French bulldogs come in a dozens of coat colors. Besides the basic colors approved by the AKC, Frenchies also come in rare colors such as blue, lilac, and Isabella. However, not only their colors of fur but also their eyes attract our attention. As an owner or a lover of this breed, we are sure that you’ve wondered at least once how do French bulldog get blue eyes. That’s why we decided to relieve this topic.
French bulldogs with blue eyes
Lately, we could notice there is growing popularity of buying rare colored French bulldogs. Besides they have unique colors of fur, they also have blue eyes. French bulldogs can have blue eyes for several reasons.
The main reason for the occurrence of blue eyes in Frenchies can be found in M-locus and S-locus genes. The M-locus gene is present in Merle French bulldogs, while the S-locus occurs in piebald pooches. Blue eyes in French bulldog also happens when a dog carries the recessive gene. That’s why it’s not surprising to see a Blue Frenchie with blue eyes.
Depending on the carried genes, there is also a possibility to occur only one eye colored in blue while another one is usually brown.
On the other hand, some breeds have still left unexplained why and how do they get blue eyes. Siberian huskies and three-colored Australian Shepherds are one of them.
Do blue-eyed French bulldogs eyes stay blue?
Before the phrase “baby blues” came to refer to postnatal depression, it was a synonym for eyes. Just like human babies, every puppy is born with blue eyes.
The eye color is referred to to the color of the iris. It is the ring around the pupils that are colored in black.
The blue color in the eyes of newborn puppies occurs due to a pigment called melanin. It is a protein secreted by special cells called a melanocyte, and if a dog has blue eyes, then there is little melanin in the iris.
The cells melanocyte serve to respond to light, and since the puppies spent several months in a mom’s belly, they had no contact with sunlight. At around the 10th week of age, the puppy’s eyes should develop a permanent eye color.
Melanin also affects other aspects of a dog’s appearance. French bulldogs with blue eyes are on a higher tendency to have sensitive skin and suffer from allergies… They may also show the visible light pink color of the skin around the eyes and mouth that requires to be protected by using sunscreens. French bulldog’s nose may also be light pink, so that’s why you should pay attention to its care.
Heterochromia in French bulldogs
Heterochromia in French bulldogs is a condition when a dog has different colored eyes. Besides dogs, this condition also occurs in people and other mammals. There are two types of heterochromia- congenital and acquired.
When a dog has acquired heterochromia, it’s advisable to check if your pooch has contracted an eye disease such as Glaucoma or Cataracts.
