blue eyes

[cary-dude]

My pit has two blue eyes and I noticed in some searching that I did on the subject that the ABDA(which is who my dog is registered with) that blue eyes are considered a fault. Does anyone have an opinion on this? She has no seeing problems that I have noticed and she is 16 months old, seems like I would have noticed.

[DiMaSaLaNg]

i know that blue eyes is related to deafness thats why its considered a fault.

[Stillwater]

CH HUGO has two blue eyes.

You will see blue eye(s) in PURE COLBY dogs from time to time.
Mainly Grit bred dogs.

[cary-dude]

I knew about deafness but thought that pertained more to white, or mostly white pitbulls. And my dog is mostlly white with the blue eyes, but she is not deaf. that was one of the first things we checked when we went to get her. so I guess what I'm saying is it the mostly white color or the blue eyes that up the percentages that a dog will be deaf then?

[bahamutt99]

Deafness can be caused by a lack of pigment in the inner ear. (Some primarily-white breeds have problems with deafness, like Dalmatians and Dogos.) I guess the assumption is that a dog with blue eyes has less pigment than a dog with brown eyes?

[ABK]

Deafness can be caused by a lack of pigment in the inner ear. (Some primarily-white breeds have problems with deafness, like Dalmatians and Dogos.) I guess the assumption is that a dog with blue eyes has less pigment than a dog with brown eyes?Blue eyes are caused by lack of pigment in the iris & are actually colorless in nature. I think the reason blue eyes are a fault is b/c blue eyes are also the hallmark of what many consider "defective colors," such as white, merle & both full & partial albinos. Another facet of found in many blue eyes is many have a defective tapetum. Some lack one altogether. I have been told this is why blue eyed dogs' eyes shine back red instead of green. if this is true this also may be cause for blue eyes being a fault.

[pejay]

I have been told this is why blue eyed dogs' eyes shine back red instead of green.This is true, I have never seen blue-eyed dog of any breed or mix with non-red shine back. But as well I've seen brown-eyed dogs with red shine back and even one eye red and one eye green on the same dog (with brown eyes). Is there anything wrong with red shine back? I've never heard that it causes something bad.

[b_dog58]

One of my dogs, Atilla, has blue in about 25% of one eye,
his eyes shine red, but he's not deaf, although he acts it
sometimes.

[bahamutt99]

So in other words, if you're thinking about getting a dog from a breeder who breeds for blue eyes, its probably a good idea to insist on a BAER test, and maybe CERF, too.

[b_dog58]

i don't think getting a dog from someone who breeds APBT's for blue eyes is a good idea at all.

[jadedpitgirl]

I have two blue-eyed pits. They are mother and son (though we did not breed for the blue eyes; we were breeding for a conformation prospect). Maggie is a white-head chocolate with one blue eye and Tukker is solid chocolate with one blue eye. Tukker has been doing well in conformation, but some judges are just positively agaisnt placing a dog with blue eyes or one who is bi-eyed. I was talking to a judge who said that she would never disregard a dog because of eye color, but only use it as a deciding factor on two of her best picks in the ring. She said at most, it would only be faulted a point or two. Before I got Maggie, I e-mailed the ADBA to ask what their policy was on blue eyes and they said they do not judge eye-color (this was in '04) However, they have changed their rules since. Neither of my dogs are deaf, and they were not bred strictly for eye color. If Tukker ever Chs, he will be bred, and it will not be to a blue-eyed dog, but if one pops up in the litter, I will not disregard soley because of eye color.
If I were you, considering your dog is white with two blue eyes, I would definately have him BAER tested. If you plan to show, just be patient and realize that it may take a while to Ch your dog. Some judges don't mind, and some despise it, lol. Good luck with your pup.

i don't think getting a dog from someone who breeds APBT's for blue eyes is a good idea at all.
You're right. You should never buy a dog from anyone who breeds for specific coat/eye color. I have noticed an increase in those who breed strictly for blue eyes, and they claim it as rare. Of course, this is not the case at all, but we all know how BYBs are.

[cary-dude]

I read what a BAER test is in the search area, very informative, But I don't feel the need for it because my dog is obviously not deaf, she can hear me call her name across the yard, even if she is looking the other way, she hears my girlfriends car pull up, she even hears the kids getting home from school in the afternoons, they don't roll up in the yard quietly. in other words she deosn't just hear whats close and loud, she hears whats outside the house, and not so loud. am I wrong to feel this way?

[TruPitLver]

I thought blue eyes in a pit bull was a disqualification....

[jadedpitgirl]

I read what a BAER test is in the search area, very informative, But I don't feel the need for it because my dog is obviously not deaf, she can hear me call her name across the yard, even if she is looking the other way, she hears my girlfriends car pull up, she even hears the kids getting home from school in the afternoons, they don't roll up in the yard quietly. in other words she deosn't just hear whats close and loud, she hears whats outside the house, and not so loud. am I wrong to feel this way?
Cary-Dude, sometimes a dog can seem to hear fine, but in reality he could be unilaterally deaf (one ear). If this is the case with your dog, you will never know without a BAER test. If you choose to keep this dog as an altered house pet, than going without the test will be fine. However, if you wish to breed this dog, you should definately have a BAER test done. My Tukker dog will be BAER tested when he is a year old (along with other testing).

True-Pit, blue eyes are a DQ in the UKC, the ADBA only recently started faulting it (it's only a point or two), but they DO NOT DQ because of blue eyes.

[bahamutt99]

I had to look this up to be sure. Blue eyes aren't a DQ in the UKC ring. But they are a major fault.

[cary-dude]

I think I'll have her tested Jaded, thanks.