+7 votes
in General Factchecking by Apprentice (1.1k points)
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
For many years, the answer was yes. Dog’s are kind of the same as humans since they have rods and cones. According to PetKeen,“Rods are used to detect motion and light. Cones are used to distinguish between colors”. For dogs, dichromatic vision allows dogs to see colors like green and yellow.

https://petkeen.com/do-dogs-see-black-and-white/
by (100 points)
Going over the article, dogs can actually see color. They just have less cones so they're not able to see the full color spectrum like humans do. They do have more rods letting them see better shades of black and white which helps in the dark.
ago by (160 points)
This is a false statement dogs can see more than just black and white, while their sight color spectrum is limited they can see a collection of grey, brown, yellow, and blue. During the season they have limited sight colors because dogs only have 2 types of cones which is 20 percent of the cones human eyes have. With the 2 cones, they also struggle to see different hues of the same color. There is more information on this topic at the Purina online site.

57 Answers

+1 vote
by Novice (780 points)

According to the linked website, both dogs and cats only being able to see black and white is proven a myth. Although this is the case, the color vision for dogs and cats still differs from that of humans. 

From the linked site:

"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. As cats and dogs are not sensitive to red light, they have difficulty distinguishing some colours.  For example, behavioural tests in dogs suggest that they can distinguish red from blue, but often confuse red and green. Similarly, they often perceive green as grey."

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

False
+1 vote
by Novice (740 points)

It was once thought that dogs could only see in black and white, however, that is false. Dogs can see in color just not as many as humans can. According to Purina "Dogs’ eyes only have 2 types of cones (just 20 percent of the cones in human eyes). Because of this, a dog’s color spectrum is limited to shades of gray, brown, yellow and blue." 

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/facts/can-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Dogs%20can%20see%20color%E2%80%94contrary,dogs%20a%20unique%20visual%20perspective.

False
+1 vote
by Novice (500 points)

This claim that dogs can only see black and white is not true. Dogs can see other colors rather than just black and white, but still, dogs' color vision is not as good as humans. According to the VCA animal hospital "For example, the color red appears dark brownish-gray or black to a dog. And yellow, orange, and green all look a bit yellowish to a dog. Our furry friends see blue really well, but purple looks the same as blue to them." they can see some color, just not well. 

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

False
+1 vote
by Novice (620 points)
It is false. According to Adelaivet, cats and dogs have two kinds of cones, which are sensitive to blue and green light. This means they have a useful level of colour vision.  The level of colour vision in other animals depends on the presence and types of the cones.

https://adelaidevet.com.au/pet-library/can-animals-see-colour#:~:text=It%20was%20once%20thought%20that,the%20eye%20called%20cone%20photoreceptors
+1 vote
by Novice (740 points)

The claim that dogs can only see black and white is proven to be a myth. According to AdelaideVet, "the perception of color is determined by the presence of cells in the eye called cone photoreceptors." Moreover, "Cats and dogs have two kinds of cones, which are sensitive to blue and green light. This means they have a useful level of color vision.  The level of color vision in other animals depends on the presence and types of the cones." It is true that Dogs are color blind, however, dogs have blue and green cones, which makes them not only able to see black and white colors.

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

False
+1 vote
by Apprentice (1.1k points)

No, dogs do not see only black and white, but their color vision is not as developed as that of humans. Dogs have a type of color vision known as dichromatic vision, which means they have two types of color receptors in their eyes, whereas humans have three types. This limits the range of colors that dogs can distinguish, but they can still see some colors.

Research has shown that dogs are able to see shades of blue and yellow, and some shades of gray. They have difficulty distinguishing between red and green, as these colors appear similar to them. In general, dogs rely more on their sense of smell and hearing than their vision, as their eyes are adapted to low light conditions and detecting movement.

It's important to note that not all dogs have the same level of color vision, as it can vary based on the breed and individual characteristics of the dog's eyes.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/new-study-shows-that-dogs-use-color-vision-after-all-13168563/

False
+1 vote
by Novice (740 points)
It is a myth that dogs can only see in black and white. While their perception of color is much different from ours, they still can see more colors than just black and white. For example, if we see a blue ball, the dog may see the ball as a tan color. Our perceptions are different; however, that does not mean that dogs can only see in black and white. Dogs also have a reflective tissue layer within their eyes that allow them to see easier in darker light than humans would.

www.theconversation.com/do-dogs-really-see-in-just-black-and-white-131438
False
+1 vote
by Novice (500 points)

It is a myth that dogs can only see black and white. The misconception stems from the publisher of Dog Week Magazine, Will Judy, who claimed to be the first to say that dogs could only see single shades of color. 

The primary difference between dog and human eyes as it relates to color perception is in the retina. "Dogs have more rods than cones in their retina, whereas people have more cones," according to an article published by the American Kennel Club. Humans are trichromatic, meaning they have three kinds of cones, while dogs are dichromatic, meaning they have two, missing the red and green cone. All this to say, dogs likely have similar vision to a human with red-green color blindness, according to research conducted by Jay Neitz, runner of the Neitz Color Vision Lab at the University of Washington. Dogs can still make out yellow and blue color combinations.

All in all, it is false that dogs can only see black and white. They don't have the same vision as most humans, but they can still see certain colors.

Can Dogs See Color? – American Kennel Club (akc.org)

False
+1 vote
by Apprentice (1.3k points)
The claim that has been widely accepted as truth stating that dogs can only see in black and white, is false. Although dogs only have two cones in their eyes compared to a humans three, this still allows them to distinguish a spectrum of blue and yellow colors.

This information can be backed up by this article: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/do-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Human%20eyes%20have%20three%20types,perception%20is%20called%20dichromatic%20vision.
False
+1 vote
by Newbie (410 points)

According to the article "Can Dogs See Color?", they quote, "Dogs can see color—contrary to what we once thought. Although they don’t see in black and white, they also don’t see the same colors as humans". They go info further detail on how they do see colors, but at a worse rate compared to humans. They do have a struggle of seeing certain colors compared to other colors. So this statement is false as dogs can see color, but compared to humans its much more blurred. 

https://www.purina.com/articles/dog/care/can-dogs-see-color#:~:text=Dogs%20can%20see%20color%E2%80%94contrary,dogs%20a%20unique%20visual%20perspective.

by Genius (41.0k points)
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