Color preferences in dogs: A replication study

Jeff Stevens, Anwyn Gatesy-Davis, Susannah Couture, and Yasmin Worth

Canine Cognition and Human Interaction Lab
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Canine Science Conference
2026-06-05

Introduction

What dogs see

Illustration of dog color spectrum compared to human color spectrum.

Source: Pet Sitting Malta

What do dogs prefer?

Brown and white street dog approaching wooden tray with blue, yellow, and grey bowls.

Dynamite plot of percentage of each color bowl (blue, grey, and yellow) as first choice. Twice as many dogs chose yellow compared to blue or grey.

Roy et al. 2025

Color preference

Replicate Roy et al. 2025

Research question

Do pet dogs in the U.S. prefer the color yellow?

Brown and white dog sitting behind grey, yellow, and blue bowls.

Methods

Brown and white dog sitting behind grey, yellow, and blue bowls.
  • Tested 134 dogs under 7 years old at dog parks
  • Chose between grey, yellow, and blue bowls
  • Recorded first bowl approached
  • Some trials with no food

Dogs preferred yellow

Plot of number of subjects for each bowl color showing stronger preference for yellow over blue.

No effect of food present/absent

Plot of number of subjects choosing blue, grey, and yellow bowls with separate panels for with and without food.

But what else might cause preference?

Image of wooden tray with blue, yellow, and grey bowls.

Image of wooden tray with blue, yellow, and grey bowls.

Image of wooden tray with blue, yellow, and grey bowls using a filter for dog vision.

Brightness preference

Methods

Illustration of light, medium, and grey bowl.
  • 141 dogs under 7 at dog parks, bars, and daycares
  • Chose between light, medium, and dark grey bowls

Dogs didn’t prefer light grey

Plot of number of subjects choosing light, medium, and dark grey bowls showing slight preference for dark bowls.

Wrap up

Take home message

  • Young pet dogs in the U.S. prefer the color yellow, replicating Roy et al. (2025)

  • Brightness can’t account for this preference

Brown and white dog playing with yellow dog puzzle.

Photo by Ayla Verschueren on Unsplash

Why do we care about dog color preferences?

Image of multi-colored dog toys on carpet or grass for both human and dog color vision.

Image of multi-colored dog in animal shelter.

Image of person pointing to one of two blue cups.

Sources: pawleaks.com, 12photostory on Unsplash, and CCHIL

Thank you!

  • Solen Duwell-Le Bihan
  • Giselle Lawson
  • Ashley Llewellyn
  • Nathan Nienaber
  • Nebraska Parks and Recreation
  • Urban Hound Dog Bar
  • Kenl Inn
  • Sandhills Global Event Center

Black, brown, and white dog looking up at camera with certificate of achievement for Benton held in front.

Contact

dogcog.unl.edu

unl_cchil

unl.cchil

@unlcchil.bsky.social

Stevens, J.R., Gatesy-Davis, A., Couture, S., & Worth, Y. (2026). Color preferences in dogs: A replication study. PsyArXiv. doi:10.31234/osf.io/v8phx_v1.

Image of light brown dog with yellow tennis ball in its mouth.

Photo by Ethan Richardson on Unsplash

ManyDogs Project

ManyDogs logo.

manydogs.org

ManyDogs in the news

Nature article 'Can an army of babies and dogs rescue psychology from its reproducibility crisis?'

Demographics in dog research

ManyDogs is studying demographics questions that canine researchers report in their studies.

Grab lunch to-go and join us for a discussion here at 12:45pm.

Survey

Please complete our short, 5-minute study!

  • Have been first, senior, or corresponding author on at least one journal article on dog behavior/cognition with owned dogs
  • At least 19 years old

https://go.unl.edu/dog_demographics

QR code for https://go.unl.edu/dog_demographics

Extra

Color properties

Two-panel figure with the left panel (a) showing wavelength in nm ranging from 400 to 800 on the x-axis and absorbance ranging from 0 to 1.25 on the x-axis. The chart is a set of five lines connecting 400 points: blue, yellow, light grey, medium grey, and dark grey. The right panel (b) shows wavelength in nm ranging from 400 to 800 on the x-axis and percent reflectivity ranging from 0 to 90 on the x-axis. The chart is a set of five lines connecting 400 points: blue, yellow, light grey, medium grey, and dark grey.

No sex differences

Plot of number of subjects choosing blue, grey, and yellow bowls with separate panels for males and females.

No breed differences

Plot of number of subjects choosing blue, grey, and yellow bowls with separate panels for purebred and mixed breed dogs.

No weather differences

Plot of number of subjects choosing blue, grey, and yellow bowls with separate panels for cloudy, rainy, and sunny weather.

No position preferences

Plot of number of subjects chooseing blue, grey, and yellow bowls with separate panels for purebred and mixed breed dogs.

Study 1

Plot of number of subjects chooseing blue, grey, and yellow bowls. Slightly more subjects chose yellow or grey bowls compared to blue bowls.

Study 1 age effects

Plot with two panels showing number of subjects for each bowl color for dogs younger and older than 7 years old.