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How does a dog see the world?

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Other dogs

Since dogs can't see red, scientists used to think they use luster more than color as a visual cue. But a recent study disputes that idea, finding color is "more informative than brightness" for a dog comparing two objects that differ in both.

Fur color might therefore help dogs recognize each other from a distance, along with related signals like body size and shape. This chow's reddish coat may seem green to other dogs, but that skewed hue could still help them distinguish it from a Swedish Lapphund down the street — at least until they get close enough for a proper sniff-down.