What Colors Can Dogs See?

Dogs are truly magnificent puzzles with amazing capabilities we humans try to understand. While we tend to focus on a dog’s incredible scenting abilities, we rarely discuss a dog’s vision.

Are dogs colorblind? Do dogs see colors differently than humans? What colors can dogs see? We answer your questions below.

Blues, Yellows and Grays

Decades ago, scientists believed dogs were colorblind. It was assumed dogs saw the world in shades of gray and white, but we know differently now.

Recent studies have discovered that dogs see colors in variations of blues, yellows and grays. This type of color vision is referred to as dichromacy.

Dichromacy means dogs can match any color they see with a mixture of no more than two pure spectral lights (Wikipedia, 2017). In contrast, humans have three color receptors, so we’re able to see a full spectrum of colors. Dogs only have two. They’re missing the red/green receptor. Other mammals are dichromats too, such as horses and cats.

What Does This Mean?

This means dogs see the world in different colors than humans. Next time your dog runs past a bright red toy sitting on top of vivid green grass, remember your dog sees various shades of yellow. This applies to a yellow tennis ball on your lawn too. When your dog is looking for his yellow tennis ball on green grass, he sees shades of light yellow.

The best color for dog toys is blue, especially if it’s for outdoor play. Have you ever noticed dog agility equipment is usually blue and yellow? They’re marked in medium blue and yellow colors, so dogs can see the obstacles.

Dogs See Better at Night Than Humans

While dogs can’t see all the colors of the rainbow, they can see much better at night than humans. Dogs have a mirror-like structure in the back of the eye that reflects light called a tapetum. This structure bounces the light waves back at the retina a second time, increasing the retina’s chance to collect the light (How well do dogs see, 2009). Next time you take a photo of your dog, and his eyes glow, remember it’s the tapetum. 🙂