Dogs can see moving objects at distances up to about 900 meters (approximately 2950 feet), but their ability to recognize stationary objects is more limited, around 585 meters (about 1920 feet)
. This highlights their exceptional motion detection capabilities, which are much better than humans'—dogs can detect movement from far away even if they cannot see fine details clearly at that distance. In terms of visual sharpness or acuity, dogs generally have 20/75 vision. This means a dog must be 20 feet away to see an object with the same clarity that a human with normal 20/20 vision can see at 75 feet. Some breeds, like Labrador Retrievers, have better visual acuity closer to 20/20
. Dogs also have a wider field of vision than humans, about 250 to 270 degrees compared to the human 180-190 degrees, allowing them to see more of their surroundings without moving their heads
. Their eyes are adapted to detect motion and see well in low light due to a higher number of rod cells and a reflective layer behind the retina called the tapetum lucidum, which enhances night vision
. In summary:
- Dogs can detect moving objects up to 900 meters away.
- Stationary objects are recognized up to about 585 meters.
- Visual acuity is generally 20/75, meaning less sharp detail compared to humans.
- They have a wider peripheral vision (around 250-270 degrees).
- Dogs excel at night vision and motion detection but see fewer colors and less detail at a distance.
This combination suits their evolutionary needs for detecting prey and threats rather than detailed long-distance vision like humans
