Introduction
Dogs have incredible senses of smell and hearing, making them ideal service animals. But can they see infrared light too? Let’s explore how dogs sense infrared and how it differs from their other senses.
Interpreting Your Dog’s Reactions to Infrared
Whenever your furry companion senses something interesting, their body language will give it away. They may become alert, whine, bark, cower, growl, raise their ears, sniff, or wag their tail, depending on how they perceive the heat source nearby. For example, they may whine if they want to investigate further or bark if they feel threatened.
The Evolutionary History of Dogs and Infrared Sensing
While dogs excel in areas like smell and hearing, their vision is actually weaker than ours. They can’t see infrared light like some other animals but have evolved to sense thermal heat, especially at the tip of their nose. Wolves, their ancestors, used this sense to hunt in low-light conditions, allowing them to detect movements more easily.
The Science Behind Dogs Sensing Infrared
Dogs have fewer cones and rods in their eyes compared to humans, which impacts their color vision. They primarily see blues and yellows, and possibly ultraviolet light too. Recent studies suggest that the nerves at the tip of a dog’s nose can sense infrared or thermal heat, offering them an additional way to perceive their surroundings, especially when hunting.
Training Dogs to Harness Their Infrared Sensing Abilities
Domesticated dogs can be trained to better utilize their ability to sense thermal heat through their noses. Researchers are exploring how to enhance this additional sense in dogs and how to train them to interpret and respond to the signals their noses send to their brains. While still a developing field of study, training can help dogs tap into this hidden infrared sensing capability.