Surely more than once you've wondered how dogs see, right? The dogs' view often generates a lot of curiosity among dog guardians. Formerly it was believed that dogs only saw in black and white, however, recent studies indicate that dogs have color vision, although it should be noted that it is more limited than the one we humans possess[1]
Apart from banishing false myths, in this article we will solve many doubts related to dog's sense of sight, explaining how they see dogs at night, how dogs see colors or what factors influence a dog's sense of sight, from puppyhood to adulthood.
To answer all these questions, we have created this post on our site, based on scientific studies, which addresses this issue in detail, to help you better understand how they see the dogs, the colors, the abilities they possess and other curiosities, such as the evolution of their vision. Continue reading!
When do dogs start to see?
Have you ever wondered how puppies see? The dog is an altricial species, a zoological term used to designate those pups that are born totally blind and hairless, who also depend entirely on their parent to achieve survival[1]
The dog, as an altricial pup, is born blind and is totally dependent on its mother, who will ensure all the necessary care for it to develop until it can feed itself and survive on its own. It is around three weeks old when he begins to open his eyes and see.
Later, around five weeks of age, the puppy has fully developed peripheral vision. It is considered that between five and seven weeks of life we can already begin to train the puppy, since he is already more independent from the mother and most of his senses are developed
Don't forget to educate him in an environment with few stimuli, since in this way the dog will not be distracted and will learn faster. At three months old, the puppy already looks just like an adult dog.
What colors do dogs see?
Surely you have been assured that dogs see in black and white. What is true in it? The truth is that dogs do not see colors the same as us humans, but the claim that they see in black and white is one of the 10 most common myths about dogs. Therefore, it is essential to point out that dogs do not see in black and white, they see in color.
How do dogs see colors?
The cones, the cells of the retina of the eye, allow the dog to perceive different colorsthanks to light [2] While humans have a high sensitivity to three different colors: red, blue and green (trichromatic vision), dogs are only sensitive totwo colors: blue and yellow, that is, they have dichromatic vision [4] [5]
On our site we have already told you what are the colors that dogs see according to several scientific studies, where you will be surprised to see that they are not able to differentiate red from green, as well as many other curiosities of canine vision and colors.
So how do dogs really see? Here's an edited image with an example of a dog's view so you can get an idea of what their vision is like:
How do dogs see in the dark?
Of course! Dogs can see in the dark and this is one of the most important characteristics they have, which is why they are great hunters nocturnal In fact, the perception of movement together with the differentiation of light seems to be the basis of canine vision[6]
The dog's pupil has a great capacity for expansion and this means that the dimmer the light, the more stimulation the retina receives. In the retina we find the reflecting cells that form a layer of tissue called tapetum lucidum, characteristic of nocturnal mammals. Perhaps you have ever wondered why the dog's eyes glow in the dark, it is precisely due to this reflective fabric. We humans do not possess it. Of course, in total darkness the dog will not be able to see anything, since requires some light, however if it is dim it will be enough to stimulate these cells.
Does the dog see well from a distance?
The dog is able to distinguish objects about 6 meters away, unlike a person, who can reach up to 25 meters. This ability essentially depends on the cornea and the lens, and it is that the lens of the dog itself, as it happens with humans, can be better or worse.
Some dogs suffer from myopia and others hyperopia. The Labrador Retriever, for example, is one of the breeds known to have better eyesight, while the German Shepherd or the Rottweiler tend to suffer from myopia.
How is the dog's eyesight?
It's not easy to know how dogs see their owners. They spend most of the day observing the world around them and seeing their loving family. His vision is very different from ours, therefore, the dog does not see the same way we see him
The dog's vision and the way he sees the world depends on several factors:
- Ability to measure distances (field of vision and depth perception): the position of the eyes on the animal's head determines vision peripheral vision and the amount of visual field you can see with both eyes. It is known as binocular vision. This allows you to see in depth and correctly measure distances. The field of vision of dogs is 240º, while ours is 200º. In contrast, the binocular vision of humans is superior to that of the dog.
- Ability to focus on objects (Visual acuity): This ability allows you to focus on different objects and differentiate one from another. The cornea and lens are primarily responsible for this ability.
- Motion Perception: Dogs have very motion sensitive vision. There are even studies that reveal that they can detect moving objects or animals up to 800 meters.
- Color differentiation: the cones are the cells found in the retina, which determine the perception of colors, as long as they are stimulated by light of different wavelengths.
Do dogs watch TV?
Unlike humans, dogs do not interact with the environment using only manipulation and vision, they prefer to use their sense of smellto obtain media information.[3]As a result, many owners wonder how dogs watch television, well, the truth is that dogs do not enjoy watching a movie or mobile phone notifications, since the hertz (Hz) frequency is adapted to human vision, not canine vision.
Currently, and as an extra tool for some behavioral problems, such as separation anxiety, television channels have been developed exclusively for dogs, as is the case with DogTv.
Curiosities about the sight of dogs
Next, we are going to review some curiosities related to dog's vision:
- The dog is not able to see more than half a meter above the ground, and some smaller breeds can barely see a few centimeters. For example, a Pekingese has a much shorter visual range than a Newfoundland.
- Another interesting fact is that the dog's visual memory is not as good as ours, he prefers to remember through the senses of hearing and smell.
- Why don't dogs look at themselves in mirrors? Have you ever wondered? The truth is that the dog manages to see his image reflected in the mirror, but the first few times they are not able to recognize themselves, so they tend to attack, flee or bark.
- It is also often asked if dogs see spirits. It is very common to think about it if we observe the dog staring into space or barking at "nothing". So much so that many people wonder if their dogs have paranormal abilities and if it is true that dogs see spirits. We can never really know.
The incredible abilities of dogs are mainly due to their highly developed sense of smell, which even allows them to detect survivors in catastrophic scenarios. The dog's vision is very different from ours, but it is perfectly adequate for the needs of the species.
Have you been wanting more? You may be interested in discovering how horses see or how cats see, find all the information on our site!
