Border Collie With Rare All-White Fur Has Eyes That Will Take Your Breath Away
While it's true that all puppies are adorable, some are so striking looking that it's impossible not to stare at them in amazement. One such attention-attracting puppy is Vladimir, a white border collie who lives in California. His pure-white fur, pink nose, and icy blue eyes are impossible to look away from, and there's something almost hypnotic about the way his eyes gaze back at the camera. In a TikTok video that's been viewed more than 35,000 times, Vladimir lies on his back contentedly, looking supremely chill, and receives a long belly rub.
@vladimirthecollie LazyBoy🤍 #bordercollie #puppy #rare #fyp #cattledog
Many commenters praised Vladimir, calling him gorgeous, stunning, beautiful, and an angel. One viewer writes, "Ommgggg you are the cutest sweet baby evveerrrrrr where and how did you find an all white one." Another jokes that the owner should call Disney right away. One commenter quotes the great Tina Turner by writing directly to Vladimir: "You're simply the best 💗 better than all the rest." But how, exactly, did the border collie puppy get his looks?
What causes a dog to have white fur?
If you have a white dog yourself, or are feeling inspired to adopt a dog now, no doubt you've struggled with or are curious about how to clean the white hair around a dog's mouth, and also how to make a white dog white again after a roll in the mud. Common white dog breeds range in size from petite Bichon Frises and Westies to large Samoyeds and Great Pyrenees.
Some white dogs are albino, but this is rare. Albinism happens because of a gene mutation, and it causes the animal to have no pigment in its skin, hair, and eyes. Many of the commenters on Vladimir's TikTok account express surprise and even doubt that the adorable white doggo is actually a border collie. Though collies most commonly are black and white, they do come in an array of colors, including red, blue (merle), and sable. A white border collie may be the result of breeding two dogs with the merle (marbled) pattern gene mutation.
Most reputable breeders don't do this pairing because double-merle dogs that result in the white coat have an increased risk of health issues such as blindness and deafness. A commenter on a different video of Vladimir wrote, "That's a lethal white. A double-bred Merle, you should have all health tests ran, vision, eyesight, AND neuro. I worked in vet med almost a decade, including with a handler for Amazing Aussies Lethal White Rescue." Luckily, Vladimir seems very well loved and cared for.