Canine Research and Dog Color Preference

Jeff Stevens

Canine Cognition and Human Interaction Lab
Department of Psychology
Center for Brain, Biology & Behavior

Introduction

A bit about me

Canine Cognition and Human Interaction Lab

CCHIL Mission

We use biological and psychological approaches to understand dog behavior with the aim of improving how owners train, work with, and live with dogs

What we do

View of lab set-up with chair, bucket, and tripod on the floor and white, yellow, and blue circles and camera mounted on wall.

View of experimental set-up on grass with small black and brown dog approaching blue and yellow bowls with experimenter and tripod behind a black occulder.

Dog color vision

Are dogs colorblind?

Brown and white dog sitting on grass behind blue, orange, and red toys. Brown and white dog sitting on grass behind blue, orange, and red toys but viewed through dog color vision, so everything is brown, yellow, an blue.

What dogs see

Illustration of dog color spectrum compared to human color spectrum.

Source: Pet Sitting Malta

What do dogs prefer?

Three brown street dog puppies.

Source: Anoir Chafik on Unsplash

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 study

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 214 dogs under 7 years old at dog parks etc.
  • Chose between grey, yellow, and blue bowls
  • Recorded first bowl approached

Dogs preferred yellow

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

Brown and white dog sitting with nose in yellow bowl.

Other factors

No difference in color preference between:

  • Males/females
  • Purebreeds/mixed breeds
  • Cloudy/sunny weather

Position preferences

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

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 study

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

Summary

  • Young pet dogs in the U.S. prefer the color yellow

  • Brightness can’t account for this preference

Brown and white dog playing with yellow dog puzzle.

Source: 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!

  • Anwyn Gatesy-Davis
  • Susannah Couture
  • Yasmin Worth
  • 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

jstevens5@unl.edu dogcog.unl.edu unl-cchil unl_cchil @unlcchil.bsky.social