Source checked November 12, 2026. Editorial team. Not professionally reviewed.
Dichromatic and cone
Dichromatic is the term the sources use for two cone types in dogs’ color vision. A cone is a light-sensitive cell type involved in color perception. These words summarize a general account; they do not mean a dog sees only two flat paint colors or let us map every pixel to a sensation. They also do not assess an individual animal’s eyes.
American Kennel Club: Can dogs see color? · VCA Animal Hospitals: Do dogs see color?
Rod, low light and motion
VCA links rods with light levels and motion and describes differences between dogs and people. Low light is not the same as complete darkness, and a species-level comparison is not a safety approval for a setting. The glossary supplies no light threshold, moving-object trial or exercise that a reader should perform on a dog.
Model, illustration and assessment
An illustration is a visual explanation. A model makes specific assumptions and would need appropriate support for its intended use. An assessment concerns an individual animal. Our palette board is an illustration only. It is not a validated model or an eye assessment, and it should never be used as reassurance about actual vision or injury concerns.
American Kennel Club: Can dogs see color? · VCA Animal Hospitals: Do dogs see color?