Border Collies with Heterochromia

Meet Molly, a border collie cross who was rejected by hundreds of families because of her unusual, odd-coloured eyes.

Have you ever wondered why some border collies have different coloured eyes?  This phenomenon is formally called heterochromia, an eye condition caused by a lack of pigment in the eye.  

This condition does not have any known, adverse health affects on border collies who have this condition, but nonetheless some potential dog owners may be put off by the ‘odd-look’ this may create. 

In fact, there was one famous case a years ago where a border collie named Molly was supposedly abandoned because she had this condition, giving her different coloured eyes (one brown and one pale blue).

Molly, together with her brown-eyed sister, Holly, was picked up as strays in Wales during the autumn in 2014. They were later taken in by the Dogs’ Trust, a UK dog rescue located in Newbury, Berkshire, where Holly quickly found a home.

However, Molly was not so lucky as her sister.  According to the Dogs’ Trust, some potential adopters were put off by Molly’s unusual eye combination even though there was nothing wrong with her sight. In fact, they noted that Molly would make a great pet given that she gets the right owner.  The good news is that Molly eventually found a new home with a family in Hampshire.

Dog breeds with Heterochromia

Did you know that Border Collies are among the most common dog breeds with different colored eyes?

Aside from Border Collies, the following dog breeds also shared the same eye condition:

• Huskies
• Alaskan Malamutes
• Dalmatians
• Beagles
• Great Danes
• Dachshunds
• Welsh Corgis
• Shih Tzus
• Chihuahuas

The reason why there particular dog breeds seem more prone to heterochromia is still not completely understood because the genes responsible for the dog’s eye color is hard to track down and verify.

To make matters more complicated, did you know that sometimes, the genes for eye color expression in dogs are also the same genes responsible for their coat color? The same genes can also be linked to certain genetic based traits such as certain conditions or illnesses such as deafness. However, there is no confirmed link between deafness and heterochromia in dogs, according to canine specialists.

But in most cases, dogs with one lighter eye and one darker eye still see out of both eyes.

In Molly’s case, she is such a happy and healthy dog who deserves to be treated just like the other dogs without heterochromia. We are happy that Molly has now found a new family who will give her the love she deserves.

Do you have a dog with heterochromia? We’d love to hear your story. Write it in the comment box below.

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