Most people have the impression that dogs see the world in grayscale. This idea was first circulated in the 1940s when an optometrist named Gordan Walls published a book about how vertebrates see. In it, he claimed that dogs probably couldn’t see in color at all — and if they could, it was minimal.
Have you ever considered whether the color of the toys you leave for your dog sitter could make a difference in how much your pup wants to play? While we now know that the black-and-white theory doesn’t hold water, you can still be strategic about the colors you choose for your pet’s enrichment!
Understanding Canine Eyes
To understand what dogs see and how they see it, you’ll first need to learn about how a canine’s eyes function. Their eyes, like ours, are composed of photoreceptor cells and glial cells that together make up the retina — the part of the eye that takes the incoming information (the “picture” being seen) and transmits that information to the brain to make sense of it.
Inside the retina are cones. These cones interpret various wavelengths of light, with different wavelengths representing different colors. Dogs have two cones in their eyes, and humans have three. This means that they are missing some tools to interpret certain wavelengths — so there are some colors that dogs don’t realize exist.
So What Can Dogs See?
Dogs have two cones, which allows them to see some color but not all hues. These cones can interpret blue and yellow, but when it comes to red and green, dogs do not have the third cone that humans do to interpret these shades. (In fact, some humans can’t interpret them either; this is called being red-green colorblind.)
This means that a dog’s vision is mostly blue and yellow, and everything else is made of varying shades of gray. But don’t think of this as a sad fate for your pup! Instead, consider it a powerful enrichment tool.
Try throwing a red ball onto the green grass. Your dog will have a harder time using their eyes to find it because everything looks gray, so they’ll need to use their nose!
Other Dog Eyesight Myths
Seeing only in black and white is just one of many myths that people believe about dogs. Some of the other misconceptions you may have heard include:
They Can’t See at Night
When people thought that dogs couldn’t see in color, they assumed that surely they would have poor night vision as a result; after all, the world is mostly black in low light, so how could they see anything?
In reality, dogs have large pupils relative to their eyes, which allows a lot of light in, even in dark places. Additionally, while they may not have as many color-receptive cones, they have more rods than humans do. Rods help differentiate between shades and shadows, so dogs see very well at night!
You may also have noticed that a dog’s eyes look like they glow at night if they catch the light just right. This is caused by the tapetum lucidum — a layer of cells that takes incoming light and reflects it back into the retina, further enhancing how much dogs can see in the dark.
They Can’t Move Their Eyes Very Far
Dogs tend to turn their heads to look at sounds rather than move their eyes, which has given rise to the concept that they can’t move their eyes very far or see anything that is not in front of their face. The truth is that dogs have a peripheral vision of around 260 degrees (compared to humans’ 180 degrees) — so they can see to the sides exceptionally well!
They Aren’t Actually Watching TV
Have you ever noticed your pup staring at the TV alongside you? Many people assume that dogs do this to fit in with their humans rather than to watch the TV itself, but studies indicate this might not be entirely true.
While humans perceive that an image is moving smoothly at 60 frames per second (because this is the “flicker rate” in the human brain), a dog’s brain requires 70 frames per second to create fluidity. If you have a high-resolution screen or an HD TV that can run higher than 60 FPS, you might be capturing their attention with your TV program!
Trust the Pros to Provide Enrichment While You’re Gone
While dogs cannot see every color in the rainbow, it is still fine (and even encouraged) to provide them with toys of all colors and shapes.
However, if you’ve noticed that your pup is less playful with dog sitters or visitors than they are with you, consider using blue or yellow toys that are easier for them to see and play with while you’re gone.
Trust expert dog sitters like the pros at Paw Pals to make sure your dog gets enrichment, even if they can’t see the colors of all their toys! Contact Paw Pals in Northern Virginia to schedule a dog walk, overnight stay, and more for your pup.
