Last updated: August 2026
Every White Dog Owner Has Had This Moment
It usually happens in the morning.
Your dog stretches. Yawns. Trots toward you with a wagging tail, convinced breakfast is the most important event of the day.
You kneel down to say good morning... and then you notice it. Those familiar reddish-brown streaks beneath the eyes.
Maybe they're darker than yesterday. Maybe you convince yourself they're darker than yesterday.
You grab a soft cloth. Wipe gently. Stand back. Tilt your head. "Did that help?"
Tomorrow morning... They're back.
If that sounds familiar, welcome. You've just joined one of the world's largest unofficial clubs: people who love a dog enough to worry about something their dog has probably never thought about once.
Here's the funny part. Your dog doesn't care about tear stains. They're far more concerned with breakfast arriving three seconds late. Or whether squirrels have finally surrendered the backyard. Or why you're folding laundry instead of throwing the tennis ball.
Tear stains are almost entirely our concern. And that's perfectly okay. Because wanting your dog to look healthy usually begins with wanting your dog to be healthy.
That's why this guide exists. Not to scare you. Not to sell you a miracle. Not to overwhelm you with complicated science. But to answer every important question you've probably asked yourself at least once.
- Why does my dog have tear stains?
- Why are some breeds affected so much more than others?
- Are they caused by food?
- Are they caused by allergies?
- Should I be worried?
- Can they actually improve?
- What really works?
By the time you finish reading, you'll understand tear stains better than most dog owners ever will. More importantly... you'll know exactly what to do next.
Before We Begin...
Let's clear up one of the biggest misconceptions on the internet.
Tear stains are not proof that you're doing something wrong.
Read that again.
Some of the healthiest dogs in the world have tear stains. Champion show dogs. Therapy dogs. Dogs that eat premium diets. Dogs groomed every week. Dogs loved beyond words. They still develop tear stains.
Why? Because love doesn't change anatomy. Love doesn't widen tear ducts. Love doesn't stop porphyrins from doing what porphyrins naturally do.
What love does change... is what happens next. Owners who understand the problem make better decisions. They stop chasing miracle cures. They stop blaming themselves. They stop believing every social media tip they read at two o'clock in the morning.
Instead, they begin building a simple routine based on understanding rather than frustration. And that's where real progress starts.
Why This Guide Is Different
There are hundreds of articles about tear stains. Many repeat exactly the same information. Some contradict one another. Others spend more time selling products than explaining the problem.
We wanted to do something different. Imagine sitting down with an experienced veterinarian, a professional groomer, a lifelong Maltese owner, a canine nutrition enthusiast, and a science teacher — then letting them spend an afternoon answering every question you've ever had. That's the experience we're trying to create. If we do our job well... you shouldn't need another article.
Quick Navigation
- Which breeds are most prone to tear stains
- Why tear stains develop — the full picture
- The science behind porphyrins
- Why white dogs seem to stain more easily
- Meet the Usual Suspects — breed-by-breed guide
- What actually helps
- The biggest myths the internet won't let die
- When to see your veterinarian
- Frequently asked questions
- Continue your eye wellness journey
Do White Dogs Actually Produce More Tears?
Almost everyone assumes they do. Almost everyone is surprised to learn... they usually don't.
Think about spilling a single drop of coffee. On a black sweatshirt, you may never notice it. On a white dress shirt, it's impossible to ignore. Your dog's coat works in much the same way. White coats don't necessarily create more staining. They simply reveal staining more honestly.
A black Labrador and a white Maltese may produce similar amounts of natural tear pigments. One simply wears nature's camouflage. The other wears nature's spotlight. Understanding that one simple fact changes how you think about tear stains forever.
Meet the Real Star of the Story
You've probably heard people blame food, water, plastic bowls, yeast, dust, allergies, stress... Okay, maybe not moon phases. But almost everything else has been blamed at one time or another.
The truth? Many of those factors can influence tear staining in certain dogs. But none of them are the main character.
Meet porphyrins. The name sounds intimidating. The biology isn't.
Porphyrins are completely natural compounds produced when your dog's body breaks down old red blood cells. Every healthy dog produces them. They're found in tears, saliva, and urine. In other words — porphyrins are perfectly normal.
So why do they stain? Imagine slicing an apple. At first, the inside is pale. Leave it on the kitchen counter for a while... it slowly turns brown. The apple didn't suddenly become dirty. It simply reacted with oxygen. Porphyrins behave in much the same way. While tears are still in the eye, they're essentially invisible. Once those tears overflow onto the fur, they're exposed to air, light, and time. Eventually the familiar reddish-brown color begins to appear. The stain isn't created inside the eye. It develops afterward.
Why Don't the Tears Stay in the Eye?
To answer that, let's visit your kitchen. Imagine your sink. When the drain is clear, water flows away almost effortlessly. You don't even think about it. Now imagine the drain is narrower than usual. Or partially blocked. The faucet hasn't changed. The water hasn't changed. Gravity hasn't changed. The water simply has nowhere else to go. So it spills over the edge.
That's remarkably similar to what happens in many dogs. Healthy tears are produced constantly to lubricate and protect the eye. Normally they drain through tiny openings near the inner corners of the eyelids called the nasolacrimal ducts — or tear ducts. If those drainage pathways are especially narrow, or if your dog's facial anatomy leaves less room for efficient drainage, some tears overflow instead. Not because anything is "wrong." Simply because normal tears can't drain as efficiently. Nature isn't malfunctioning. It's working within the design of that particular breed.
Why Certain Breeds Are More Prone
Tear stains are rarely caused by one single factor. They're more like an orchestra. No single instrument creates the music. The violin matters. The piano matters. The drums matter. Together, they create the performance. Tear stains work exactly the same way. Several small factors combine — anatomy, genetics, coat color, hair texture, environmental irritation, seasonal allergies, daily grooming. No single factor tells the whole story. Different breeds simply begin the performance with different instruments.
Meet the Usual Suspects
Not because these breeds are unhealthy. Not because they're poorly bred. Not because their owners are doing anything wrong. Simply because nature gave each one a unique combination of beautiful features... that also happen to make tear stains easier to notice.
The Maltese — The Unofficial Ambassador
If tear stains elected a spokesperson... the Maltese would probably win by a landslide. Poor little dog never asked for the job. Yet nearly every article about tear stains seems to feature a Maltese. Why? Because few breeds combine so many tear stain "ingredients." Snow-white hair. Hair that keeps growing. Large expressive eyes. Compact facial anatomy. Everyday tear overflow becomes highly visible. Here's the important part. The Maltese isn't producing extraordinary tears. They're simply displaying ordinary biology on an extraordinary canvas.
Owner Tip: Keep the hair around the inner corners of the eyes neatly trimmed. Hair doesn't create tears — but it can act like a tiny wick, carrying moisture farther across the face.
The Shih Tzu — The Flat-Faced Charmer
Those soulful eyes are one of the reasons people fall in love with Shih Tzus. They're expressive. Sweet. Almost human. Unfortunately, big beautiful eyes come with more surface exposed to the environment. Combine that with the breed's wonderfully flat face and you've created a drainage system working in a very compact space. Think of trying to fit a garden hose inside a coffee mug. Everything still works. There's simply less room. That's the reality for many brachycephalic breeds.
Owner Tip: Long facial hair may be beautiful, but trimming the hair immediately around the eyes often makes daily maintenance easier by reducing how far tears travel through the coat.
The Bichon Frisé — The Little Snowball
If you've ever hugged a Bichon, you know their coat feels like a cloud. Clouds, however, hold moisture. So does curly hair. Once tears reach those soft curls, they tend to linger longer than on smoother coats. More moisture. More opportunity for porphyrins to oxidize. Over time, potentially darker staining.
Owner Tip: Cleaning is important. Drying afterward is equally important. Moisture loves company — keeping the area dry makes life less welcoming for unwanted yeast and bacteria.
The Pomeranian — Tiny Dog. Huge Personality.
Spend five minutes with a Pomeranian and you'll quickly discover something. Nobody remembered to tell them they're small. Pomeranians carry themselves with the confidence of dogs ten times their size. Their facial anatomy, however, remains wonderfully compact. Small features. Dense facial fur. Tiny drainage pathways. All beautifully packaged into an irresistibly fluffy face. Many owners also notice tear stains fluctuate with the seasons. They're not imagining it. Spring pollen, summer grasses, autumn dust, dry winter air — all can increase eye irritation in sensitive dogs.
Owner Tip: If tear stains become dramatically worse at the same time every year, before blaming the food, take a look outside. Sometimes the answer is literally floating through the air.
The Havanese — The Social Butterfly
If the Havanese had a life motto, it would probably be: "Where are we going...and can I come too?" These cheerful little companions seem to believe that every stranger is simply a friend who hasn't said hello yet. Their warm personalities are matched by equally expressive eyes. Those beautiful eyes, however, come with an interesting trade-off. Long facial hair surrounding relatively large eyes can quietly wick moisture away from the inner corner, allowing tears to travel farther across the face before they evaporate. Think about touching the corner of a paper towel to a drop of water. The water doesn't stay put. It quietly spreads. Hair behaves in much the same way.
Owner Tip: After cleaning the eye area, gently comb the surrounding facial hair away from the inner corners of the eyes. Better airflow helps the fur dry more quickly and can reduce prolonged moisture against the skin.
The Toy & Miniature Poodle — The Little Professor
Poodle owners often joke that they don't own a dog. They own a tiny genius wearing curls. Spend enough time with one and you'll probably agree. They're astonishingly intelligent. They're eager to learn. And somehow they always seem one step ahead of everyone else in the room. Unfortunately... even brilliant dogs can't outsmart anatomy. Toy and Miniature Poodles — especially white, cream, silver, and apricot varieties — may develop tear staining for many of the same reasons as other small companion breeds. Curly facial hair retains moisture differently than straight hair. Light-colored coats make staining easier to notice. And individual differences in tear drainage complete the picture.
Owner Tip: Routine grooming isn't just cosmetic. Keeping the facial hair tidy reduces trapped moisture and makes daily eye cleaning easier for both you and your dog.
The Coton de Tulear — The Cotton Ball That Tells No Lies
The Coton de Tulear earned its name honestly. Its coat really does feel like cotton. Soft. Light. Almost unbelievably fluffy. Unfortunately, cotton is exceptionally good at absorbing moisture. Which means even a small amount of tear overflow becomes surprisingly noticeable. Many first-time owners become discouraged. They shouldn't. The Coton isn't producing unusual tears. It's simply wearing one of the brightest white coats in the canine world.
Owner Tip: Consistency wins. Gentle daily cleaning almost always produces better long-term results than trying to remove a week's worth of staining all at once.
The West Highland White Terrier — Tough Outside, Sensitive Around the Eyes
Westies have enormous confidence packed into a compact body. They'll happily patrol the backyard as though protecting an entire kingdom. Yet beneath that fearless personality lies a breed that can be surprisingly sensitive. Skin sensitivities and seasonal allergies are relatively common in Westies. Those same environmental factors can also contribute to increased tearing. Sometimes the eyes are simply joining the conversation already happening elsewhere on the body.
Owner Tip: If increased tearing appears at the same time as itchy skin, ear irritation, or excessive paw licking, speak with your veterinarian about possible allergies rather than focusing only on the stains themselves.
The Samoyed — The Smiling Snow Cloud
Few dogs attract compliments as effortlessly as the Samoyed. Children smile. Adults stop walking. Complete strangers ask, "Can I pet your dog?" That magnificent white coat has a downside. It reveals everything. Even small amounts of staining appear dramatic against such brilliant fur. Fortunately, because Samoyeds generally have longer muzzles than many toy breeds, facial anatomy is often less of a contributing factor than coat color itself.
Owner Tip: Judge progress over weeks — not days. Taking photographs in the same lighting every couple of weeks often shows improvements that are difficult to notice when you're looking at your dog every single day.
The American Eskimo Dog — White Fur Doesn't Lie
American Eskimo Dogs teach us one important lesson. Visibility is not the same as severity. Because their coats are dazzling white, owners often assume the tear staining must be unusually bad. Many times, it isn't. Imagine placing a tiny ink drop on white paper. Now place that same drop on dark blue paper. The ink hasn't changed. Only the background has. Your dog's coat works exactly the same way.
Owner Tip: Instead of asking "Does it look worse today?" ask "Is my dog comfortable?" Healthy eyes should always be the priority.
The Miniature Schnauzer — The Distinguished Gentleman
If dogs held university lectures... the Miniature Schnauzer would probably be the professor. Those magnificent eyebrows. The distinguished beard. The expression that somehow says, "I've already solved the problem." Ironically, those famous eyebrows can trap moisture near the inner corners of the eyes. Combined with their coarse facial hair, tear staining sometimes appears in slightly different patterns than in smoother-coated breeds.
Owner Tip: Ask your groomer to pay particular attention to the hair immediately around the inner corners of the eyes. Small adjustments often make daily care much easier.
What Every Breed Has in Common
Not one breed developed tear stains because its owner loved it less. Not one breed developed tear stains because someone forgot to clean its face yesterday. Not one breed developed tear stains because it was somehow a "bad" dog. Each breed simply inherited a unique combination of anatomy, coat characteristics, genetics, and environmental sensitivity.
Once we stop looking for someone to blame... we can start looking for solutions that actually fit the dog standing in front of us. Because while you can't change your dog's genetics... you can absolutely change the routine that supports them.
What Actually Helps?
This is the question every owner eventually asks. You've probably heard every answer imaginable. Change the food. Change the water. Use filtered water. Switch bowls. Use wipes. Use powders. Use coconut oil. Someone on social media even swears their dog's tear stains disappeared after changing the direction the food bowl faced. Welcome to the internet.
The problem isn't that people are trying to help. The problem is that they're sharing what worked for their dog as though it must work for every dog. Dogs don't read internet forums. They're wonderfully individual. Which means successful tear stain management usually isn't about finding one magical solution. It's about building a routine.
Think Like a Doctor
Imagine visiting your physician with a recurring symptom. A good doctor doesn't immediately prescribe the most powerful medication available. They ask questions. When did this start? Has anything changed recently? Is it getting better or worse? Good diagnosis comes before good treatment. Dog owners should think exactly the same way. Instead of asking "What's the miracle cure?" try asking "What's contributing to my dog's tear stains?" That one question changes everything.
The Five Foundations of Long-Term Success
- Keeping the eyes comfortable
- Keeping facial fur clean and dry
- Maintaining a balanced diet
- Addressing underlying irritation when necessary
- Supporting daily eye wellness through consistent nutrition
Think of it like brushing your own teeth. You don't brush once and expect perfect teeth forever. You brush every day. Small habits. Repeated consistently. Eventually produce remarkable results.
The Biggest Tear Stain Myths the Internet Still Won't Let Die
The internet is a wonderful place. You can learn how to bake sourdough. Build a treehouse. Teach your dog to ring a bell. Unfortunately, you can also find tear stain advice that has been copied so many times nobody remembers where it came from. Some of it belongs in the same category as rubbing toothpaste on scratches in your car. Let's separate fact from fiction.
Myth #1: "Only white dogs get tear stains."
False. White dogs simply make tear stains easier to see. A black Labrador may produce similar amounts of porphyrins as a Maltese. White fur tells on itself. Dark fur keeps its secrets.
Myth #2: "Tear stains mean my dog is sick."
Usually, no. Most tear stains are cosmetic. However, sudden changes deserve attention. If tearing increases dramatically, only one eye is affected, your dog begins squinting, or the eye becomes painful, that's your dog's way of asking for help.
Myth #3: "There's one miracle product."
If there were, this guide would have been much shorter. The best results usually come from combining several small improvements. Think routine, not rescue mission.
Myth #4: "Filtered water fixes everything."
Some owners report improvement. Others notice none. It's a reasonable, low-risk change. Just don't expect your water filter to become your veterinarian.
Myth #5: "If I clean harder, they'll go away."
Imagine trying to mop the floor while someone continues dripping water from the ceiling. Cleaning removes today's stains. It doesn't stop tomorrow's tears. Gentle daily care almost always outperforms aggressive scrubbing.
Myth #6: "Antibiotics are the answer."
Today, unnecessary antibiotic use is discouraged because it contributes to antibiotic resistance. Healthy eyes deserve thoughtful care.
Myth #7: "Nothing works."
This one makes us the saddest. Don't chase miracles. Build habits. Progress often arrives quietly.
When Should You See Your Veterinarian?
For many dogs, tear stains are simply part of life. But not every watery eye is "just tear stains." Knowing the difference matters.
Call your veterinarian if:
- Only one eye suddenly begins watering
- The eye becomes red or swollen
- Your dog keeps squinting
- There is yellow, green, or thick discharge
- The eye looks cloudy
- Your dog repeatedly rubs their face or paws at the eye
- Tearing suddenly becomes much worse without an obvious reason
- Your dog seems painful or unusually sensitive to light
Tear stains themselves are usually harmless. Eye disease is not. When in doubt, always choose caution. You'll never regret hearing, "Everything looks healthy."
For authoritative veterinary information:
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my dog's tear stains reddish-brown?
The color comes from porphyrins — natural iron-containing compounds found in tears. When exposed to oxygen and light, they oxidize and develop their familiar rust-colored appearance.
Why are some stains dark brown or almost black?
Older staining often accumulates yeast, bacteria, dirt, and environmental debris, making it appear darker than fresh tear staining.
Are tear stains painful?
No. The stains themselves are not painful. However, the condition causing excessive tearing sometimes can be. If your dog seems uncomfortable, consult your veterinarian.
Can puppies develop tear stains?
Yes. Many puppies experience increased tearing while teething. Some improve as they mature. Others continue because of their facial anatomy.
Will changing my dog's food eliminate tear stains?
Sometimes dietary changes help dogs with food sensitivities. Food is one piece of a much larger puzzle.
How long does improvement usually take?
Many owners notice gradual improvement over several weeks once they establish a consistent daily routine. Nature works on her own schedule.
Can tear stains be permanently cured?
For many breeds, no — because anatomy doesn't change. The goal is healthy eyes, comfortable skin, and cleaner facial fur through consistent care.
Our Philosophy at Show Me Plus™ USA
Before we tell you about our product... we'd like to tell you about our philosophy. We don't believe tear stain care starts with hiding the stain. We believe it starts with understanding the dog. Education comes first. Products come second. Because informed owners make better decisions — whether they choose our supplement or not.
Where Show Me Plus™ Eye Vita Fits In
After understanding the science behind tear stains, many owners decide they'd like to support their dog's eye wellness from the inside out. That's exactly why we developed Show Me Plus™ Eye Vita.
Rather than focusing only on cleaning existing stains, Eye Vita was thoughtfully formulated as a daily liquid supplement designed to support normal eye wellness as part of a consistent care routine. No exaggerated promises. No overnight miracles. Just a carefully selected combination of ingredients — including Cassia Seed Extract, Lutein, Bilberry, Omega-3s, and essential B vitamins — intended to complement good nutrition, regular grooming, and thoughtful daily care. Because that's what lasting improvement usually looks like. Not dramatic. Consistent.
One Final Thought
If you've read this far... first, thank you. It tells us something about you. You care. A lot. You aren't looking for shortcuts. You're looking for answers. And your dog is incredibly fortunate because of that.
Tear stains are not a sign you've failed your dog.
Every time you gently wipe beneath those little eyes... every time you choose patience instead of frustration... every time you keep showing up with love, consistency, and care... you're already giving your dog exactly what matters most.
Cleaner fur is wonderful. Healthy eyes are even better. A happy dog who knows they're loved? Nothing will ever top that.
Ready to try Show Me Plus™ Eye Vita? — Just pump and go.
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