Dogs are without a doubt the greatest animal in the world. It is modern life’s greatest pity that so many people who are renting apartments can’t have dogs because they are a blessing. Not only are they man’s best friend but they are just amazing creatures. They are a fantastic servant and will protect a family as best they can. One of their top skills is their night vision.
Dogs have much better eyesight than people at night. So if your dog is ever barking into the garden at night, don’t think he is crazy, there may be something or someone there that you can’t see. Trust your dog. While he mostly follows his nose, his eyes are a big help too.
A cat can see six times better than a human at night. While a dog is not quite as advanced it is likely closer to five times better. A dog has many differences in their eyes that allow them to see better. For a start, they have a much larger pupil. This captures more light so as dusk approaches whatever light is available is made better use of by them.
The center of the retina has more cells that are sensitive to light. Everyone has rods in their retina but they can perform different functions. Dogs have more of the ones that are sensitive to light.
The dog also has something called a tapetum. This is a mirror that is found in the back of the eye and basically reflects any light that enters the eye meaning that for whatever light that is available, they get double the benefit. There is a downside as this mirror will scatter light, lowering a dog’s overall vision. This means that a dog can’t see as much detail as humans can. Despite its poor ability to see the details, a dog’s amazing eyesight at night is just one more reason to love these amazing creatures.
