Canine melanoma is a relatively common and clinically significant neoplasm in veterinary oncology, with important prognostic implications. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), associated with changes in cell adhesion and increased metastatic potential, remains poorly characterized in this tumor type. We evaluated E-cadherin and N-cadherin expression in 32 primary canine melanomas and their regional lymph nodes, assessing associations with tumor progression and survival. Regional lymph node metastases were observed in 53% of cases. High N-cadherin expression in primary tumors correlated with metastasis and reduced survival, while E-cadherin expression showed no difference between metastatic and non-metastatic tumors. Notably, metastatic primary tumors exhibited a positive correlation between E- and N-cadherin expression. These results indicate that N-cadherin is a potential prognostic marker; and highlight the need for further studies on EMT as a therapeutic target to control metastasis.