Have you ever wondered how dogs see ? We’ve already talked about dog myths and we’ve debunked some, like the one that says that each human year is equivalent to seven dog years, but this time it’s the turn of canine vision , since it’s common to think that dogs see in black and white (or only distinguish shades of gray ). Although their color vision is somewhat limited and different from ours, they do see color , so if you take a look at the world through their eyes you’ll get a clear view of how they perceive the world .

canine vision guide how dogs see color white black day night
If for us the most important sense is sight, for dogs it is smell. Vision is less important for them, but how do dogs really see the world? Do they have a sense of sight comparable to ours? There are numerous studies and articles on this subject, but to avoid getting bogged down in technical information, we have written this guide with the most important points you should know about dog vision.

Learn how dogs see and the differences with humans

#1 They distinguish colors in a different way than we do

As humans, we see the world in color because we have three types of color receptor cells (called cones , which are responsible for the color spectrum that we are able to distinguish) in our eyes . These cells are individually sensitive to red, green, and blue colors and to the different intensities and spectrums of these colors. The eyes collect this information and send it to the brain to create the colorful world that we all know.

Dogs have two types of color receptors (instead of the three we have). Because they only have two types of these cells, they cannot perceive some color combinations like we do , since they are not able to distinguish between red and green shades. In short, they see everything in shades of yellow .

#2 They see much better than us in the dark

Although they have one less type of cone cells, they have many more rods , which are the receptors responsible for the sensitivity of vision in low-light conditions. In addition, their vision has something that we do not have, a layer called the tapetum lucidum that acts as a mirror to reflect light rays , increasing the effectiveness of the receptors. This membrane is the reason why whenever you take photos of your dog in dark places, his eyes shine (it was not that he was possessed).

“Dogs are able to distinguish objects better in dark conditions, specifically between 4 and 5 times better than people. Their eyesight is more sensitive, so their night vision is much better than ours.”

#3 They have a vision prepared to detect movement

Dogs beat us hands down at motion perception . We are morons at detecting movement compared to their enormous ability. It is even believed that dogs visually identify people by the way they move, rather than by their appearance, color, or clothing. They rely far more on their ability to detect movement patterns than anything else.

In addition to having many more rods, which are also responsible for motion detection, the rate at which they capture and process images is higher than ours . It’s the same concept as with super-fast cameras: they process more images per second than our eyesight, so you can play them back and it looks like the sequence is in slow motion .

“Dogs seem to see in slow motion, and this makes them much more effective at calculating the distances of moving objects to, for example, catch a Frisbee or a ball, which makes them worthy playmates.”

#4 They have a wider viewing angle and a shorter total distance

A dog’s vision reaches a shorter distance than a person’s , about four times less. That is, if our visual acuity allows us to distinguish an object perfectly at 100 meters, they need it to be 25 meters away to distinguish it in the same way.

However, their visual acuity increases greatly if the object in question is moving . In that case, the distance at which they can detect it is much greater. They have their vision super prepared to perceive movement, as we said in point 3, and this also affects their visual acuity.

Something you should keep in mind is that they have more difficulty seeing nearby objects . If you can focus on objects up to 6 centimeters away from your eyes, dogs need a distance of about 30 centimeters . They have a hard time focusing on something that is closer.

And as for the angle of vision , the dog’s is about 250º, much higher than the approximately 180º that we humans enjoy.

#5 They can watch TV and change channels

We all know that a movie is nothing more than a sequence of images , passed quickly so that we don’t realize that they are single photos. Because of our visual abilities, humans need a certain number of images to pass through each second to perceive them as a continuous sequence , like in a movie. Dogs, on the other hand, need a greater number of images per second to perceive them as a sequence.

When we watch a film, dogs’ eyes are quicker than ours and they see “white spots” between each frame. They won’t see a sequence, they’ll see a kind of slideshow . In fact, a researcher at the University of Central Lancashire has found that dogs watch television and has found out which content they prefer. She has also designed a remote control for them.

See the world through your pet’s eyes

The vision of a dog and that of a human being is very different, adapted to the needs of each one . However, it must be remembered that the main and most developed sense of dogs is smell, so although it is not their main organ, it can be said that dogs have excellent vision . We hope that this article has helped you to better understand the way dogs see our world.

Your turn! What did you think of the guide to understanding how dogs see ? Do you have anything to add? Let us know by leaving a comment below. We will be happy to answer it and clarify any doubts or questions. If you found this article useful, do not hesitate to share it on your social networks.