13 Blue Dog Breeds That Will Steal Your Heart

Dogs with blue coats are unusual and uniquely beautiful. They sport a silver grey coat with hints and tints of slate or light blue throughout. This can give the impression of the dog's coat shinning blue under the right light. Many breeds come in blue coat colors, while some are known for sporting this gorgeous tint.

The Australian Cattle Dog is one of the most well-known blue dog breeds, hence their common name, the blue heeler. According to their breed standard, their blue coat comes in several patterns, including speckled, mottled, or solid.

Coat care: Blue heelers don't require a significant amount of grooming. They shed twice per year, but you can reduce shedding with extra brushing and bathing during that time. Aside from their grooming periods, only bathe them when necessary, as excessive bathing could wear down the oils in their coat.

Unlike many other dog breeds, this dog breed comes in just one color. Their blue coat is actually a light gray with blue hue. The puppies are born black, but through a process known as "clearing," their coat turns to its blue color when they're about a year and a half old.

Coat care: Kerry Blue Terriers should be brushed daily to prevent their fur from matting. The longer fur on their legs and face may need special care, like trimming or combing on a regular basis. When combing their face, comb gently from the root to the end of their fur.

The Neapolitan Mastiff's blue coat color is accepted by the AKC under the breed standard. In addition to their blue hue coat, you may notice other coat colors, including black, tawny, and mahogany.

Coat care: This breed's short-haired coat is easy to groom using a firm bristle brush. Their shedding is minimal and they only need to be bathed as-needed. If your dog is generally clean, you can utilize dry shampoo specific to pets to avoid having to bathe them too much.

Weimaraners can have a steel-gray coat color with a dilute brown, or a dilute black coat. Despite going against the breed standard, blue Weimaraners are beautiful dogs.

Coat care: Weims do not require a significant amount of grooming due their short coat, but may shed on a regular basis. The amount of shedding will depend on how often they are brushed to remove dead fur, where they live, and what they're eating.

Blue Whippets are incredibly rare and hard to find. For a Whippet to be blue, both parents must carry the dilute black gene, and even puppies from parents who are blue may not carry that over to their litter.

Coat care: Whippets don't shed significantly with their smooth, short coat and they only need brushing about once per week. They shed throughout the year, but will need to keep their skin stimulated to maintain a healthy coat. Only bathe them once every few months or if they get dirty.

Irish Wolfhounds have a diluted black coat that often appears dull blue in color. They may appear to be gray from a distance, but when you look a little closer, you'll see their blue tint.

Coat care: This dog breed has a double coat, but unlike other doubled-coated breeds, they don't have a shedding season. They shed mildly throughout the year and should be brushed regularly to maintain a healthy coat. Bathe on an as-needed basis or once every several months.

This dog breed is often known for their blue tinted tongue. But, their coat is also something to be recognized. The Shar-Pei comes in a variety of colors, including a solid dark gray-blue coat. All colors are accepted by the AKC breed standard as long as the Shar Pei is one solid color.

Coat care: Despite their short coat, you may notice some Shar-Pei fur around the house. Brushing should be done regularly with bathing done monthly. Check the skin folds carefully to remove all dirt and soap.

Great Danes are one of two purebred dogs that have a harlequin coat. Their harlequin coat often appears as white with patches of blue throughout. Harlequin dogs have two colors with large patches of blue.

Coat care: The Great Dane's short, smooth coat requires very minimal grooming. They should be brushed on a daily basis to remove dead fur and dirt, but only need to be bathed as needed. If you brush their coat on a daily basis, it's unlikely you will see much fur around the house.

The American Staffordshire Terrier can have a variety of coat colors. However, their gray coat is identified as one with a blue hue. They also generally have white patches in combination with their blue coat color.

Coat care: This breed has a short coat that only requires brushing once per week. Bathing should be done if your dog gets dirty, but giving too many baths can strip the oil from their fur, leading to skin irritation.

Bluetick Coonhounds have a blue-grey base coat with black and blue ticking throughout the body and face. Ticking is the name given to small spots of dark hair on a lighter colored dog's coat. It is often seen on the ears and around the eyes, but may also appear on other parts of the body. The nose, lips, and paw pads are usually black, as well.

Coat care: They should be brushed once or twice a week with a slicker brush or rubber curry comb to remove dead hair and distribute natural oils. Bathe as-needed with warm water and mild shampoo. Avoid getting water in their ears, eyes, and nose because it could irritate the skin or cause infection if not cleaned properly afterward.

Blue Dachshunds are a rare find. They can be any pattern, including solid and parti-colored. Blue dachshunds have a coat that is slate or blue in color with black points and tan undercoat. The nose will be black and the eyes brown or amber. Blue dachshunds carry the dilution gene, which makes the base coat color blue.

Coat care: Long-haired Dachshunds should be brushed regularly to prevent their fur from becoming tangled or matted. Short-haired Dachshunds can be wiped with a damp cloth. Wire-haired Dachshunds should be hand-stripped to remove excess fur.

French Bulldogs come in several coat varieties, and they can have blue coats. Their blue color comes from a mutation that causes pigments that cause them to appear a silver or grey color. You may notice them as appearing blue, merle, fawn, pied, sable, or blue and tan. Blue French Bulldogs are not currently recognized by the AKC.

Coat care: The French Bulldog requires regular brushing to minimize shedding. Monthly bathing is generally recommended. The folds around the face should be wiped on a daily basis to prevent irritation or infection.

Blue Chihuahuas aren't actually blue, but rather a steel-gray or navy blue-ish color. They aren't commonly seen, so if you found one, good job! Contrary to other breeds, all Chihuahuas are born jet black; only after maturity do they begin to vary from black by lightening into gray or silver.

Coat care: Their grooming is relatively simple due to their short hair that doesn't shed significantly. Brushing a Chihuahua's coat regularly will help distribute oils from within your dog's fur as well as eliminate dead hair from sticking out of your dog's coat and matting together. Brushing also helps remove dirt and debris that may build up.

Don't choose a dog based on color alone. We know all the blue dog breeds are beautiful, but each breed has different characteristics that may or may not be suitable for your home. Review each dog breed individually to determine which one is right for you.