...which is why it's important to pay attention to color for training routines and choosing toys. Originally, scientists thought dogs could only see in black and white. It’s now been proven that our four-legged companions are able to experience color. To prove this theory, Italian researchers created a measurable way to assess color vision in animals using a modified version of the Ishihara’s Test (used to determine color blindness in humans). What was discovered is that a dog’s range of color vision would be similar to yours and mine If we were affected by red/green color blindness.The Ishihara’s Test for humans uses numbers, disguised in a circle of red and green dots. People with red/green color blindness can't see the green W in the first circle. They might also have problems seeing the green 3 in the second circle. For dogs, the scientists used images of cats (animated frames) instead of numbers, and according to the study's lead author, Dr Marcello Siniscalchi, the findings have a bearing on how you train your dog, especially when trying to improve their ability to pay attention. Dogs see a simpler palette than we do. Where we can see dozens of variations between hues, dogs can only see shades of blue, yellow,and some shades of gray. A dog's color vision is limited because they have only two types of cones, compared with three types in human eyes. Dogs would see a rainbow as dark brownish yellow to light yellow, grays, and light blue to dark blue. They can’t see red, orange, or purple (violet). So remember to choose your dog toys with color in mind. Stick to blue instead of red since dogs do have the capacity to see some blue shades. A red toy is going to be hard to distinguish from the grass if it's lying on the ground in the backyard. In addition, if you're outside, avoid red clothing and shoes for training since it will be harder for your dog to see your body movements against the green grass. Dogs also function more accurately with agility training when the equipment is painted in colours they can easily see. Coupled with a limitation of colour vision, dogs are also very nearsighted. In the following chart, compare our average 20/20 vision on the left, to a dog's average 20/75 vision on the right. The term 20/20 refers to the clarity and sharpness of human vision at a distance of 20 feet. Below is how we would see your dog’s toy box, on the left, within a few feet. Then how your dog would see his toy box, on the right. In closing, before you assume your dog is at a disadvantage it's important to remember that vision is only one of five senses humans and canines use to navigate the environment around them. A dog's sense of smell is up to 10,000 times stronger than ours. A dog's hearing is also better than ours when it comes to high-pitched sounds and a variety of very low sounds below our level of detection. When it comes to survival, evolution has prioritized other senses over vision, for many creatures on earth.