Can Dogs See Color?
Dogs can see color—contrary to what we once thought. Although they don’t see in black and white, they also don’t see the same colors as humans.
What Colors Do Dogs See?
Dogs’ eyes only have 2 types of cones (just 20 percent of the cones in human eyes). Because of this, a dog’s 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 brown. Greens may appear blue.
Dogs may also struggle to notice the difference between hues of the same color, like light blue and dark blue.
Keep this in mind if your dog struggles to find toys or treats. It’s not that he’s not interested—he likely can’t see what you’re trying to give him.
The next time you’re shopping for dog toys, try something blue or yellow that will stand out better for your dog.