What does my dog see?

On a walk with a non-dog-owning friend recently, my dog froze and stared intently ahead.  

We could see nothing.

So my friend asked, “What’s he staring at?”

This prompted a little dissertation on Vision in the Dog! Perhaps she wished she hadn’t asked by the end of it - but as a multi-cat-owner she was actually very interested. 😊

Dog Vision

The first thing to note is what colours dogs can see.

For us, colour is possibly the first thing we notice. For dogs it has far less importance.

They do see blue and yellow, but the colours aren’t strong. This means that a red toy in green grass is very hard for them to find visually - this is why you’ll see your dog hunting with his nose to locate the item.

Blue or yellow or white or black are much more likely to be spotted by them.

Incidentally, this is why sheepdogs are traditionally black and white. These “colours” are easy to spot at a distance, for us as well as the dogs. Border Collies come in many colours, but bright blue and yellow have not yet appeared as variants!

Altogether the dog’s colour vision is pretty murky.

So what DO dogs see?

Dogs are hunters. And as such, they are attuned to movement. That’s what they see!

We can look at a beautiful vista and see trees, a lake, sky, clouds, grass in the foreground …

Dogs see a bunny twitching his whiskers under a distant tree; a bird landing on a branch; some leaves disturbed by wind or a tiny creature; a grazing animal lifting its head in the field …

As hunters, this is what they need to be able to spot!

Also, dogs are crepuscular.

This means they are most active at dawn and dusk - when their prey is also most active.

Their eyes are adapted to see well in low light. They have something called Tapetum lucidum which reflects what light there is in the eye, and enables them to see well in the dark.

Interestingly, my Border Collie Rollo was afraid of the dark - he couldn’t see well at night. And this is because his eyes were partly blue and he didn’t have this layer of reflective cells behind the retina.  

Dogs’ eyes are perfect for their purpose

So you can see that while dogs’ vision is very different from ours, it’s perfectly suited to what they were designed to do.

Of course, scent is incredibly important too, and 30% of the dog’s brain is devoted to this.

How can you utilise this knowledge now to work with your dog?  

• Find out which colour toys suit him best, close up and at a distance

• Observe what he’s likely to be looking at, rather than say he’s staring, or barking, at nothing. Just because we can’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t there!

• Encourage him to use his nose, with scent games, hide and seek, and so on. He’ll find this tiring and most satisfying.

By the way, to tell which animals are hunters and which are prey, follow this nice rhyme: 

Eyes to the front, hunt! Eyes to the side, hide!

It applies to birds as well as mammals.

Sea creatures not so much - the shark has eyes on the side of its head and cannot see immediately in front of its face. But they hunt largely by scent, and close in with a Tapetum lucidum ten times stronger than a cat’s - so they really can see well in deep, dark, waters.

Think of some predators now - cats, small and big; dogs/wolves/foxes - all canids; bears; hawks, owls, vultures; frogs, lizards, some snakes.

And prey - mice, rabbits, all small furries; songbirds; fish.

And for a great way to use your dog’s visual ability, teach him a fantastic retrieve! Here you go: 

Fetch It!
Teach your Brilliant Family Dog to catch, fetch, retrieve, find, and bring things back! (More Skills for a Brilliant Family Dog)

RESOURCES:

Color vision in the dog

Vision in dogs

Can your dog bounce back?

It’s a mark of resilience if your dog can look at something he previously found worrying, say “Ho-hum,” and move on.

This is what’s happening in this image above.

Yannick is very worried about strange dogs. Here at this lovely beach we had plenty of space to study the three people and two Shepherds (one a bouncy pup), decide they were not dangerous, and move on.

You’ll see below the moment he decided to turn away.

By the way, this is Leslie McDevitt’s brilliant Look at That! which is a lifesaver for reactive, shy, anxious, “aggressive”, dogs. You can see a video of it in action here. It’s something we teach in From Growly Dog to Confident Dog (see the free introductory Masterclass at the bottom of this page!).

Not just reactivity

But this bouncebackability is not only useful when you’re out with your anxious dog.

Some dogs LOVE working, and can do long training sessions and want more.

Some - the super-sensitive ones, perhaps - worry terribly if they think they’ve got something wrong. Then they’re likely to switch off, zone out, abandon the session.

This is not bad or wrong - it’s just a demonstration of their level of worry!

So building up your sessions from tiny to very slightly longer is the way to go here.

When I say ‘tiny’ I mean maybe two repetitions, for two treats.

‘Very slightly longer’ may be five repetitions, for five treats.

And you’ll have to find a way to reassure your dog that when he makes a mistake it’s all simply part of the learning process and you can work through it together.

Resilience is built up slowly, over time.

It’s not a one-off transformation

Look at That!

Here’s where Yannick decides that the dogs he was watching are no threat to him and he doesn’t have to bring out the big guns to make them go away! He simply turns away.

As you’ll see, DISTANCE is a big part of the success of this technique. Nobody can look away from an apparent hazard if it’s nearly on top of them!

Could you look away if a person seemed to be advancing towards you with a weapon?

Giving your anxious dog plenty of space - and in this case the dogs were crossing our path and not heading straight towards us - will enable him to make a sensible decision.

And the beauty of this is that the confidence this brings will build and build, till your previously erupting reactive dog is able to manage the sight of an oncoming dog quite close up.

Softly, softly, catchee monkee!

As the coach of one of our tennis stars, who confessed to being a perfectionist, said: “If you're going to be a perfectionist, be perfect at bouncing back!”

Lots more help for you in this free Masterclass for Growly Dogs

Dog thieves beware!

A new Pet Abduction Act law has come into effect from Saturday August 24 in the UK. Under the Pet Abduction Act 2024, anyone found guilty of stealing a pet in England or Northern Ireland will face up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.

HOORAY!!!!!!! 🎉

Up to now, animals have not been considered sentient and theft of an animal would be treated as theft of any other property, like a bike or a teapot.

The government says that “The new law recognises that cats and dogs are not inanimate objects but sentient beings capable of experiencing distress and other emotional trauma when they are stolen from their owners or keepers.” 

Here are some useful references:

Are dogs sentient beings?

Pet Abduction Act 2024

Pet Abduction Bill becomes law

Protect your pooch (good advice, but needs updating for new law)

Puppy smuggling & dog theft

New law affecting dog and cat owners

How to prevent theft

Don’t make it easy for the thief

• Microchip

• Have recent photos

• Secure your property

• Train your dog to recall, or keep him on lead

• Don’t chatter on social media - especially if your dog is a small dog attractive to puppy farmers

• Always know where your dog is, and keep your eyes on him!

Imagine your dog is a wallet stuffed with money. Would you leave it on view and unattended in your car, your garden, on the ground outside a shop??

Isn’t your dog more precious than that wallet?

I’ll look forward to hearing about the first successful prosecution of these vile people. The only snag is that at present the prisons are overflowing, so custodial sentences are not easily given. Though many people get suspended sentences that may prevent repeat offending.

Not in UK?

Here’s your chance to start campaigning in your country, with evidence that these laws exist elsewhere!

Need to brush up your recall?

Here are two ways for you to do this:

If you've gained value from my content or downloaded a free resource, and you'd like to show your appreciation, here's a simple way to support me! Thank you for helping keep me fueled and inspired! Coffee is my creative fuel! 😊

A new puppy PLUS a reactive dog: can it work?

I had this query from a reader recently, whose heart is clearly in the right place:

“I have a reactive/aggressive 8 year old I did not have from a puppy. As she has gotten older she has calmed down a bit however, we do not trust her around other dogs and do not even try to socialise her. She will cry, whine and sometimes growl which can be embarrassing.

I have longed for a dog that I can take everywhere with me and can get along with all dogs and people. I am considering getting another dog that is a little bit older than a young pup.

We do plan on introducing them slowly with the new dog being outside and our older dog inside watching through the window, then keeping them behind closed doors in the house etc.

One of my main worries is jealousy and the new dog picking up bad habits from the older dog. I also worry around the unfairness of walking them separately or is this something they will both quickly adjust to?

How do I make sure the new dog does not being aggressive also?”

Lots of questions here! And a few misconceptions too. Here was my reply to this caring owner:

“Well done on helping your dog get calmer - but don’t be embarrassed when your dog shows she’s uncomfortable! She’s giving you information. If others don’t understand, that’s not your problem - they will be impressed by your care.

New dog - I think you’d be better off with an 8wo pup. You’ll bring out the maternal instincts in your resident dog and she won’t see this baby as competition. Follow this article on introducing a puppy to a reactive dog to ensure a safe introduction and development.

Also, the young puppy will sleep so much that you’ll have plenty of time to give to your adult dog!

Walking separately is not unfair - most dogs prefer this undiluted time with their special person. I have four dogs and they all get their special times of solo walking with me.

There are a number of resources - from free to premium - on www.brilliantfamilydog.com/blog/how-best-can-you-help-your-dog-learn to help you. Do take advantage of them!”

As to how to introduce the older dog to the new puppy - and this goes for ANY older dog and puppy, not just a reactive dog - there is valuable information in that introduction article.

You can’t get a puppy and just chuck it into a multi-dog household and let it sink or swim. The outcomes are most unlikely to be what you’d like! There are plenty of parallels with children whose parents abdicate responsibility and the children rear themselves alongside their equally unguided peers. This can lead them down many unwanted paths . . .

So start as you mean to continue! Lots of 1-1 attention for each dog individually, and the puppy is reared more or less separately. After all, a puppy has a completely different physical timetable, with different requirements for training and exercising, so it makes sense.

Having a multi-dog household with the different characteristics of every dog within it is enchanting. They are so different!

And they need to be allowed to be. And not regarded as a pack.

Here’s a good place to start with your new pup:

Want a step-by-step guide to everything you need to know about your new puppy? Get New Puppy! here and start on the right paw!

Those early months are SOOOO important!

Let me know how you get on.

Don’t give up on your dog!

I love tennis! And not just because of having a constant supply of tennis balls for the dogs …

** Actually I don’t make my dogs ball-mad - there are too many injuries associated with ball-throwing. See this post. I work with frisbees and hoops and tugs in the main - but I digress …**

Tennis … and aficionados will know that right now it’s time for the French Open, at Roland Garros. Roland Garros was not, in fact, a tennis-player, but a famous aviator. And this is what he said:

“Victory belongs to the most tenacious” - Roland Garros

This is emblazoned on the main stadium for all to see and constantly remember.

Now - it’s not just tennis-players who benefit from being tenacious!

Whatever it is you truly want to achieve requires tenacity.

🐾 Things will seldom go as you expected.

🐾Things will fall apart regularly.

🐾 Something you thought you had done will mysteriously become undone.

🐾 It all seems too difficult!

And nowhere is this more true than shaping your pet dog to become your Brilliant Family Dog.

A living being!

We are not dealing with an inanimate object, like a tennis racquet - we are working with a living, sentient, being who has his own ideas about how things should go!

Now it’s true that, as Susan Garrett says, dogs are always doing the best they can with the information they have in the situation they find themselves in.

They are obliging souls!

But they are not superhuman (supercanine yes, superhuman no). They cannot give you the right response without some clue as to what you want.

And with the things you thought you’d taught breaking down, and your dog producing new behaviour with each passing month as he grows and learns, you need to keep those clues coming!

Keep in mind that this dog you’re working with is not set in stone. He’s a changing, developing, person.

Development in the dog

It would be a mistake to think that your 8-week-old puppy is the finished article. He’ll go through many changes as he develops physically and mentally. Just like our own children, there’s a huge learning curve for them to travel before they reach 2.

But what are they learning?

Ha! This is where you come in. Just like our own children, they need constant guidance. You can’t just leave this pup alone and expect him to turn out as you’d like - as the perfect family dog.

This is where our friend Roland has it right!

It’s persistence, consistency, perseverance - all those hard words that you perhaps don’t want to hear - tenacity!

It’s formulating your training plan and sticking to it! That’s what will bring you the results you want.

I’m so pleased when I see people who do just that - stick to their plan - and succeed.

All teachers will be familiar with those who drift in, thinking that just having the idea of training your dog - perhaps enrolling in a course or studying some books - will be sufficient.

It is not.

You have to do the work!

And it’s YOU who has to do the work. Your dog just comes along for the ride. You’re the one with the input.

Commitment to your dog training

If you’re ready to commit to REALLY helping the animal in your care have the best life, and you to have the best life along with him, then I have some resources for you:

Start with this free Workshop, with its important and valuable lessons.

Then you can decide which suits you better - joining us in the vibrant Brilliant Family Dog Academy with video demos and full individual support, or working on your own through my series of books.

It’s all there for you.

The only thing I ask - as your dog can’t ask you - is that you STICK WITH IT!

Toffee is ready to learn!

Do you ask your dog’s permission for handling him?

There are things we have to do to our dog. Let’s make them into things we do with our dog!

There’s grooming, hunting for ticks and other beasties, claw-clipping and grinding, perhaps administering eye ointment, drying feet … there’s a lot we have to do to keep our dogs fit and healthy.

So it’s important that you don’t just grab your dog (like vets often do) and inflict “treatment” on them!

I appreciate that vets are always in a hurry. But there are some excellent ones who clear it with the dog first before touching them … and then there are the smash-and-grab ones, who can set up a lifelong fear of the vet in a couple of hasty and ill-considered seconds.

So to get this going smoothly, you need to get buy-in from the dog, and make it easier all-round.

Here’s an excerpt from one of my Growly Dog Books

Is it you that’s causing the pain?

The key here is that your dog will associate something with any pain or discomfort he’s feeling. That something he’s latched on to may be the approach of a person holding a broom. It may be entering the vet’s surgery. It may be being manhandled so you can reach his claws. So if you have to administer a treatment which may be uncomfortable, it’s a good idea to get him to associate something else with this pain, and not you!

There are various techniques about that focus on the dog giving you permission to treat him - having him become a party to his own treatment.

Picture this: you go to the dentist for your appointment. While you’re talking to the receptionist, the dentist creeps up on you, grabs your jaw and forces it open to poke instruments in. Horror! This is an assault! And yet isn’t this what people often do to their dogs?

A better scenario would be that you go into the dentist’s surgery. He indicates The Chair. Now when you get into that chair you are effectively giving the dentist permission to open your mouth and start poking about in there. It’s just as unpleasant as before - but this time you gave your consent.

So get your dog to give you consent by transferring the “this may hurt” feelings onto something else. Some people use a pot of treats on the floor. As long as the dog sits or lies still in front of that pot he’ll be given a treat. Gradually you can pick up a paw or start brushing a tail while you dish out the treats. If your dog leaps up and flees, let him. When he ventures back he can choose to station himself in front of the treat pot again. He’s saying, “Ok, you can brush me now”. You could also get out the implements he’s worried about - the nail clippers or the claw-grinder, and perhaps use a particular mat for him to sit on, which you only use for treatments. When he comes to you, you can reward him for his bravery. He knows what’s going to happen - you’re not going to jump him.

If you call your dog over for a cuddle then grab him and swing him over onto his back so you can check his tangles, how’s he going to feel next time you call him?

Choice, choice, choice! Think of that dentist and let your dog have a say in his own care.

📖 Read more here: www.brilliantfamilydog.com/growly-boxset📚

And here’s a video of my Border Collie Yannick being introduced to Chirag Patel’s excellent Bucket Game. Note that he is free to come and go and take whatever position he likes.

We moved on quickly after these sessions, and I’m now “allowed” to hold all Yannick’s paws and clip his nails without any of the fear he was showing previously.