Are Dogs Color Blind?

‘Are dogs color blind?’ is a question which strikes the mind of every canine owner. We must understand that the canines perceive the world in a very different way compared to human beings due to varied reasons. 

What may seem to be a ‘fire hydrant’ to us, it is not the same for dogs. They witness it as a ‘can’t-miss communication center.' Yet, there's a lot in common among humans and dogs and that includes Color.

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Are dogs color blind? Let’s answer this question.

Do you know human beings hold three kinds of cones within their eyes and specific sort of cones are drafted to differentiate specific wavelengths of light?  When we bring these three kinds of cones together, they allow the flesh and blood human to distinguish between one million colors or probably more.  On the contrary, Canines and varied mammals are dichromats which depict that they imbibe only two kinds of cones. But that does not denote that they see the world as black and white. It just portrays that they can differentiate and comprehend only fewer colors. Your dog can, however, watch around ten thousand colors still, so you need not worry much about him!

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Color vision is possible due to specialized types of photoreceptor cells in the retina known as cones. When these cells are stimulated, they transmit a unique signal to the brain, which is seen as a specific color. Humans possess three kinds of cones.  On the other hand, dogs possess two sorts of cones. Thus, their ability to perceive colors is limited as compared to humans.

You must also know that your dog’s vision is alike to that of human beings with ‘red and green colorblindness.' Dogs can decode colors of shorter wavelengths with high ease. However, canines may face problems with longer wavelengths. There is a possibility that they may witness a spectrum of colors but might blend shades of green and red or those with red or green elements. They are seen as interpreting color red as dark brown since they are not able to differentiate it. 

You must also know that a dog’s color sight interprets yellow, green or orange objects in various shades of yellow or yellow-brown.  Purple color that has red and blue looks more like pure blue to canines as they can't interpret the red component. The blue and green hue of oceans and other water bodies most probably appears to your dog in varied shades of gray.

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So now, if you are in a dilemma that dogs can see color, the answers to this is ‘YES.' Though their vision abilities are mostly distinct from human beings and they ought to see better in low-light settings. The world of sight is experienced by canines in a much alike way to their best friends that is humans!

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