While some people debate the level to which dogs can see color, this claim is false. Based on studies scientists have done on canines, it can be concluded that the majority of a dog’s vision is mainly greyscale. Additionally, their vision is more blurry than our’s. However, dogs are not limited to only black and white vision.
Based on data from the American Kennel Club, while dogs are indeed colorblind, the most prominent colors a dog can see are blue and yellow. According to the research of the Neitz Color Vision Lab, “a dog’s color vision is similar to that of a person who has red-green color blindness.” For instance, a dog would have difficulty distinguishing a pink dog toy from green grass, because the colors would look similar. Despite this, many dog toys are made to favor human’s preferences, with colors such as reds, oranges, and pinks which dogs have trouble seeing.
As stated in an article from Scientific American, humans have “three types of cones,” (our color-receptors), but “dogs [only] possess two.” This means that dogs are dichromatic. However, dogs have evolved better night vision than humans have, so while we see more colors, they’re more adapted for low light environments. The idea that canines can only see black and white is a myth, but it was widely believed to be a fact up until 1989.
Sources:
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-colors-do-dogs-see/
