How many have heard that Dogs don`t see in color,but see only in black & white? Do you believe this to be true

Answer 1

Owners who want to better understand their canine companions must recognize that dogs
see the world from a different visual perspective. The differences begin with the structure of
the eye. "We have a good idea what canines see because we know the make-up of the
retina of a dog's eye," says Dr. Ralph Hamor, a veterinarian and specialist in ophthalmology
at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital.

The retina, which covers the back of the inside of the eyeball, contains cones and rods-two
types of light-sensitive cells. Cones provide color perception and detailed sight, while rods
detect motion and vision in dim light. Dogs, which have rod-dominated retinas, see better in
the dark than humans do and have motion-oriented vision. However, because they have
only about one-tenth the concentration of cones that humans have, dogs do not see colors
as humans do.

"I generally explain that dogs see like a color-blind human," says Dr. Hamor. "Many people
think that a person who is red/green color blind cannot see any color, but there are
variations of being color blind. Most people have vision that is trichromatic (three color
variations). People who are red/green color blind are dichromatic (two color variations).
Dogs can pick out two colors-blue-violet and yellow-and they can differentiate among
shades of gray." Dogs are unable to distinguish among green, yellow, orange, and red. They
also have difficulty differentiating greens and grays.

Dogs use other cues (such as smell, texture, brightness, and position) rather than rely on
color. Seeing-eye dogs, for example, may not distinguish whether a stoplight is green or
red; they look at the brightness and position of the light. This and the flow and noise of
traffic will tell the dog that it is the right time to cross the street.

The set of dog's eyes determines the amount of field of view and depth perception. Prey
species tend to have eyes set on the sides of their head because the increased field of view
allows them to see approaching predators. Predator species, like humans and dogs, have
eyes set closer together. "Human eyes are set straight forward while dog eyes, depending
on the breed, are usually set at a 20 degree angle. This angle increases the field of view and
therefore the peripheral vision of the dog."

However, this increased peripheral vision compromises the amount of binocular vision.
Where the field of view of each eye overlaps, we have binocular vision, which gives us
depth perception. The wider-set eyes of dogs have less overlap and less binocular vision.
Dogs' depth perception is best when they look straight ahead, but is blocked by their noses
at certain angles. "Predators need binocular vision as a survival tool," Dr. Hamor says.
Binocular vision aids in jumping, leaping, catching, and many other activities fundamental to
predators.

In addition to having less binocular vision than humans, dogs also have less visual acuity.
Humans with perfect eyesight are said to have 20/20 vision-we can distinguish letters or
objects at a distance of 20 feet. Dogs typically have 20/75 vision-they must be 20 feet from
an object to see it as well as a human standing 75 feet away. Certain breeds have better
acuity. Labradors, commonly used as seeing-eye dogs, have been bred for better eyesight
and may have closer to 20/20 vision.

Don't expect your dog to recognize you across the field by sight. He'll recognize you when
you do some sort of motion particular to yourself or by smell or hearing. Because of the
number of rods in the retina, dogs see moving objects much better than they do stationary
objects. Motion sensitivity has been noted as the critical aspect of canine vision. "So much
of dog behavior deals with posture and appropriateness. Small changes in your body
posture mean a lot to your dog," Dr. Hamor adds. Dog owners need to modify training
based on this fact. If you want your dog to perform an action based on a silent cue from
you, Dr. Hamor suggests using a wide sweeping motion to cue your dog.

When dogs go blind, owners often wonder if the dogs' quality of life has diminished to the
point where they are no longer happy. "We know that humans deal well with being blind,
and humans are much more dependent on their eyes than are dogs," Dr. Hamor says. "Blind
dogs lead happy lives if they are comfortable." The owner may need to make some
adjustments in the pet's environment, such as having a fenced yard, taking leashed walks,
and not leaving unusual objects in normal pathways. "When blind dogs are in their normal
environment, most people don't know they are blind." When clients visit Dr. Hamor asking
about quality of life for their newly blind dog, Dr. Hamor suggests that they take a month to
see if they and their dog are happy. In the majority of cases, the owners never come back.

For further information on dog vision and problems with your dog's eyes, contact your local
veterinarian.

Hope this article helps!

Answer 2

Seems like everyone has their own opinions. As for me well to be honest I honestly do not know. But what I do know is all my dog does to tell me. He has 2 toys of the same and he will only play with one of them no matter how we mix them up. I've also heard that other dogs will only eat treats out of a certain color treat bag. Mind you these are small dogs that I've come in contact with. So I'd say if you really want to know become an eye doctor or a vet, but again you will form your own opinion as do ER docs. ( you can get 2 or 3 diff answers from the same profession doc) U DECIDE. :-)

Answer 3

From Dr. Ralph Hamor, a veterinarian and specialist in ophthalmology at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine :

"I generally explain that dogs see like a color-blind human. Many people think that a person who is red/green color blind cannot see any color, but there are variations of being color blind. Most people have vision that is trichromatic (three color variations). People who are red/green color blind are dichromatic (two color variations).

Dogs can pick out two colors-blue-violet and yellow-and they can differentiate among shades of gray." Dogs are unable to distinguish among green, yellow, orange, and red. They also have difficulty differentiating greens and grays.

Dogs use other cues (such as smell, texture, brightness, and position) rather than rely on color. Seeing-eye dogs, for example, may not distinguish whether a stoplight is green or red; they look at the brightness and position of the light. This and the flow and noise of traffic will tell the dog that it is the right time to cross the street."

Answer 4

When a man is tested in the military, or for a commercial driving license, the chart tests for color blindness. If he is deemed color blind, it means he can't see red and green, but only sees them as shades of brown..that is the human condition known as color blind.
However, dogs do not differentiate between red and green, so by human standards, yes, they ARE color blind.

But, some people think that the term means that color blindness is seeing only in black and white...dogs DO see other than black and white and shades of gray..so, they do see color.
They see yellow, blue, and tans/browns very well, and some shades of purple..but they don't tell red from green.

So, do they see color? YES
Are they color blind by human terms? YES
Do they only see black and white? NO

Answer 5

i have heard this. but i belive it to be false. dogs do see in color i had a pom that played fetch i could throw three different colored socks say black dark blue and red and tell her i want the black one and shed bring me the black one. the same was true of the other colors. and i used many differnt colored socks to test and retest this. either i had the only non color blind dog or dogs see color.

Answer 6

YES!!!dah dogs only see in black and white. Humans have rods and cones to be able to see colors but dogs only have one of the two so they only see in black and white

Answer 7

Dogs and cats have vision with a very limited color spectrum. Red and blue can be distinguished but red and green appear similar.



here is a web page about that! this even has exmples of what WE see, and what DOGS see.

http://www.veterinaryvision.com/See.htm

Answer 8

Yes it is, and shades of grey as well. And Horses can only see on the side of them, not directly in front. They have an even weirder type of vision than dogs.
Birds are the only animals that can see in colour.

Answer 9

this has been asked for the past 3 days go to this website they see some color this is a comparison of what we see and the dog sees


http://www.dogstuff.info/canine_vision_drp.html

Answer 10

its true...dogs can see in the dark, usually any animal that can see in the dark only sees black and white