Your dog can see in color, just not how you do. Here’s what dog owners should know.
For years, we believed that dogs only saw in black and white. However, new research suggests that dogs see colors, just not in the way humans do. While humans can see a wide range of colors on the spectrum, your dog’s color vision is limited to only a few colors.
A dog’s view of the color world (Trusted Source) is more muted than ours. Some studies indicate their vision might be similar to someone who’s colorblind. Dogs have dichromatic vision, (Trusted Source) which means colors like red and orange appear in different shades of yellow, and colors like blue-green and violet appear in different saturations of blue.
While humans can see the full spectrum of vibrant colors, dogs see only shades limited to blues and yellows. For example, to a dog, red may look dark brown-gray, while shades of orange and green all look similar to shades of yellow. If your dog struggles to find a red or green ball in the grass, this is why.
Humans and animals have specialized retina color receptor cells called cones, and any animal with cones (Trusted Source) can see some colors. When incoming light and stimuli trigger these cone cells, they send signals to the brain that allow for the perception of color. While human eyes have three types of cones — red, blue, and yellow — dogs’ eyes only have blue and yellow, making red, green, and orange all appear the same.
Dogs also have more rods than humans, another part of the retina, allowing them to see better in dim lighting. Your dog may notice a bird flying or a small animal running, even at night when we can’t see it.
Many dog toys come in bright red, which your dog likely has trouble seeing because it blends in with the grass. If you want to ensure your dog can see their new toy — especially outside — go with something blue or yellow instead.
Here are some blue and yellow toys for all types and sizes of dogs:
While breed does not impact if a dog can see in color, it does affect their vision. The location of dogs’ eyes impacts how much and where their vision focuses. The average dog has a field of vision of 250 degrees, brachycephalic breeds with 220 degrees, and sighthounds with roughly 270 degrees.
Breeds with narrower faces and longer noses, like greyhounds, have a broad field of vision with extensive peripheral vision. Brachycephalic breeds, like pugs with shorter faces and eyes near the sides of their heads, have a field of vision that allows them to focus on what’s in front of them rather than their peripherals.
Dogs can see in the dark due to the higher number of rods in their retina than humans.
Dogs see in color. However, their color spectrum is limited to varying shades of yellows and blues.
A dog’s vision usually allows them to see in 20/75, versus humans, which typically have 20/20. Some dogs have better visual acuity than others, which may be closer to a human’s.
Dogs see a range of browns, yellows, and blues when they look at humans. They may also pay attention to your eyes and facial expressions.
Dogs see blues, purples, and yellows best.
