Exploring the World of Pet Vision: Can Dogs Really See All Colors in "Bluey"?

Nov 13, 2023 | 0 comments

Recently, there's been a global canine craze over a certain animated show featuring human-like puppies—yes, you guessed it, "Bluey"!

“When we let the little ones watch 'Bluey,' we noticed our own dog getting completely engrossed in it”

This delightful animated series follows the adventures of a joyous family of four: Bluey and Dad Bandit are blue Australian Cattle Dogs, while Bingo and Mom Chilli are red Australian Cattle Dogs (though they might look more orange-yellow to us). With its lively and engaging content, "Bluey" has captured the hearts of many young viewers. Surprisingly, it seems our furry friends are also joining the fan club.

The animated series faithfully replicates the colors and appearances of real Australian Cattle Dogs

Dogs apparently not only enjoy watching "Bluey" but can also comprehend it. The canine appeal goes beyond the fact that the characters are dogs; it's also because the colors of the main characters are visually friendly to a dog's vision system.

In Puppies' Eyes

In the world of dog vision, the ability to perceive colors is determined by cone cells. Unlike humans, who typically have three types of cone cells allowing them to distinguish between a spectrum of colors, dogs have only two types of cone cells. Therefore, their color perception is more limited compared to ours.

Scientist Jay Neitz conducted experiments to test dogs' color vision. Using different-colored boards, he encouraged dogs to differentiate between two shades by offering treats. The results showed that dogs can indeed see colors, although fewer than humans.

The image below provides a clear contrast between the spectrum visible to dogs and the spectrum visible to humans（which is primarily blue and yellow)

In a dog's eyes, green, yellow, orange, and red all appear as different shades of yellow, while blue and green look more like gray, and purple is seen as deep blue｜SC Psychological Enterprises Ltd.

The predominant color tones in "Bluey"—blue, indigo, yellow, and brown—align well with the colors dogs can easily discern. This may explain why so many dogs happily sit down to watch "Bluey" with their human counterparts.

Colors may be less vibrant for dogs, but they can still distinguish them.

It's worth noting that popular dog agility events often use obstacles in yellow and blue hues, helping dogs maintain focus during high-speed runs.

Fox Sport/YouTube

Apart from color recognition, dogs' eyes have unique adaptations. With more rod cells in their eyes, dogs have enhanced low-light vision, making them adept at seeing in dim environments. Additionally, their eyes' iris structure allows quick adjustment to changes in light, providing an advantage in adapting to darkness.

Bluey's sister, Bingo, is particularly sensitive to the movement of small objects

The World through the Eyes of Other Animals

Cats, as one of the most common pets in today's society, perceive colors similar to dogs. In terms of eye structure, cats have fewer cone cells and more rod cells than humans. While they see fewer colors compared to humans, their dynamic field of vision and night vision capabilities are stronger.

Currently, the mainstream view among researchers is that cats are red-green color blind. They can distinguish blue, yellow, green, and gray. Red and pink appear more like green to cats, while purple might resemble another shade of blue.

In the darkness of night, cats require only one-sixth of the visible light humans need to see objects clearly. Moreover, cats adapt to darkness much faster than humans. While it takes humans several minutes to adjust to sudden darkness, cats can almost instantly switch to night vision mode.

The iris of a cat's eye has more interlaced fibers, allowing the pupils to narrow into a vertical slit in bright light and expand larger in low-light conditions, capturing more light.

Additionally, cats possess a special structure in their eyes – the tapetum lucidum – which reflects unabsorbed light back to the retina. The reflection from a cat's tapetum is 130 times greater than that of humans without this structure. This feature enables cats to see more in the dark, giving their eyes a glowing appearance at night. Dogs also have a similar structure and function called the tapetum.

Expanding our view to wildlife, the color recognition ability of eyes becomes even more extraordinary. Birds typically have four types of cone cells, butterflies have five, some insects have six, and astonishingly, mantis shrimp have 12 to 16 types of cone cells. For mantis shrimp, seeing infrared and ultraviolet light is also possible.

Understanding the World through the Eyes of Pets

Understanding the nuances of pet vision can help us choose toys and accessories that capture their attention.

For example, when selecting balls for dogs, opting for blue over red or orange might enhance visibility, especially during outdoor play.

What you see as a brown teddy bear has seamlessly blended into the lawn in your dog's eyes｜BCSPCA

Compared to the red portion, the blue part is distinctly more recognizable in a puppy's eyes｜AKC

On the other hand, cats are more captivated by moving and noise-producing toys than by vibrant colors.

Beyond toys, animated shows like "Bluey"offer a fantastic option for both children and pets. Its blend of movement and sound makes it an ideal choice for our furry companions. "Bluey" an Emmy Award-winning series suitable for all ages, can be found on various streaming platforms with three seasons to explore. Why not try watching "Bluey" with your dog and see if they're truly interested?