Since the Pembroke Welsh Corgi breed doesn’t have the Blue Merle pattern, these dogs are the result of crossbreeding Pembroke Welsh Corgis with other breeds that do.
What dog breeds have blue eyes? It’s a Weimaraner. Despite the fact that the AKC breed standard allows for blue-gray eyes, most Weims have the soulful amber eyes that we’re used to seeing.
• Border Collie.
• Australian Shepherd.
• Husky.
• A Shetland Sheepdog.
• Dalmatian.
• Dachshund.
• German Shepherds.
Is it possible to have a corgi with blue eyes? It is common for young corgis to have blue eyes, but these eyes are not always “bright.” They begin to turn gray and then brown as they get older. Brown can appear in a wide variety of shades.
There are times when a Pembroke will be born with one or both blue eyes. Several breeds of dogs have blue eyes, and the corgi is one of them.
Why do corgis with blue eyes exist? What are the drawbacks to having blue eyes? And other frequently asked questions will be answered in this article.
Is There a Corgi with Blue Eyes?
It is possible for a Cardigan Welsh Corgi or a Pembroke Welsh Corgi to have blue eyes. Blue eyes in Pembrokes are considered a fault by the AKC, but blue eyed merle corgi is allowed if it is a Cardigan.
Blue eyes are more common in Cardigans than Pembrokes.
Typically, corgi puppies with blue eyes and kittens turn gray or brown as they mature. Corgis are the same.
If your Corgi was born with blue eyes, that doesn’t mean they’ll always be that color.
Contrary to popular belief, the blue eyes of Corgis are the result of a relatively common mutation in the breed’s DNA. As a result, Corgis with one or two blue eyes are exceedingly rare.
Remember that, apart from their eye color, dogs with blue eyes are physically identical to those with brown eyes.
This is the most important thing to remember for all true Corgi breed lovers. It’s safe to say that these dogs are of the highest quality. They are in excellent health and will please any owner.
It’s unfortunate that blue eyes are considered a flaw in the eyes of the majority. Both Cardigan Welsh Corgis and Pembroke Welsh Corgis fall into this category.
The only exception is the blue merle; all other Corgis with blue eyes or one blue and one dark eye, or one blue and one dark eye, will be disqualified.
Stay tuned for more information about these standards and how and why Corgis have blue eyes. We’ve covered every aspect of the situation.
Let’s take a look at how the two corgi breeds differ and how that impacts the hue of their eyes.
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Cardigan Welsh Corgi Blue Eyes
Despite the fact that the majority of cardigan corgis have dark brown eyes, it is possible for them to develop blue eyes.
Two blue eyes, one blue eye and one brown, or one blue eye and one brown are all possibilities for cardigans’ eyes.
The merle gene is present in most blue-eyed corgis, but this isn’t always the case. Having blue eyes in a corgi does not necessitate the merle gene.
But the AKC says that if your Cardigan corgi has blue eyes but is not a merle, he or she does not meet the breed standard.
Pembroke Welsh Corgi Blue Eyes
The “ideal” eye color for Pembroke corgis is dark brown, which is what the majority of the breed have.
Because of previous generations of mixed breeding or the merle gene, Pembroke corgis are still capable of having blue eyes.
When it comes to Pembroke corgis, the AKC considers any blue eyes to be a fault and thus does not meet the breed standard.
In Pembrokes, blue eyes are less common than in Cardigans.
What Causes Blue Eyes in Some Corgis?
When a corgi has the merle gene, blue eyes are more common. In people carrying the merle gene, a change occurs in the way certain cells produce pigment, and pigment is what determines a person’s eye color.
Colors of eyes, skin, and coat can change as a result of this.
There is an official term for people with blue eyes: heterochromia. When the iris lacks melanin (pigment), the result is blue eyes. Brown eyes, on the other hand, are a natural result when enough melanin is present.
The lack of melanin results in blue eyes, and the presence of melanin results in brown eyes. Blue and brown eyes come in a variety of shades and hues due to varying amounts of melanin.
A specific amount of melanin is needed for green eyes, but not enough for brown ones. This is why they are so rare. Green eyes are rare because of the low probability of this occurring.
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Are Corgis Denied Blue Eyes?
Many corgi owners and breeders are sensitive to the issue of blue-eyed corgis, and whether or not it’s “good practice” to encourage further breeding of this particular breed.
Pembroke corgis with blue eyes are discouraged from being bred by owners and breeders alike because they are seen as a “flaw.”
Breeding blue-eyed corgis is also discouraged because of the possibility of a litter developing double-merles. In the next section, I’ll go into more detail about this.
Do Blue-Eyed Corgis Have Health Concerns?
Some believe that blue-eyed corgis are more susceptible to health problems.
The merle gene is to blame. Double merles and single merles are two types of merles. People with the double merle gene are more susceptible to developing health problems than those without the gene.
However, blue eyes are possible in both single and double merles.
Just because a corgi has blue eyes doesn’t mean it will have health or vision problems in the future. If the dog has a single merle gene or two, it’s up to the owner to decide whether or not the dog is a merle.
Issues of Double Merles
Double merles have a higher risk of eye and health problems than single merles.
Breeding two corgis that are both merle-colored is strongly discouraged for this very reason. This results in half the litter being born with the single merle gene and half with two merle genes when they’re mixed together (becoming a double-merle).
Moreover, double-merles are prone to a wide range of health problems for a variety of scientific reasons.
As a result, many people have been misled and have assumed that any dog with blue eyes is dangerous, despite the fact that this is not necessarily the case.
Non-merle dogs are typically regarded as safe to breed with merles because half of the litter will be merle and the other half will be non-merle.
However, some dogs may carry the merle gene without their owners’ knowledge, which raises another concern. As a result, it’s possible that two merles will be accidentally bred.
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The Cardigan Welsh Corgi’s Eye Color Standard
A Cardigan Welsh Corgi eye color should have a dark hue to match its coat, according to the KC/FCI standard. Only if you have a blue merle Corgi can you have blue, pale blue, or blue flecked eyes.
In terms of the AKC standard, there’s nothing new. It specifies that the eyes of a Cardigan Corgi should be dark, clear, and complementary to the color of the dog’s coat. Merles with blue or partially blue eyes are only allowed to have blue eyes.
This is a merle, or blue merle, in which there are several different eye color patterns that can be found in cardigans, including two shades of blue, two shades of brown, or even two shades of blue with brown spots.
The Pembroke Welsh Corgi Breed Standard for Eye Color
Natural brown eyes are required for Pembroke Welsh Corgis, according to the KC/FCI standard.
The American Kennel Club (AKC) allows for brown variations as long as they are in harmony with the coat color. Eyes that are bluish or yellow in color, as well as true black eyes, are not permitted.
What Are “Wall Eyes,” and What Do They Mean?
The term “wall eyes” refers to a condition in which a tricolor puppy (red, sable, or brindle) is born with one or two blue eyes.
The presence of “wall eyes” in your Corgi does not automatically imply that he is a merle. Different modes of inheritance can result in these eyes. Siberian Husky and other breeds with blue eyes have the same type of blue eye genetically.
Rarely do Pembroke Welsh Corgis display this particular shade of blue in their eyes. Only one of sixteen puppies born to parents with recessive genes for this blue eye has such eyes, according to a study.
Unlike the merle gene, which is autosomal dominant and thus inherited in a different manner, polygenic mode of inheritance is based on it.
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Why Does My Corgi Have Blue Eyes
Genetics, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is the study of heredity and the variation of inherited traits. Even though it’s a complicated subject, we’ll still try to explain how it affects Corgis’ blue eyes.
The blue eye in Corgis only appears if more than one pair of recessive genes are present in a homozygous state, to begin with. Corgis that are heterozygous for both genes have a wide range of possible mating combinations.
The dominant gene for dark Corgi eyes is designated as Aa, and the recessive gene for blue eyes is designated as Bb. These genes are designated as Aa and Bb, respectively.
Your Corgi puppy must carry four recessive genes for blue eyes in order to have a corgi with one blue eye.
Because the study hasn’t been completed, it’s impossible to say exactly how many genes are needed to produce a blue eye. In any event, at least two pairs are required for the task. Tables like this one are a great way to make sense of everything.
• Maternal lineage: (AaBb x Dam) (AaBb)
• A and B – Brown eyes are guaranteed if one or both of these genes are present.
• a and b – To have a blue eye, you’ll need all four of these genes.
A look at this table will show you that only one out of sixteen possible combinations has the dominant quality homozygous (pure) (AABB). It means that a brown-eyed puppy can only be produced or passed down by a pair of Corgis with brown eyes.
Similarly, there is only one recessive option that is homozygous (pure) (aabb). The only other way to get a puppy with blue eyes is to mix the two ingredients together.
Because of this, the chances of this particular pair showing up are extremely low. Only one puppy out of sixteen has it.
All other possible combinations of these two gene pairs are also shown in the table. A single generation of breeding results cannot be used to conclude that a particular dog is free of recessives. It’s only possible for a simple recessive to accomplish this.
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What exactly does this mean?
It’s impossible to get a blue-eyed puppy if you have a Corgi that is AAbb and pair it with another dominant dog. There is, however, the possibility that blue eyes will appear in the next generation because recessives for this trait are passed down.
As you can see, it’s impossible to know for sure if a puppy you’re considering adopting has blue eyes. You can’t be sure that your puppy doesn’t have genes for blue eyes, even if it hasn’t produced them before. It can show up at the most inconvenient times!
If you’re a breeder, take a deep breath and calm yourself down. Make no effort to acquire features that are not harmful to the health of your dogs.
In order for you to successfully breed Corgis, you must choose healthy dogs as your breeding stock. Aside from that, you’re only getting your face painted!
Reasons Why Tapetum Lucidum Doesn’t Appear In Any Blue Merle Corgis
In addition to pigmentation, the merle gene (M) has a detrimental effect on tapetum development and function. The tapetum lucidum can be completely absent in some dogs.
Dogs without this layer appear to have better night vision than their brown-eyed cousins, which is good news for Corgi lovers.
When forced to use the flash, there isn’t much you can do to avoid the red tint. Using it is the only advice we can give you. It’s a great way to show off your Corgi’s blue eyes in all of your photos!
Final Thoughts
Do Corgis have blue eyes? If so, you can rest easy now. It’s common for Corgi with blue eyes to be out of step with the breed standard, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less deserving of your affection.
No matter what color your dog’s eyes are, you should still love and care for him or her.
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