How dogs see

How do dogs see? And how does their vision differ from that of humans? These aren't idle questions or trivial curiosities, but truly useful for anyone who loves pets, for example, so as not to waste their company. And indeed, to experience it in the best possible conditions. First, let's dispel an urban legend, as false as it is completely unfounded: it 's not true that dogs only see in black and white . Rather, it's true that their vision isn't as developed as humans, particularly in two areas: the colors they can distinguish well and their ability to focus. Conversely, in the dark , dogs outperform us and see better than we do . The only colors that dogs can truly see well, like us, are:

• il blue
• il yellow
• il White

In other cases, colors take on completely different hues from those we see, so much so that we can speak, in our medical jargon, of colorblind animals. An example? For dogs, red is a light brown , dull, and faded. So, if you throw a red ball in the grass, you'll put the dog in serious trouble: it will be very difficult for him to recognize and catch it. Secondly, another very important difference compared to humans: a dog's vision is less sharp , almost blurry: and this, as with colors, is due to the fact that the two types of receptors in the dog's eye, rods and cones, are present in different quantities than in the human eye.

How do our dogs see us?

The way our dogs see us is different from the way we see dogs. Dogs have a 240-degree field of vision and cannot see well up close: they need a distance of at least 50 meters to focus on us. In contrast, dogs can perceive the movements of a human, or another animal, even from 800 meters away. In any case, dogs are able to recognize their owners and identify them by smell and the timbre of their voice.

How does a dog recognize its owner?

How do dogs see in the dark?

How do dogs see in the dark? This extraordinary ability, shared with their close relatives, wolves, is due to the tapetum lucidum , a crescent-shaped reflective layer located behind the retina. Thanks to this layer, which stimulates sensory cells, a dog's night vision is optimized, starting at dusk. We perceive a dog's night vision ability by looking into their eyes when we shine car headlights on them at night: a yellow-blue-green shimmer appears. That's the tapetum lucidum doing its job.

What do dogs see when they watch TV?

Dogs certainly don't fiddle with remote controls. But what do they see when they're watching TV? And what about when they're in front of a computer or tablet?

• First dogs are captivated by the sound, especially if images and sounds of other animals scroll by.
• POI they have dichromatic vision (with a preference for blue and yellow) and not trichromatic, like that of man.
• Finally, they prefer short films, around three seconds, and they are very mobile when they watch TV: and they frequently move between the video and the owners sitting on the sofa.

How to protect your dog's eyesight

Even dogs' eyesight, like ours, must be protected with some preventive measures.

• If you notice that your dog is having vision problems, go to the vet for a thorough examination.
• And in any case, if you go to the vet for other reasons, take the opportunity to also check his eyes. If his eyesight is poor, the dog won't complain.
• Keep your eyes healthy and clean, without resorting to wipes, scented essences or other similar products. Natural products are sufficient: for example, for the external part, the chamomile lukewarm.
• A healthy diet also helps your eyesight, and carrots They are also valuable for dogs' eyes. Another useful substance is represented by Omega-3.

Read also:

• How to exercise with your dog
• How to make your dog and cat live together
• Dogs or cats: which is better at home? Both: they all extend our lives.

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