When walking your dog on dark evenings or leaving them to roam the house at night, you may have wondered do dogs see in the dark? Do they have some kind of inbuilt night vision goggles? As a pet parent, it’s natural to worry about our furry companions. We’re here to put your mind at ease and let you know whether you need to start leaving a light on for your doggy pal.

Can Dogs See in the Dark?

Dogs cannot see in complete darkness and still require some light in order to see, as light stimulates the photoreceptor cells. But they’re still able to move around in darkness better than humans, thanks to their other senses. Dogs will use their sense of smell and hearing to help them see. You may have witnessed your dog chase after a rabbit before it has seen it because it has caught its scent.

What Colours Can Dogs See - How Do Their Eyes Work?

While humans can see a whole array of colours, dogs only have two cones in their eye to detect colour. Dog vision can be related to that of someone with red-green colour blindness. They see various shades of gray, yellow, and blue - not just black and white!

Dogs have poorer depth perception than humans, see less colours, have less visual acuity to determine finer details, and less visual perspective as they’re lower to the ground. But when it comes to seeing in the dark, a dog’s eyesight exceeds that of humans.

To understand how dog vision works, you first need to know about the anatomy of their eye. It’s made up of the sclera, conjunctiva, cornea, iris, pupil, lens, and retina. The sclera is the white part of the eye, and the conjunctiva is the lining of the eyelids that help to clean and protect the eye, alongside the third eyelid. The cornea is a transparent layer that focuses and controls the light that enters the eye.

The iris is the coloured part of the eye with the pupil in the middle. They work together to control the amount of light that is let through to the back of the eye, depending on the light situations. Behind the pupil is the lens which focuses the light. It changes shapes to help the eye focus on objects.

At the back of the eye is the retina which contains photoreceptor cells called rods and cones that convert light into nerve signals. Light sensitive rods recognise black and white so are useful in dim lighting to detect shapes and motion. Cones detect colours and work on sharpness and clarity.

What Do Dogs See at Night?

While humans often stumble around in the dark looking for a light switch, dog’s eyes have some anatomical differences that help them to hunt and survive at night:

• Tapetum lucidum: a reflective tissue that’s located beneath the retina. This acts like a mirror to reflect light onto the retina giving it another chance to register the light. This means dogs can see in dim light as they use the light more efficiently than human eyes do. Some dogs don’t have a tapetum layer, this is most common in blue eyed dogs, Labrador retrievers and Beagles.
• Rod-dominated retina: a dogs eyes contain more rods than cones which means that their motion detection and shape recognition is enhanced. Dogs can detect movement at greater distances than humans, even in low light conditions. So they’re more likely to spot a moving object far away than a closer stationary object. Before being domesticated, dogs would hunt during dawn and dusk.
• Larger pupil size: dogs have a larger pupil than humans which means that more light is able to enter the eye creating better night vision.

Dogs have excellent peripheral vision due to the positioning of their eyes, meaning that they don’t need to turn their head to see to the side of them. Breeds with longer noses have better peripheral vision than shorter-nosed breeds, like French Bulldogs.

Why Do My Dog’s Eyes Glow in the Dark?

You’ve no doubt seen your dog's eyes glowing when a torch, car headlights or a camera flash has hit them at night. This is because of the tapetum lucidum layer of the eye as it reflects the light back onto the retina. The colour of the glow can vary from orange, blue, green or a yellow hue. If your dog doesn’t have a tapetum layer, their eyes will show up as red because to the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

Can Dogs See in Complete Darkness?

Dogs cannot see in complete darkness and still require some light in order to see, as light stimulates the photoreceptor cells. But they’re still able to move around in darkness better than humans, thanks to their other senses. Dogs will use their sense of smell and hearing to help them see. You may have witnessed your dog chase after a rabbit before it has seen it because it has caught its scent.

Is There Something Wrong With My Dog’s Vision?

If your worried about your dog’s vision, it’s best to get them checked by a vet. There are many eye related conditions that can cause reduced vision, like glaucoma and cataracts. Some conditions can lead to complete blindness. Look out for the following signs:

• Bumping into objects.
• Clouding of the eye.
• Dilated pupil.
• Increased tearing.
• Nervousness in dim lighting.
• Pawing or rubbing eyes.
• Red eyes.

A dog’s vision may naturally deteriorate as they age, so some changes to their vision is normal. Always speak to your vet if you have any concerns.

Dog eyesight is poorer than humans in day light, but dogs have better night visibility. There are a few factors that improve a dog’s eyesight at night, but the most important is the special additional layer in the eye called the tapetum lucidum and the fact that dogs have more rod cells in their retina.

So, you no longer need to worry about walking your dog in the evening or leaving them alone at night. However, your dog doesn't have night vision and can’t see in complete darkness, so they may appreciate a small night light.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Canis – www.vetlexicon.com/canis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.