When it comes to dog breeds, there can be a ton of variety.
Even in pure bred dogs, there are so many different types of coat and color combinations, that there are always exceptions to usual ‘rules’ on what we know dogs should look like.
One trait that’s become increasingly popular in recent years is dogs with green eyes.
As a rarer feature, it’s highly sought after by both breeders and prospective families looking to add a new dog to their household.
Additionally, there are a few unique characteristics that come with having lighter, green colored eyes, that provide both benefits and some drawbacks for dogs depending on the breed.
In this article I’ll go in depth on the traits that often coincide with green eyes, how rare green eyes are for beagles, and what dog breeds are most likely to exhibit green eyes.
Can Beagles Have Green Eyes?
Generally, no beagles are not known to have green eyes, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Some beagles have been observed to have green eyes due to a genetic mutation or mixing with another breed, but it’s incredibly rare.
Even among the rarest of breeds that do have recessive genes for light colored eyes (such as merle), it’s not common to find a dog with green or blue eyes due to the rarity of the mutation in the gene pool.
Typically, beagle eyes range between a few dominant shades of brown. There are some who have other colors as well such as blue or hazel, but these are the more common eye colors for a beagle rather than green.
Many will claim that their dog has ‘green’ eyes when really the color is more along the lines of hazel or light brown, sometimes appearing green in certain lights and reflections.
When breeding beagles with other breeds, especially in dogs with the Merle gene like Australian Shepherds, Pomeranian Huskies, and American Pitbull Terriers, this recessive gene can occasionally come through.
But even with mixing breeds, getting an outcome of perfectly green eyes in a beagle, which has such dominant brown eye genes, is a very rare thing.
How Rare Is Green Eyes In Dogs?
Because green eyes tend to be limited to dogs with specific merle genes within certain breeds, they are incredibly rare to find even with selective breeding.
It’s roughly estimated that less than 1% of the dog population has green eyes, and it’s an even smaller fraction of a percentage when you look into how many beagles could potentially display green eyes!
For this reason, it’s likely you’ll never encounter a beagle with green eyes, but if you do, be sure to get a photo! It’s surely a statistical anomaly.
Which Dog Breeds Can Have Green Eyes?
There are only two dog breeds that have green eyes reliably when selectively breeding, along with a few others that can have them in rarer circumstances.
The two main breeds that are known to have green eyes include:
- American Pit Bull Terriers
These dogs are sometimes referred to as APBTs or American Staffordshire Terriers. They are often confused with standard pit bull terriers and Staffordshire bull terriers. They are recognized by the AKC as an American Pit Bull Terrier with a standard weight of between 50-65 pounds.
They commonly display the Merle gene that can be responsible for green eyes in dogs, and are one of the more likely breeds to successfully yield green eyes in litters.
- Pomeranian Huskies
The Pomeranian Husky is a rare breed that combines the hardy working traits of a husky with the sweet temperament of a Pomeranian.
With strong roots in sledding, they’re known for their speed as well as their beautiful fur.
While they tend to have strong brown eyes like most other husky mixes, they can occasionally have the Merle gene as well which is responsible for producing light colored eyes such as green.
Other breeds that can display the Merle gene with green eyes, but in rarer form include:
- Weimaraner
The Weimaraner is a medium sized hunting dog from Germany who is known for their high energy and playful nature.
They tend to come in black or liver with white markings and have a variety of eye colors including blue, amber, and green. They have their own standard weight range at between 50-75 pounds.
- Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is another medium sized herding dog who is generally tan and white in color.
Like the Weimaraner, they can have many different colors in their coats such as white and red as well as blue and amber.
While they are most commonly known to have brown eyes like other shepherd breeds, they can also have the Merle gene as well which can lead to light colored eyes like green.
- Labrador Retriever
The Labrador Retriever is a medium to large sized breed of dog who are known for their friendly nature and eagerness to please their owners.
They are one of the most commonly owned dogs and are often mistaken for golden retrievers.
They can range in weight from about 55-90 pounds and are known for their soft yellow/brown/black color.
Blue eyed Labs are very common in many regions, but very rarely do Labs have green eyes (though it’s still possible!)
- Dachshund
The dachshund is a miniature to small sized breed of hound dog who are known for being extremely loyal and loving to their owners.
Their name in German means “badger hunter” because of their sharp hunting skills.
They come in all sizes and colors and range from about a foot and a half tall to about two feet in height.
While they are typically associated with having black/tan/red coats and blue/amber/green eyes, they also can occasionally have these Merle characteristics as well, with gray and black spotted coats, and occasionally blue or green eyes. However in this breed, it’s referred to as “dapple”.
- Great Dane
Great Danes are probably the largest dog breed to display the Merle gene. They’re well known for being gentle giants who are loyal to their family and love to cuddle with their people.
They have large heads, strong jaws, and powerful bodies that can grow to be over seven feet tall and can weigh over two hundred pounds!
Great Danes are most commonly recognized for their distinctive silver and black coats and their massive size.
They can also come in a variety of different colors including black/tan/red/blue, with eyes ranging from brown, amber, hazel, blue and green.
What Color Eyes Can Beagles Have?
The most common color of eye for a typical adult Beagle is between dark brown to almost black. Some can be slightly lighter or more golden/honey-colored, but usually they are darker than medium brown or black.
Occasionally they can be more of a chocolate-brown color or even grey-blue. Most will have a very slight hint of amber to them, but this color tends to fade as they age.
Although their eyes don’t change color over the course of their lives.
In rare cases they can be a deeper blue or even light blue, and as we’ve seen above, in the rarest of cases they can sometimes be even green, but usually only in cases of mixed breeds, not pure bred beagles.
Do Dogs With Green Eyes Have Worse Vision?
Similar to humans, dogs with lighter colored eyes experience vision a bit differently compared to the majority.
Dogs with light Iris’ tend to be able to see better at night, because the iris is more translucent, and can let more light into the eye.
However because of this, coupled with the fact that dogs already have excellent night vision, dogs with green or lighter colored eyes can have some vision complications and even pain during the day.
It’s common to see that bright lights can cause pain to these dogs, because they’re getting more light exposure than a dark-eyed dog would.
Over time, this increased intra-ocular pressure can develop into a condition known as glaucoma. Glaucoma is when the pressure inside the eye increases enough to cause damage within the optic nerve and cause a loss of vision.
This condition doesn’t usually occur until a dog is much older.
Final Thoughts
As we’ve seen, there is a very small number of dog breeds who can actually produce offspring with green/light colored eyes through selective breeding.
It’s rare to encounter one in a shelter or through adoption because these dogs are so rare to find, and these traits are especially rare for beagles.
In most cases where a green eyed pup is found, it’s probably a mixed breed of some sort or the result of a single mating between two different purebred, green-eyed parents.