Why Some Dog Breeds Get Tear Stains More Than Others

Those reddish-brown marks under a dog’s eyes are not always a sign of poor grooming. In many breeds, tear stains are tied to face shape, tear drainage, coat color, and sometimes irritation or infection.

Tear stains can make a perfectly healthy dog look tired, messy, or unwell. But in many breeds, those reddish-brown marks under the eyes are less about cleanliness and more about anatomy.

The short answer is simple: some dogs make tears that do not drain neatly into the nose. Instead, the tears spill onto the face, wet the fur, and leave visible staining over time. For owners of Maltese, Shih Tzus, Poodles, Pugs, Bulldogs, Bichon Frises, and other commonly affected breeds, this can become a daily grooming issue.

But tear stains are not always “just cosmetic.” Sometimes they point to irritation, allergies, blocked tear ducts, infection, or another eye problem that deserves a closer look.

What tear stains actually are

Tear stains usually appear as reddish-brown streaks below a dog’s eyes. They are most obvious on white, cream, or light-colored coats, which is why owners of Maltese, Bichon Frises, Samoyeds, and light-colored Poodles often notice them first.

The stain comes from tears sitting on the fur. Dog tears contain natural pigments, often described as porphyrins, that can discolor hair when tears remain on the face. Moisture can also attract debris and encourage skin irritation if the area stays damp.

That is why tear stains are often a drainage problem, not a sign that a dog is crying or sad.

In a normally functioning eye, tears help lubricate and protect the surface of the eye. They usually drain through tiny openings near the inner corner of the eyelids into the nasolacrimal duct, a small passage that carries tears toward the nose. When that system is less efficient, tears overflow.

Why breed shape matters so much

Some breeds are simply built in a way that makes tear overflow more likely.

Flat-faced dogs, also called brachycephalic breeds, often have shallow eye sockets, short noses, prominent eyes, or facial folds around the eyes. Those features can make it harder for tears to flow smoothly through the normal drainage route.

This is why Pugs, Bulldogs, Pekingese, Boxers, and similar breeds may show tear staining more often. VCA Animal Hospitals notes that dogs with short noses, large eyes, and flat faces are more likely to have tears spill over the eyelids rather than travel through the nasolacrimal duct.

Long facial hair can add another problem. In breeds such as Shih Tzus, Maltese, Lhasa Apsos, and some Poodles, hair near the eyes may wick tears down the face or rub against the cornea. That irritation can make the eye produce even more tears.

The result is a cycle: more moisture, more staining, more irritation, and more cleanup.

Why white dogs look more affected

A common misunderstanding is that only white dogs get tear stains. They do not.

Dark-coated dogs can have the same tear overflow, but the discoloration is much harder to see. On a white Maltese or cream-colored Poodle, every rusty mark stands out. On a black or brown dog, the same moisture may be hidden by the coat.

So the issue is not always that light-colored breeds have uniquely “worse” eyes. It is also that light fur makes every stain visible.

That visibility can be useful, though. Owners may notice changes earlier, especially if the staining becomes heavier, wetter, smelly, or suddenly appears on a dog that did not have it before.

When tear stains are more than cosmetic

For many dogs, especially those with lifelong mild staining, tear marks are mostly a grooming concern. But sudden or severe tear staining should not be ignored.

Possible causes of excessive tearing include allergies, eye infections, blocked tear ducts, glaucoma, eyelashes or hair rubbing on the cornea, and inflammation around the eye. Merck Veterinary Manual also describes nasolacrimal duct obstruction and inflammation of the tear drainage system as causes of epiphora, the medical term for excessive tearing.

Owners should be more cautious if staining comes with redness, swelling, odor, yellow or green discharge, squinting, pawing at the eye, cloudiness, or pain. Those signs are not normal grooming issues. They can indicate infection, injury, or another eye condition.

A veterinarian may check the eye surface, eyelids, tear production, tear ducts, and surrounding skin. In some cases, a blocked duct can be flushed. In other cases, treatment focuses on the underlying cause, such as allergies, abnormal eyelashes, infection, or eyelid problems.

What owners can safely do at home

The safest daily habit is simple: keep the area clean and dry.

Use a soft, damp cloth or veterinarian-approved eye wipe to gently clean around the eyes. Do not rub the eye itself. Keeping hair trimmed around the eyes can help reduce buildup and prevent hair from irritating the eye surface.

VCA advises keeping the stained area as clean and dry as possible, removing buildup, and trimming fur around the eyes. It also warns against using hydrogen peroxide near the eyes because it can cause serious damage if it splashes into the eye.

That point matters. Many online remedies promise quick whitening results, but the eye area is delicate. Bleaching products, harsh cleansers, essential oils, human skincare products, and unapproved drops can do more harm than good.

A better rule is this: clean the fur, protect the eye.

If the skin under the stain is red, swollen, itchy, crusty, or smells bad, the moisture may have contributed to dermatitis or infection. That is a good time to call a veterinarian rather than keep changing grooming products.

Food, water, and allergies: what to know

Some owners notice tear staining seems worse during allergy season or after a diet change. That can happen, but it should be handled carefully.

Dogs can have environmental allergies, and some dogs may react to food ingredients. Allergies can cause watery eyes, itchy skin, red paws, ear problems, or other symptoms. But tear stains alone do not prove a food allergy.

Changing diets repeatedly without a plan can create stomach upset and confusion. If food sensitivity is suspected, a veterinarian can help guide a proper elimination diet or allergy workup.

Water minerals are often discussed online, too. Some owners switch to filtered or purified water and believe it helps. That may be harmless for many dogs, but it should not distract from checking for irritation, infection, or blocked ducts when symptoms are new or worsening.

The takeaway for dog owners

Tear stains happen more in certain breeds because of face shape, eye position, hair around the eyes, and how well tears drain. They are often most visible on light-coated dogs, but darker dogs can have the same issue.

For a dog that has always had mild staining and no signs of discomfort, daily cleaning and careful grooming may be enough. For a dog with sudden staining, discharge, pain, redness, odor, or swelling, the stain is a clue worth taking seriously.

The goal is not to make every dog’s face perfectly white. The real goal is to keep the eyes comfortable, the skin healthy, and the owner alert to changes.

A clean face is nice. A healthy eye matters more.