Question

Dogs can only see black and white

Comments

It seems that the claim was untrue and misleading. It was proven wrong by many sources before, and it originated from an author of DogWeek Magazine. Great fact check!

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This claim is seemingly incorrect, as there’s no source to back up the claim.

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I really like how this explains the myth in a simple, easy to understand way! The comparison to red/green color blindness makes it super clear, and the AKC citation is a nice touch it makes the info feel really credible. Great job!

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The claim that dogs can only see black and white is false. Dogs can see shades of blue and yellow, but have difficulty distinguishing between red and green.

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The claim that "Dogs can only see black and white" has long been a popular and widley shared belief. However, recent scientific research has proved that this myth is incorrect. Supporting the idea that dogs do see color, however, not in the way that humans do. I discovered that dogs have only 20% of the cells that humans have, which are for detecting color. (Pedigree, 2025). Because of the lack of cells that dogs have, their vision is more limited, only seeing yellow and blue shades. Many media sources altered the assumption that dogs only see in black and white, without prven evidence.However, research specifically in veterinary studies has provided evidence that while dogs do not see the full spectrum of colors like humans, they are not colorblind in the way previously thought, only susceptible to certain shades.
Sources: https://www.pedigree.com/dog-care-articles/our-help-hub/training-resources/do-dogs-see-only-in-black-and-white

Answer 1

After doing more research on this claim, it seems to be very misleading. The lack of a source to support the claim also makes it difficult to track its credibility. I found a credible source by the American Kennel Club that debunks this claim and proves that dogs can see colors other than black and white. According to this article, “Dogs can make out yellow and blue, and combinations of those colors”, and this makes their vision a grayish brown most of the time. This means that while they might not see colors the exact way humans do, they can indeed see more colors than just black and white. The scientific background of this is tied to the difference in rods and cones in retinas when it comes to humans and dogs. This article I found explores this and demonstrates visuals to help humans see the difference between how dogs see, further proving that this claim is false.

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

Answer 2

The claim dogs can only see black and white is false, the statement above has no sources backing it up as well making it a non reputable source. The article, Can Dogs See Colour? states, "To see in full colour as we know it, humans use three cones – red, blue and green. However cats and dogs only have blue and green cones. This means they have a much more muted perception of colour, which is akin to colour blindness in humans" This proves the fact that dogs can in fact see more colors than just black and white. Another article that says Can Dogs See Color? states, "No, dogs are not colorblind, although they don’t see as many colors as we do." This information solidifies the argument against the myth and helps to clarify the nuances of dog vision. 

Sources: 

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/behavior/understanding-dogs/can-dogs-see-color

https://adelaidevet.com.au/pet-library/can-animals-see-colour/

Answer 3

Not only is this claim inaccurate it also doesn't provide readers with any evidence to back the claim up. Once I searched up whether dogs can only see in black and white many different article came up saying this claim is actually false. According Do dogs only see in black and white?  and Can dogs see color? they can actually see color just not as many as humans can. Both articles mention how over time scientist realized that dogs only have about 20% of cones in their eyes compared to humans. This leads to them mainly seeing the world in yellow, blue, and grey. Both of these articles along with the other ones I found all lead to the conclusion that this claim is false. 

https://www.pedigree.com/dog-care-articles/our-help-hub/training-resources/do-dogs-see-only-in-black-and-white 

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/behavior/understanding-dogs/can-dogs-see-color

Answer 4

That idea is actually a total myth! The American Kennel Club (AKC) breaks down where this misconception comes from. According to the AKC, "The notion that dogs see only in shades of black and white has been attributed to Will Judy, a lifelong dog fancier, writer, and past publisher of Dog Week magazine... 'It’s likely that all the external world appears to them as varying highlights of black and gray,' Judy wrote in his 1937 manual, Training the Dog." So, while this belief has been around for a long time, science has since proven it wrong.

Dogs can see color, just not in the same way humans do. According to Dogs Naturally, "Your dog’s eyes...only have two cones – blue and yellow. This is called dichromatic vision, and it means that while your dog can still see color, his perception of it is muted compared to a human. The biggest difference is that dogs can’t process red light, which can make it hard for them to distinguish certain colors." Basically, dogs struggle with reds and greens, so anything in that color range might look kind of dull or even like a different shade.

For more information and visuals on the differences in color perception between humans and dogs, check out this webpage: https://dog-vision.andraspeter.com/#Color

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

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/what-colors-do-dogs-see/

Answer 5

For more information and visuals on the differences in color perception between humans and dogs, check out this webpage: https://dog-vision.andraspeter.com/#Color

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

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/what-colors-do-dogs-see/

Answer 6

The claim that dogs can only see in black and white is false. 

Dogs only have two cones which is just 20% of the cones in the human eye. although they don't have the capability of seeing the full color spectrum they are able to see shades of grey, brown, yellow, and blue. 

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/behavior/understanding-dogs/can-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Because%20dogs'%20eyes%20only%20have,experience%20red%2Dgreen%20color%20blindness.

Answer 7

The belief that dogs can only see in black and white is incorrect. According to the American Kennel Club, dogs have dichromatic vision, meaning they can see certain colors, including green and yellow. Color perception is influenced by the retina, which contains cones that detect different wavelengths of light. Humans, who are trichromatic, have three types of cones that enable them to see a broad spectrum of colors. In contrast, dogs have only two types of cones, limiting their color range but still allowing them to perceive some colors.

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

Answer 8

This is a statement with no source to go with it, ultimately making it seem false. While this is not an entirely untrue statement, it is misleading.  When doing research from a peer-reviewed and well-researched source from the CABI Digital Library, they say that compared to humans, dogs do have worse color vision. However, it mostly depends on the breed of dog. Also, dogs tend to have superior night vision because they have better motion detection and low-contrast vision. It's important to remember that dogs' visual abilities vary based on multiple factors, including their environment and breed, so understanding conditions is crucial when making broad claims about their vision.

https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.5555/20210293681

Answer 9

This claim has been proven false due to research done on this theory. Many different articles have all the scientific factors and studies done to prove dogs can see color. I read an article by VCA titled "Do dogs see color?"  in the article they state that dogs have two different cones in their eyes, while humans having three cones. The cones in humans eyes can see primary colors but dogs can only see blue and yellow. In the article American Kennel Club they state that dogs are just colorblind. "Scientists now believe that dogs color vision is similar to a person with red green color blindness." both of these articles are trusted by scientists and local dog lovers. They prove that the statement "Do dogs see color." is false.

https://Do Dogs See Color? | VCA Animal Hospitals VCA Animal Hospitals https://vcahospitals.com › ... › Do Dogs See Color

Answer 10

this is false while dogs can only see some colors they can see more than black and white they have what is called dichromatic vision, which means they just have a more limited color range than humans.

Answer 11

I was uncertain about this claim when I first read it because there was no article listed to back up the claim. After some research I have found that this claim is false. According to the Patton Veterinary Hospital, Dogs can see some shades. The article “Do Dogs See in Black and White?” States, “Dogs have two types of cones which detect only blue and yellow colors and they have more rods in their retinas than people do, so they can see better in dim light”. The article goes on to say that dogs can see shades of yellow, grey, blue, and brown. Another article from the VCA animal hospitals dives into the topic of color blindness. The article states, “a dog’s normal vision is most like a person who has red-green color blindness.” In people there are degrees of color blindness, So a person can still see colors, but may have trouble with certain colors. Dogs are also considered to be colorblind, but this statement is false because they can see more colors than just black and white. I have listed the sources I used below. 

https://pattonvethospital.com/blog/1155205-do-dogs-see-in-black-and-white_2 

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