Can dogs see colors? For a long time it was thought that dogs couldn’t see colors — just black, white and shades of gray. But we now know that, yes, your canine companion does see color, just not in the same way that people with normal color vision do. The colors that dogs can see are closer to what people with red-green color blindness see, and the vibrancy of the colors is also limited.
The Science Behind Dog Vision
Let’s start with the anatomy of dogs’ eyes and why they can see color. The retina, or the tissue lining the back of the eye, is where color perception begins. The retina has two main types of cells (called photoreceptors) that sense light:
- Cones, which function in bright light, are sensitive to different wavelengths of light (colors) and give the ability to see fine detail.
- Rods, which detect light levels (brightness or dimness) and motion.
Dog Vision Compared to Human Vision
Human eyes have three types of cones, each sensitive to different light wavelengths — red, green and blue. The combined activity of the red, green and blue cones in human eyes is what gives most people the ability to see a full color spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. In contrast, dog eyes — like those of many other mammals — possess only two types of cones, those that are sensitive to blue and those that pick up yellow-green. This is called dichromatic vision. Human eyes typically have more cones than dog eyes, which suggests that a dog’s vision may not be as rich or intense as human color vision. Cats’ eyes also have fewer cones than humans, but cats can see some colors.
Here are some other dog vision facts: Most dogs can see close objects better than objects that are far away (they’re nearsighted). Your canine companion has the ability to see much better than you in dim-light conditions and is better at detecting motion. Dogs have greater peripheral vision than people and can see about 250 degrees compared to our 180. If you’re wondering, “Does breed affect a dog’s vision?,” there are genetic differences. For example, some breeds have narrower or wider peripheral vision and some breeds are more prone to eye conditions.
What Colors Can Dogs See?
Scientists believe a dog’s color vision is roughly similar to the vision of people with red-green color blindness since they, too, have cones with only two photopigments. So, while people with full color vision see a rainbow of colors, dogs can identify only combinations of dark and light yellow and blue, and also see grayish brown and grayish yellow. However, unlike people, dogs can see the type B ultraviolet (UVB) spectrum, meaning some colors, like white, may fluoresce for them.
What Colors Do Dogs See Best?
Because dogs see color similar to how people with red-green color blindness see color, they have trouble distinguishing shades of red and green. But they are able to discern gray, brown, yellow and blue. So now you know why dogs may have more fun chasing after dog toys of bright blue and yellow hues (tennis balls!), and may have trouble finding a red ball on green grass. A yellow or blue ball is simply easier for your dog to see than a red or orange ball.
Dog Color Blindness — What Colors Can Dogs Not See?
Because dogs have dichromatic vision and possess only two types of cones, those that are sensitive to blue and yellow-green, they can’t see red and green like we do. Shades of red or green will look brown or gray to them.
What Colors Can Dogs See in the Dark?
Dogs don’t have true night vision, but they can see significantly better in dim light conditions than humans. Dogs may have fewer cones in their eyes than humans, but dogs’ eyes have more rods, which gives them an advantage when it comes to seeing in low light or quickly identifying very small movements over a wider field. Like us, they can still see color in low-light conditions; the color just isn’t as bright.
Dogs are able to see better in low-light conditions than people due to pupils that dilate wider to let in more light, and a reflective membrane behind the retina, called the tapetum lucidum. This layer of highly reflective cells reflects light back to the retina, enhancing a dog’s low-light vision. The glow you see in a dog’s eyes in the dark is a result of this reflective layer and how it interacts with incoming light.
When Can Puppies Start to See?
Puppies are born blind and deaf. Keeping their eyelids closed protects their delicate eyes, which aren’t quite done developing. A pup’s eyelids will open when they are about 2–3 weeks old, but their eyes still aren’t completely developed by then, so the world looks a little fuzzy to them.
Dog Vision is Unique
From eye anatomy to the colors they can see, dog vision differs from human vision in a number of ways. While some facts are more obvious than others, all of the information above can help pet owners gain a better understanding of their canine companions.
