if the pup does not have brown eyes initially, there is still a chance that the Husky will have brown eyes. As they reach the five-week mark, their eye color will start to change if they are supposed to have brown eyes.
A pigment called melanin is responsible for the brown color of the eyes. If there is excessive melanin, the shade of the brown will be even darker. It brings us to the next question that we have.
Can Huskies Have Black Eyes?
No, Huskies do not have black eyes. The dark shade of brown gives the illusion of black eye color, as it mixes with the black of the iris.
So, if you ever see that the color of your husky’s eyes is turning black, know that it is just a very dark shade of brown.
When did Do Huskies’ Eyes stop Changing?
The color of the eyes stops changing when they reach the 12 to 16 weeks mark. After that, they do not change their color for a genuine reason.
If you observe that the color is suddenly changing, go to a veterinarian immediately, as it is a symptom of a cataract.
Conclusion:
Through scientific knowledge, it is pretty evident that Huskies can have two different colored eyes. They generally do not show any health-related problems just because they have different colored eyes. It is only when the color of the eyes starts to change abruptly, something is wrong.
Due to the curable nature of cataracts, it is safe to assume that your Husky will be alright even after being diagnosed with it. However, if you can identify the disease early, there will be much less discomfort for the Husky.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.