A dog’s-eye view of the world looks like shades of gray
Our brains and eyes process light into color, allowing us to take in shades of the rainbow. Our furry friends, however, do not see quite like we do.
When you’re out for a stroll with your dog, you may notice the world’s distinct colors: the bright green grass, light blue sky and blazing yellow sun. But what does that view look like to a dog?
It is widely believed dogs see in black and white, and for years, this idea was accepted as fact. Recent studies have shed doubt on that, however, offering a different view on what dogs can see.
Can dogs see color?
The retina uses 'cones,' a specific type of photoreceptor, to differentiate color, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Human eyes have three types of cones: red-sensing, green-sensing and blue-sensing.
Dogs, on the other hand, only have two types of cones, allowing them to detect blue and yellow, VCA Animal Hospitals says. A dog’s limited color perception is classified as 'dichromatic vision.'
What colors can dogs see?
Dogs do not have red-sensing cones, so their sight is similar to that of someone with red-green color blindness, according to research by Jay Neitz, a professor of ophthalmology and a color vision researcher at the University of Washington.
A human with red-green color blindness will mistake one color for another. For example, black might be perceived as a shade of red, while bright green could be identified as yellow, Healthline says.
For dogs, this is similar. Most of their worldview is grayish-brown, according to the American Kennel Club. A red rubber ball may be brown through a dog’s eyes. Your pup’s favorite green dinosaur plush could appear yellowish to them.
Other differences between us
Humans and dogs have other vision differences beyond seeing contrasting colors, VCA Animal Hospitals says.
Dogs are more near-sighted than humans. If you and your dog are looking at a tree from the same distance, it may appear blurrier to them. Dogs also have better peripheral vision, but their depth perception has a smaller range, according to VCA Animal Hospitals.
Dogs also are less sensitive to changes in brightness, so what you see as a distinct shade will be muted to your pup.
