The vast majority of dogs have a deep pink tongue – but a few unique dog breeds break the rule with their naturally occurring blue tongues. Two dog breeds, the Chinese shar-pei and chow chow, always have blue tongues, as is required by their breed standard. Other dogs, like Thai ridgebacks, Eurasiers, and even Australian shepherds, can also have blue tongues or black-spotted tongues.
Why Do Some Dogs Have Blue Tongues?
The bluish-black tongue color is a genetic trait due to an increase in melanin or pigmentation. Dogs with this trait often pass it on to the next generation.
It’s also believed that at least the majority of the dogs on this list share some common ancestry, which gives them this unique tongue color – even though many of them look dramatically different from each other.
Dogs that have a blue tongue or blue-black spots on their tongue will either be born with them or develop them shortly after birth – usually by 10 weeks.
If your dog starts developing tongue spots after they are 6 months old, it would be worth a visit to the vet. Not only would this be uncommon, but it could be an indication of actual health problems rather than a typical genetic trait.
Two Dog Breeds Always Have Blue Tongues
Due to their genetic makeup, two dogs always have a blue or blackish tongue.
- Chow Chow: The Chow Chow is a fluffy dog that originated in China. It is known for its distinctive lion-like appearance and its blue-black tongue. The Chow Chow’s tongue color is caused by a dominant gene that overrides any other color genes.
- Shar Pei: The Shar Pei is another Chinese breed that has a blue-black tongue. The Shar Pei is famous for its wrinkled skin and curly tail. The Shar Pei’s tongue color is also caused by a dominant gene that overrides any other color genes.
These two breeds are closely related and share a common ancestor. They are also the only breeds that always have completely blue tongues. Other breeds may have an entirely blue tongue, a partially blue tongue, or spots of blue on their tongues.
Other Blue-Tongued Dog Breeds
There are many other dog breeds that can have blue tongues or spots of blue on their tongues, although, for most of them, it is pretty rare. One thing you’ll notice is many of them are spitz-type dogs, furthering the belief that there is an ancient genetic link between them.
- Australian Cattle Dog: The Australian Cattle Dog is a herding dog that originated in Australia. It is also known as the Blue Heeler or the Red Heeler, depending on its coat color. Some Australian Cattle Dogs may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Dingoes.
- Australian Shepherd: The Australian Shepherd is another herding dog that originated in Australia. It is also known as the Aussie or the Mini Aussie, depending on its size. Some Australian Shepherds may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Collies and other breeds.
- Akita: The Akita is a large and powerful dog that originated in Japan. It is also known as the Akita Inu or the Japanese Akita. Some Akitas may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Chow Chows and other breeds.
- Alaskan Malamute: The Alaskan Malamute is a large and fluffy dog that originated in Alaska. It is also known as the Mal or the Mally. Some Alaskan Malamutes may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Siberian Huskies and other breeds.
- Belgian Sheepdog: The Belgian Sheepdog is a medium-sized dog that originated in Belgium. It is also known as the Groenendael or the Belgian Shepherd Dog. Some Belgian Sheepdogs may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with German Shepherds and other breeds.
- Collie: The Collie is a medium-sized dog that originated in Scotland. It is also known as the Lassie Dog or the Rough Collie. Some Collies may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Border Collies and other breeds.
- Dalmatian: The Dalmatian is a medium-sized dog that originated in Croatia. It is also known as the Firehouse Dog or the Spotted Dog. Some Dalmatians may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Pointers and other breeds.
- Doberman Pinscher: The Doberman Pinscher is a large and muscular dog that originated in Germany. It is also known as the Dobermann or the Dobie. Some Doberman Pinschers may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Rottweilers and other breeds.
- German Shepherd: The German Shepherd is a large and intelligent dog that originated in Germany. It is also known as the Alsatian or the GSD. Some German Shepherds may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Belgian Sheepdogs and other breeds.
- Great Dane: The Great Dane is a giant and gentle dog that originated in Germany. It is also known as the Apollo of Dogs or the Gentle Giant. Some Great Danes may have blue spots on their tongues due to their mixed ancestry with Mastiffs and other breeds.
Not all of these breeds will commonly have blue tongues, and there are other breeds that can exhibit the trait in incredibly rare circumstances.
