Dogs can see some colors, but not the same spectrum of colors that humans can see. Dogs have only two types of cones in their eyes, which means they can only discern blue and yellow. As a result, dogs are red-green color blind, which means they cant distinguish between those two colors. Because dogs have fewer cones in their eyes, they cant see the same spectrum of colors that humans can see, nor can they see them as brightly as humans do. Here are some key points about how dogs see colors:
- Dogs can distinguish yellow and blue from green, which may explain why they prefer blue and yellow toys over toys of different colors.
- Dogs color spectrum is limited to shades of gray, brown, yellow, and blue. This is called dichromatic vision, which is similar to humans who experience red-green color blindness.
- Some colors, like hues of red and orange, may show up as another color to dogs, like yellow. Greens may appear white, and dogs may also struggle to notice the difference between hues of the same color, like light blue and dark blue.
- Dogs perception of color will be limited when compared to humans. Research leads us to believe that dogs see the world through a unique color spectrum, with yellow and blue being dominant colors in dog color vision. Blue, blue-green, and violet look like varying shades of blue to dogs.
In summary, dogs can see some colors, but their color vision is limited compared to humans. Dogs have only two types of cones in their eyes, which means they can only discern blue and yellow, and they are red-green color blind.