Dogs aren't able to see color

Question

There are some people saying that dogs see only black and white, they only see blue and yellow, or they have completely different hues than us.

Comments

The article given with this claim is the VCA dog hospital website. When diving more into the topic and doing more research, dogs are not technically color bind. The SPCA claims that,  "Human eyes have three different types of cones, which allows us to identify combinations of red, blue, and green. Dogs, on the other hand, have only two types of cones, which means they can only discern blue and yellow. As a result, dogs are red-green colour blind." While there is truth in dogs can not see all color, the claim originally made is not completely accurate.

The source: https://spca.bc.ca/news/how-dogs-see-colour/#:~:text=Human%20eyes%20have%20three%20different,are%20red%2Dgreen%20colour%20blind.

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The claim "Dogs aren't able to see color" is misinformation. The article provided states that dogs can only see blue and yellow as a result of dichromatic vision. The article even states, "In fact, dogs live in a pretty colorful world." Further review of the facts in the provided article is necessary. The title should be read as Dogs have limited color perception or something along those lines. Another article of use is provided below.

https://spca.bc.ca/news/how-dogs-see-colour/#:~:text=Human%20eyes%20have%20three%20different,are%20red%2Dgreen%20colour%20blind.

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To strengthen your answer, make sure you add quotes from the article you are using as evidence. It is also important to include who the article is by to show why it is a reliable source.   The information is there, but make sure you directly include it in your response.

Answer 1

This statement is partially true. From Encyclopedia Britannica (https://www.britannica.com/story/are-dogs-really-color-blind)

I found the answer in an article by Jonathan Hogeback on Encyclopedia Britannica.  The article was fact-checked.  Dogs are technically color-blind however, they don't just see the world in black and white.  Dogs can see a couple of colors but are blind to the rest, therefore making them color-blind.  

JONATHAN HOGEBACK (Britannica) - Dogs do not see in black and white, but they are what we would call "color-blind," meaning they have only two color receptors (called cones) in their eyes, whereas most humans have three.

In dogs, however, the two color receptors in the eyes perceive wavelengths of light that correspond to blue and yellow, meaning that dogs see only in combinations of blue and yellow.

Comments

This fact check does an excellent job of answering the claim. It not only provides context to the claim, but it explains the data that is provided to prove the claim to be misleading.

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This fact-check is excellent, and the article you cited to support your claims is well-written. I particularly appreciate your statement that the article was fact-checked, adding to its credibility.

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Your fact-check was really interesting especially because I have always wondered about people's pets' ability to see color. Your source is educational and trustworthy! I also really liked how you quoted Jonathan Hogeback about dogs not being completely color-blind. Now I have a clearer understanding of how dogs perceive the world visually!!

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Good job on the fact check and showing proof how it’s misleading but also showing evidence that proves that dogs can see more than just black and white. However, providing more sources only makes your fact checking stronger.

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This was a very well structured fact check! I appreciate how you clarified the claim of dogs being color blind, but being able to see more than black and white. You also used a reputable source and included a snippet of what the author wrote to further back up your claim.

Answer 2

source: https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/what-colors-do-dogs-see

Dogs are not color blind. Dogs have two cones types of cone cells in their eyes which help them to differentiate color. Humans have three cones, so this means that while dogs can see colors they see less than Humans. Dogs are limited to yellow and blue color combinations, including whites and grays. They are not completely color-blind but are more similar to a red-green color-blind person. Their vision is still superior to that of a human in motion detecting and seeing better in dim lighting. 

This is a color chart of what human and dog cone cells can pick up. 

Comments

Great fact check. I enjoyed the visual you included in your response. I also liked the data you included as evidence for the claim. Your response might be stronger if you included direct quotes from the website you got your information from.

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This was a good and convincing fact-check. You did a good job of explaining what colors dogs can see according to the PET MD website. It was also very helpful that you provided a visual representation of what a dog's color scale looks like compared to a human. I now have a good understanding of what dogs can see and learned that dogs aren't completely colorblind.

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Your fact check is very thorough and convincing. The graphic you added is well thought out and gives a good representation for those like me who are more of a visual learner. The claim that dogs are color blind is a very popular one, and one that is believed to be true and it is good to now know that there is some partial truth to that.

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Well done on the fact check! I enjoyed how you incorporated the image of what colors we see vs what colors a dog sees. It helps show that the claim wasn't entirely false, since they can't see all the colors we can see, but also isn't entirely true because they aren't completely color blind.

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This is a very well-done fact check! I found the diagram you included to be extra helpful in understanding the material. The color scheme in the diagram reminded me of the children's show Bluey, which is well known for the theory that it uses colors that dogs can see (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/real-life/article-12459229/Why-dogs-watch-Bluey-Australia.html). This is just speculation, but I found it interesting to connect it to this fact check.

Answer 3

This is somewhat true. Source from American Kennel Club (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/)

"Dogs have more rods than cones in their retina, whereas people have more cones, and this apparently makes the difference in color perception. Humans and a few other primate species are trichromatic, which means they have three kinds of cones. Dogs are dichromatic, and have only two types.

Dogs can make out yellow and blue, and combinations of those colors. This renders a lot of the world grayish-brown. That lush green lawn? It probably looks like a field of dead hay. That bright red velvet cushion? Still comfy, but it probably comes across as a dark brown blob to the dog." (Meyers, Harriet. “Can Dogs See Color?” American Kennel Club, American Kennel Club, 7 Dec. 2021, https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/.)

Comments

Your fact-checking regarding dogs' color vision is accurate and your sources chosen emphasize your credibility and findings. It's fascinating to learn that dogs perceive the world differently from humans due to the dichromatic nature of their vision, able to distinguish mainly between yellow and blue hues. Nice work!

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It is helpful to have a direct quote from the source within your fact check. It emphasizes that the source is directly supporting your position. This is especially helpful when the specifics around the topic would require input from an expert, as most people do not have in-depth knowledge on how eyes function.

Answer 4

Dogs are not completely color blind. According to the American Kennel Club, a dog's color vision is "similar to that of a person who has red-green color blindness". As the article stated as an example, a field of green grass would look more like a field of dead hay to a dog.

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/

Comments

Nice job adding a source and stating that the claim isn't fully factually based on the American Kennel Club's information. Don't forget to add a rating such as "false" or "true" etc.

Answer 5

Dogs actually can see colors! Humans have three cones in our eyes, which allows us to see all of the colors visible to us, whereas dogs only have two cones. Dogs are only able to see blues and yellows, making their eyes dichromatic. One way to look at it is that dogs are most similar to humans that have red-green color blindness. 

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/do-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Human%20eyes%20have%20three%20types,perception%20is%20called%20dichromatic%20vision.

https://www.petmd.com/dog/general-health/what-colors-do-dogs-see

Comments

I like that you were able to find the term for their color visibility. Dichromatic eyesight is something that not many people talk about with color-blindness and is another aspect we can look at when discussing their capability vs. incapability to see.

Answer 6

source: https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/

Dogs are not color blind in the sense that everyone thinks. This article from the American Kennel Club states that "dogs have more rods than cones in their retina, whereas people have more cones and this apparently makes the difference in color perception...humans and a few other primate species are trichromatic, which means they have three kinds of cones. Dogs are dichromatic and only have two types"

This essentially means that dogs view color similarly to a person who has red-green color blindness. Dog vision is not black and white like many think, but it is also not as detailed as the colors humans see. 

Comments

Your explanation is thorough and you've include information from your source -- good job! Your fact-check would be more complete if you select a rating such as "true" or "false" etc. since I'm not entirely sure whether you agree with the claim or not.

Answer 7

Source: Encyclopedia Brittanica (https://www.britannica.com/story/are-dogs-really-color-blind)

Dogs do not see in black and white, however technically they are still "color-blind". Humans have three color receptors, while dogs only have two, meaning they are dichromatic. Dogs only perceive wavelenghts of light that correspond to blue and yellow, meaning they only see in combinations of blue and yellow.

Answer 8

Dogs are not truly color blind. They see a few colors, but not nearly as much as humans can. Dogs only have 2 cones and that limits their range of color vision. They basically see the world in yellow, blue, and gray. So, they are able to see color, but very small amounts. Orange is yellow to them, purple is blue. 

Can Dogs See Colors? | Psychology Today 

Answer 9

The claim that "dogs aren't able to see color" is untrue, or only partially true. Dogs possess color-blindness but are able to see some colors.

In fairness, dogs do have limitations when seeing color, but they are not entirely colorblind. The American Kennel Club (https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/health/can-dogs-see-color/) attributes the claim, or ‘myth’ of total colorblindness in dogs to “ Will Judy, a lifelong dog fancier, writer, and past publisher of Dog Week magazine. He claimed to be the first to declare that dogs had poor vision and thought they were able to see single shades and tones and only general outlines and shapes”.  Chief veterinary Officer Dr. Jerry Klein notes there are significant visual differences, such as “more rods, which improves low-light vision, in the retina”, and Jay Neitz’s research concludes that a dog’s “color vision is similar to that of a person [with] red-green color blindness…dogs can make out yellow and blue, and combinations of those colors”. So while a dog’s visual spectrum is likely desaturated in comparison to that of a human’s, or even other mammals, they can make out and differentiate colors. As stated by this article by VCA Animal Hospitals (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/do-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Human%20eyes%20have%20three%20types,perception%20is%20called%20dichromatic%20vision.), “Dogs possess only two types of cones and can only discern blue and yellow - this limited color perception is called dichromatic vision.”

Answer 10

The statement that dogs can't see color is exaggerated. While they can see color, they may not see the "true" color. The color red appears dark brownish gray, or black to a dog. Yellow, orange, and green all look more yellowish to a dog. They are able to see blue really well, but purple also looks blue to them. So while it is true that dogs cannot see most colors, It is not true that they only see black and white.  

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/do-dogs-see-color