Is It True That Dogs Only See in Black and White? Facts & FAQ
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View 3 More +As children, we’re told things by family members and friends that we instantly believe as fact. Some of these tales reveal themselves over time as falsehoods or stories our parents use to make us listen better.
One of the most common misconceptions people have is about our furry four-legged companion, the dog. People are always asking their veterinarian, neighbor, or even parents if it is true that dogs only see in black and white. For years, that answer was believed to be yes. Most people, even veterinarians, believed dogs could only see black, white, and a few shades of grey. Now, we know better.
Turns out dogs can see certain colors, but not as well as we do. Let’s take a look at the world through a dog’s eyes and learn more about the spectrum of colors they see as they navigate through our lives.
How Colors Are Seen
To understand what a dog is looking at, it’s important to understand how humans and dogs see the colors around them. Both people and dogs see color using specialized photoreceptor cells found in their eyes. Inside the eye’s retina are two types of these cells known as rods and cones. Rods are used to detect motion and light intensity. Cones are used to distinguish between colors. The human eye has three types of cones.
This allows us to recognize the colors red, blue, and green, as well as their combinations. Dogs, however, only have two types of cones. This means they primarily perceive colors along a blue–yellow spectrum, with reds and greens appearing more muted or similar, and is called dichromatic vision.
While dogs may not be able to see all the colors we can, that doesn’t mean they have bad eyesight. On the contrary, a dog’s eye has more rods than the human eye. This gives our pooches an advantage when it comes to seeing in low-light conditions and detecting moving objects.
Understanding Colorblindness
Yes, dogs have a degree of colorblindness, but that doesn’t mean they are completely unable to distinguish colors. Colorblindness is a difference in color perception due to the absence or reduced function of certain cone types in the retina. For humans, these inabilities are known as red-green colorblindness and yellow-blue colorblindness.
Dogs have dichromatic vision similar to red–green color deficiency in humans. If you buy them a new red toy, they may struggle to see it immediately or may run past it. Eventually, however, they will realize it’s there. If the toy is yellow or blue, however, you may notice a completely different reaction from your pup because those colors are more easily distinguished within their visual spectrum.
How Do Dogs See Colors?
You may be wondering if they don’t have access to the full spectrum of colors, and how dogs see the world visually. They may not see colors the same way we do, but they do see something. Remember the new red toy? For a dog, that toy may appear more dark brown or grayish. Other colors like orange and green look yellowish, while purple looks similar to blue.
With dogs having these types of differences in color perception, you may wonder why they still play with the red toy or fetch the green ball. That answer is simple. Dogs don’t necessarily need to see an object’s true color to recognize what it is. Often, a familiar shape is enough to kick in their playful nature, but don’t forget about those incredible noses. If a dog smells its favorite toy, it’ll be ready for a major game of fetch.
A Dog’s Visual Benefits
You may think dogs are at a disadvantage due to their inability to see colors in the same way we do, but this isn’t the case. Our canine pals often have a wider field of view than humans, depending on breed and head shape. Having eyes that are set more to the side of their head, they can see what’s happening around them better than we can. However, breeds with more forward-facing eyes (such as brachycephalic breeds) may have a comparatively narrower field of view but improved binocular vision.
As we mentioned above, dogs have more rods in their eyes. This helps them detect motion and see in dim light better than we can. This is also thanks in part to their tapetum lucidum, a reflective structure behind the retina. Our pup’s pupils can dilate widely. This, along with a reflective layer under their retina, makes them capture more light. This makes moving around in lower light easier for them.
Summary
While the myth of dogs seeing in only black and white may be debunked, pet parents need to understand the range of colors they can see. This can help when selecting items that are more visually distinguishable, such as toys in blue or yellow tones. But even if you don’t choose yellow and blue for everything, rest assured that your furry friend can see colors in some form and relies on multiple senses, including smell and motion detection, to interact with their environment.
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Featured Image Credit: Rebecca Campbell, Unsplash
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Nicole has loved animals of all sizes her whole life so it's no wonder she has dedicated her career to helping them through what she loves best: learning, writing, and sharing knowledge with others. She’s the proud mom of two dogs, a cat, and a human. With a degree in Education and 15+ years of writing experience, Nicole wants to help pet parents and pets around the planet to live happy, safe, and healthy lives.
2 Responses
Will dogs automatically bark at black skinned people
Hello Patricia, thank you for your question. There are many reasons the dogs may bark at a person. These are usually unfamiliarity, body language, scent or these reasons can be also visual. So if your dog is barking at the dark-skinned person, it may be either because of a new scent or, as claimed by some sources, because dogs may perceive dark-colored animals (and humans) as a bigger threat. This is, however, just an assumption.
