About Color Vision in Dogs

Eyes of both people and dogs have cones and rods, with rods more important for night vision, and cones more receptive to bright light and color. Most people have three types of cones, which allow them to see all the colors of the electromagnetic spectrum. However, some people only have two types and see fewer colors, and are commonly referred to as "colorblind." This is the type of vision dogs have.

Dichromatic Vision

From research by perception psychologists, scientists theorize that dogs mainly see in yellows and blues, along with white, black and gray. This type of vision is called dichromatic.

Specifics

Dogs most likely see shades of red and green as different shades of gray, perhaps yellowish or brownish, or even white or black depending on how light or dark the color is.

Features

Fewer cones also means the color vision of dogs is not as intense, and some colors blend. Orange is probably seen as yellow, and blue-green as gray.

Expert Insight

Studies such as one published in a 1989 issue of Vision Neuroscience research behavior discrimination in dogs to confirm dichromatic vision. Researchers trained dogs to choose the one different color in a group of three lights, rewarding the dogs with a treat when they chose correctly.

Considerations

Dichromatic dog vision makes it especially clear that different-colored dog treats and certain colors of toys are designed to attract people, not dogs.

References

• Can Dogs See Colors? by Psychology Today
• Vision Neuroscience study

Resources

• How Colors Look to Dogs