(Image credit:by Alotrobo)
Contrary to popular belief, dogs aren’t stuck in a black-and-white world. They can see colors—just not the full spectrum. Reds and greens are a blur, but blues and yellows pop! Think of your dog’s vision as a cozy, vintage Instagram filter: muted, but still colorful in its own way.
Many people believe that dogs see the world in black and white—but that’s actually a myth! While dogs don’t see colors the same way we do, they aren’t completely colorblind. Instead, their vision is similar to someone who is red-green colorblind.
Dogs have only two types of color receptors (cones) in their eyes—compared to the three that humans have. This means their color vision is limited primarily to blues and yellows. So while a bright red toy might pop for us, your dog is likely seeing it as a dull brown or gray. On the other hand, a neon yellow tennis ball? That’s practically glowing in their eyes!
This also explains why dogs often prefer blue or yellow toys—those colors stand out the most to them. Their world is still colorful, just muted and simplified, like an old photo filter that softens reds and greens into neutral tones.
Bonus Fact:
Dogs actually outperform humans in other aspects of vision. While their color range is limited, they have superior motion detection and night vision, making them excellent hunters and companions even in low light.
So, next time you’re shopping for dog toys or gear, keep in mind: skip the red, go for blue or yellow—your pup will thank you for the visual clarity!
