by Linda Goodman …
First the science bit. Whilst we humans have three types of cones in our eyes, our canine friends only have two, that’s about 20% of the cones in human eyes. It’s the cones that allow us to see colour. So, dogs have what is called dichromatic vision, which is a bit like humans who have red-green colour blindness.
Now, while humans have more cones allowing us to see more colours, dogs have more rods, which gives them the edge over us when it comes to seeing in dim light and detecting movement because rods cells in their retinas are what’s responsible for identifying moving objects. They also have larger pupils than us, which enhances their night vision. It’s also the reason that dogs eyes can appear to glow in the dark or when you take a picture of them using a flash. There has even been some research which suggests that dogs could also be able to perceive ultraviolet light.
But back to the colours dogs can see. Dichromatic vision means a dog has a limited colour spectrum and can only see shades of grey, brown, yellow, and blue. For example, reds and oranges may appear as a shade of yellow whereas greens may even appear white. They may also struggle to discern different hues of the same colour such as light blue and dark blue.
Another interesting fact about canine vision is that their visual sharpness is believed to be 50% less than ours, which is why they rely so strongly on their sense of hearing and smell. It is believed that most dogs have 20/75 vision as opposed to our 20/20 vision. This makes them near-sighted which means they can see objects up close better than those further away.
In daylight, things look blurrier to dogs because their visual sharpness is 50 percent less than a human’s. And did you know that dogs are also near-sighted? This means they see objects that are up closer to them a lot better than those that are further away. Luckily dogs have a heightened sense of smell and hearing and rely heavily on these for perception.
When it comes to the accessories we choose for our dogs to wear like collars, leads, harnesses, coats, and jumpers, we choose these because we like them. A dog doesn’t care about the colours we choose for those things. But when it comes to training and playing, colour matters. For example, your dog may struggle to make out a red ball on green grass, but would be able to see a blue or yellow ball. They are also more likely to be attracted to toys that are blue or yellow. So, if you’ve ever seen your dog struggling to find a toy it might be down to them not seeing that toy clearly, rather than lack of interest.
When making choices for your dog, it’s important to understand how they see and experience the world around them in order to meet their needs. So, the next time you’re choosing a dog bowl or new toy for your best friend, make life easier for them by considering something blue or yellow!
WOOFABILITY 