This browser is not actively supported anymore. For the best passle experience, we strongly recommend you upgrade your browser.
| 1 minute read

Can dogs see color? The truth behind your pet's eyesight.

When I take my dog Luna out for a walk, or a nice nature hike, I would like to think she can see the same things that I do. The green grass, the colored flowers, the blue sky. But the truth is that she cannot.

A dog's eyes don't process colors the same way that a human's do. Our retina uses "cones," a specific type of photoreceptor, to differentiate color, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Human eyes have three types of cones: red-sensing, green-sensing and blue-sensing.  

Dogs, on the other hand, only have two types of cones in their eyes, allowing them to detect blue and yellow. Most of their worldview is grayish-brown, according to the American Kennel Club. A red rubber ball may be brown through a dog's eyes. Your pup's favorite green dinosaur plush could appear yellowish to them.

Beyond just the color of things, dogs and humans also see the world differently. Dogs are more near-sighted than humans. If you and your dog are looking at a tree from the same distance, it may appear blurrier to them. Dogs also have better peripheral vision, but their depth perception has a smaller range.

So, while you and your pup may see the same things, you are not experiencing the world the same way.

Read the full story for more

Dogs only have two types of cones in their eyes allowing them to detect blue and yellow. A dog's limited color perception is classified as "dichromatic vision.

Tags

dog, eyes, health, nature, english, highlight

Creating, sharing and inspiring change. For good.

The global issues we face are challenging and interconnected. They can seem insurmountable. But if you know where to look, co-operation, positive change and hope are all around us. Build Beyond Even Better is a project that recognises the progress being made, and the amazing people who are making a difference. Share your own hopes, pledges and projects with #BBEB, or become a contributor.

Please read our BBEB Charter PDF.