The Way Dogs View The World

The common assumption is that dogs can not see things in color, at least that's what I have thought for most of my life. I have since learned that humans are trichromatic, meaning we see things in red, blue, and yellow, and dogs are dichromatic meaning they see things in blue and yellow. The second difference is that dogs have much fewer cones in their retinas. This causes them to have much weaker chromatic acuity.

Humans have a ratio of cones:rods that is seven times greater than dogs. When dogs do see in color it is faded and dull. Since dogs have such a high concentration of rods, the ones responsible for seeing in black and white, they have great night vision.