by Jessica Remitz Most dog owners assume their pups are colorblind, a notion that’s not entirely true. While our pets’ color vision is different from ours, they don’t view the world in only black and white. Here’s the science behind color vision and what we can do to help our dogs’ eyesight. Colors Dogs Can See Color vision is based in the cones of the eye, specifically the number of pigment classes found in the retina. The richness of color vision depends on the amount of color cones and degrees to which they overlap, according to the Optics and Physiology of Vision. Humans are trichromatic, which means they have three classes of cones. Dogs are dichromatic, meaning there are only two classes of cones in their eyes that contain the photo pigments that allow them to see color. Most people who are colorblind are usually missing their red or green photo pigment, similar to dogs and horses. Dogs’ color vision is comparable to humans missing the green cone population, according to the Optics and Physiology of Vision. We know dogs have capabilities for seeing color, but documenting it can be challenging. They’re able to pick toys based off of color, but since their greens are more muted, their ability to discern colors isn’t the same as ours, Christin Fahrer, DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVO said. While dogs don’t perceive colors the same way we do, they don’t seem to be negatively affected by their lack of color perception. In low light conditions, dogs see longer wavelengths of light—something naturally beneficial for predators that hunt in those conditions, William Miller DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVO said.