How well do dogs see in the dark?

[lula]

with all the dark evenings ahead of us every week day at 5pm sees me staggering around the fields in the dark while trying not to step in anything too horrendous clutching a (pretty useless) torch as i try to give my permanently hyper collie a run and i found myself wondering today exactly how well dogs can see in the dark.

not as well as cats im pretty sure but do they have better night vision than humans..any body know?

does your dog seem to see ok in the dark?

 

[Dobiegirl]

A lot better than us, I always take my dogs out for a last wee on the lead up my drive and around the yard. One night my torch was useless(battery died) and was walking in the pitch black with a black dog and I felt him stop and bristle suddenly the security light came on and a cat ran off. Whether my dog smelt it or not I dont think so Im sure he could see it and the cat activated the security light as he ran away.

 

[Ravenwood]

I take mine out every evening after work with a torch (but I have bought myself a super-duper,rechargeable one with a shoulder strap ) and walk round the woods with them - they career around (mostly out of sight/torch light) as if it was daylight so I guess they are either pinching the carrots from the veg garden or dogs can generally see just as well in the dark

 

[Toffee44]

Well enough to spot the sodding deer accross a 10acre field!!!!


Nuff said about my walk this evening

RW I have a head torch I go out with, and run with.

 

[ladyearl]

I think the key to their success is they don't just rely on sight they navigate using scent just as much. Hence why of the two I have staying atm only the one with perfect recall allowed off in the dark as the other wouldn't panic about not seeing me but I would about not seeing him!

ps I have lovely high viz vests made by boett for off leads which are picked up immediately by head torch.

 

[millimoo]

I was a out to say... Bloody rubbish.
My lab seems to think daytime objects turn into monsters in the dark.

I swear to god she sees things that aren't there... She really took the biscuit when we came home one night and the bulb had gone in the hall. She then dived behind me barking at a none exististant intruder, half scaring me to death for the short time it took for me
to realise there was nothing there...

I love her dearly, but shes a rubbish guard dog