What Colors Can Dogs See?

 Have you ever wondered what the world looks like through your dog's eyes? With their exceptional sense of smell and superior hearing, dogs experience the world differently than humans do. But when it comes to colour vision, dogs do not see the same vibrant, colourful world that we see.

Dogs are essentially red-green colourblind. They have only two types of colour cones in their eyes, compared to three in human eyes. This means they can distinguish between blue, yellow, and grey shades, but reds, greens, and oranges appear more muted or even greyish to dogs. Understanding dog colour vision gives us insight into how our canine companions perceive and interact with their environment.

Dog Vision and Color Perception

The human eye contains three types of colour photoreceptor cones that enable us to see the full spectrum of colours - red, green, and blue. Dogs, on the other hand, have only two types of colour cones - blue and yellow. This means they see a more limited colour palette.

Dog vision is still quite sharp in dim light. Their retina has a high density of rod cells, which lets them see contrasts and movement clearly. But the lack of red-detecting cones explains why red toys or red balls do not stand out vividly against green grass to dogs as they do to humans.

Several studies have tested how dogs distinguish between colours. Research indicates dogs see best in the blue-violet and yellow-green spectrum. Blues and yellows stand out to dogs the most, while red and green appear more neutral. Dogs are also less adept at making out variations of colour in the orange-red-green range.

Implications of Dichromatic Vision in Dogs

The implications of dichromatic colour vision mean dogs see the world in less vibrant, saturated hues than humans. Their vision spectrum is similar to red-green colour blindness in humans.

This means dogs:

• Have difficulty distinguishing between red, green, brown, and orange objects
• See less richness and variation in coloured textures and surfaces
• Are more attuned to contrast and brightness than the subtle differences in certain colours
• May have trouble finding toys or treats on green grass
• Won't be attracted to red lights the way humans are

How Dogs Identify Objects

Since certain colours appear duller to dogs, they rely more on object shape, brightness, and contrast rather than colour to identify things. The movement also grabs a dog's attention and enables identification.

Dogs depend primarily on their excellent sense of smell to gather information from their surroundings. Their powerful ability to detect scents and pheromones provides dogs with a detailed understanding of the world around them.

Dogs also use other visual cues like texture, patterns, and outlines - not just colour alone - to distinguish objects, people, and places. Their vision is fine-tuned for movement detection which helps ancestral dogs spot prey and threats.

Should You Choose Dog Toys Based on Color?

Dog toys come in a huge range of bright colours today, but dogs do not perceive all these colours in the same vivid way we do. However, certain colours will still stand out more to your dog.

Studies show dogs see yellow, blue, white and grey objects more clearly. Green and red toys look more similar or dull to a dog. A blue or yellow ball is more visible on grass compared to a red one.

Instead of colour alone, consider:

• Contrast - Will the toy show up against the background?
• Brightness and texture - Highly saturated and reflective colours attract more attention based on intensity rather than just the colour itself.
• Movement - Dogs instinctively chase and catch moving objects, so toys that bounce, wobble, light up, make sounds etc. will be more fun and engaging.

Training Cues and Commands

Humans rely heavily on colour cues in training, but dogs learn just as well with other sensory inputs. Hand signals, voice commands, sounds, textures, smells, and body language communicate more to dogs than just object colour.

Use verbal praise, repetition, consistency, physical guidance and rewards like treats to teach your dog the meaning of cues. Colour can be used as an addition but is not essential for dogs to learn commands.

Fun Facts About Dog Vision

• Young puppies are born colourblind - they start seeing some colour at around 5 weeks old. Full adult colour vision develops by 8 weeks.
• Dog's colour vision may decline with old age and cataracts.
• Certain breeds like Australian Shepherds and Border Collies may have a mutation that makes them tetrachromats - allowing them to see some red tones!
• Dogs do see shades of black, white and grey very well.
• Retinal ganglion cells in dogs' eyes enable them to see some ultraviolet light - invisible to humans!

The Takeaway

So while dogs may not see all the vibrant hues of the rainbow, they rely on their other sharp senses to identify and understand the environment around them. Their vision is adapted for motion detection, tracking movement, seeing in low light, and viewing contrasts. And what dogs lack in colour perception, they make up for with their superior ability to smell, hear, touch, and taste the world.

References:

Colour Vision in Dogs - VCA Hospitals

Dog Vision: How Dogs See The World - AKC

Dogs and Color Vision - Psychology Today

Are Dogs Color Blind? The Color Vision of Dogs - Pawded In