Do Dogs Have Night Vision

It’s fairly well known that dogs rely more heavily on their noses than their eyes. But did you know dogs were originally nocturnal or crepuscular (dawn and dusk) predators? Although dogs are better suited to detecting motion in lower light, they don’t see as much detail as we do and with limited colors. Let’s take a look at why this is.

Eye Structure

A dog’s eye structure is very similar to a human’s: the pupil, iris, and white sclera. The iris contracts and expands to control the amount of light entering the eye, just like a camera lens. Dogs have upper and lower eyelids as we do, but also have a third eyelid that acts as a windshield wiper to remove foreign bodies. This third lid is generally hardly noticeable, but can be seen in some breeds.

Inside the Eye

Now that we have a basic understanding of a dog’s eye, let’s get into each part. There is a camera-like lens that sends any light to the retina at the back of the eye. The retina transforms light into electrical impulses which are translated into an image by the brain. Cones, which help us see color, and rods, which help us see light and motion, inside the retina help absorb the light. Dogs have more rods than humans, which is one reason why they can see better in low light. In addition, their pupils are larger which let in more light and the images they receive are brighter due to the retina and lens being closer together.

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

Dogs have a layer of cells behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum which double the amount of light available to the eye. The downside is lack of focus due to the double light, thus less detail is seen. This is also the reason you will see your eyes glowing in the dark. Neat, huh?

In complete darkness, our pups will be just as blind as us. So no, they don’t have night vision but when there is some light they can see twice as good as we can. It’s best to give your dog at least some light when leaving them at home or at night-time.