Dogs & Darkness: Can They See?

Sometimes we need a bright flashlight to help us navigate in the dark.

However, our four-legged friends do not have the luxury of a flashlight. This leaves us wondering if they can see in the dark. The answer is yes. Dogs may get around in the dark much better than humans. Let’s take a deeper “look”!

Dogs are built like human eyes and have many of the same features.

However, a dog cannot see the number of colors we can, and they have less depth perception. Furthermore, dogs have less visual perspective because they are lower to the ground.

Our four-legged friends possess some natural advantages over humans regarding seeing in the dark.

Rod-dominated retina – Dogs have rod-dominated retinas, and most cells are meant for seeing at night versus the day. Therefore, detecting motion and shapes is enhanced.

Large pupil size – Dogs have larger pupils compared to humans. Since this is the case, more light can enter the eye, creating a higher potential for vision.

Tapetum lucidum – We are referring to a reflective tissue beneath the retina. The tapetum lucidum is a “mirror” to reflect light onto the retina.

As you can see, canines have many advantages regarding vision.

However, dogs will still require some light to see completely. Dogs can get around better than humans in the dark but rely on other senses to help them along the way!