What Colors Can Dogs See? (2024 Guide) (2024)

Pet parents often become so close with their dogs that they may start to wonder about their thoughts, emotions and capabilities. They may question what their dog dreams about or if their dog loves them, too. They might also wonder if their dog can see the world as we humans do.

A dog’s eye functions similarly to a human’s—but there are some differences. Both canine and human eyes are made up of cones and rods (photoreceptors). Cones aid in color differentiation while rods help with motion and night vision.

Although dogs have more rods in their eyes, humans have more cones. We have three types of cones, whereas dogs have two. Our three cones enable us to see more colors than dogs.

“Dogs have better night vision than we do because they’re designed for hunting at night. They have more rods [in their eyes than we do]…and they have something called a tapetum lucidum in the back of the eye that helps with low-light situations,” says Dr. Lawrence Putter, D.V.M., a veterinarian and owner of Lenox Hill Veterinarians in New York City.

Can Dogs See Color?

Yes, dogs can see color. Historically, it was believed that dogs saw the world in black and white. However, science has since proven that dogs can see some colors, although not as many as humans.

What Colors Do Dogs See?

Dogs can see blue, yellow, and various shades of gray, since they have two types of cones that correspond with blue and yellow. Humans can see more colors because we have three types of cones in our eyes that coordinate with red, blue and green color combinations.

“Red and green colors would come up as maybe a gray or brown shade [to your dog],” Putter says.

This is ironic considering that many dog toys tend to come in shades of bright red, orange and green—all colors that dogs can’t see. “Throwing a yellow or blue ball that’s actually seen better by dogs is [more effective],” Putter adds.

Are Dogs Color Blind?

It’s a popular myth that dogs are fully color blind. They can see some colors, just not all of them. In this respect, they would be considered red-green color blind, which is also the most common form of color blindness in humans.

“People with [this type of] color blindness can’t differentiate red and green colors. Dogs have the same deficit. They wouldn’t be able to look at a green light and think, ‘Oh, that’s a green light.” Just like a color blind person,” Putter explains.

Causes of Color Blindness In Dogs

All dogs are born technically color blind, with the inability to see red and green colors. Canines are biologically limited to seeing the world in blue, yellow, brown and gray due to the limited number of cones in their eyes, compared to humans.

What Colors Do Dogs See Compared to Humans?

Dogs can see blue, yellow, and various shades of gray. Humans can see about 1 million different colors due to the three types of cones in our eyes, with each cone detecting around 100 different shades of color.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Dog Vision