Are Dogs Colorblind?

Note: The International Science and Engineering Fair has established strict guidelines to which all of its affiliate fairs must adhere. These guidelines involve experimentation with vertebrate animals. It is the responsibility of the student to follow those rules carefully. (See the Foreword and/or contact Science Service, the administrator of the ISEF, for a copy of the applicable rules.)

Purpose

To determine if dogs are in fact completely colorblind, as many people believe.

Materials Needed

• assorted colored construction paper
• camera
• black and white film
• 3 glass jars
• 1 dog—any age , breed, or sex, in good health
• dog biscuits or some other treat the dog likes

Experiment

Photographs of colored construction paper will be taken with black and white film to determine how colors appear under varying amounts of light. These pictures will simulate how shades of color would be perceived by a totally colorblind dog. A dog will be trained to consistently choose a jar covered with paper of one shade (as it appears from the photos) from a distinctly dif ferently shaded jar. Once the dog is trained to choose the particular jar, the other jar will be replaced by a jar of a different shade but with similar contrast to the one the dog is trained to choose. The jar positions will be switched frequently to determine whether the dog can still recognize the shaded jar that it was trained to choose.

Procedure

1. Take black and white photographs of an assortment of colored construction paper to determine which colors appear to have similar and dissimilar degrees of brightness and contrast after the film is developed.

2. Cover two jars with differently colored construction paper that share a similar contrast and brightness when photographed with black and white film. Cover the third jar with another color whose photographed shade is distinctly different from the other two.
3. For the first part of your experiment, the dog will not be tested for colorblindness but will be trained to select one of two similarly shaded jars from the differently shaded one. When the dog can consistently choose the correct jar, reward it with a treat.
4. For the second part of your experiment, replace the jar that the dog was not trained to choose with the second similarly shaded jar. The dog will need color vision to distinguish between the two jars, since with complete colorblindness the two colors would appear to be the same brightness and contrast.
5. Switch the positions of the jars around frequently, and test the dog 100 times. If the dog chooses correctly, continue to reward it to keep it interested. Chart the number of correct and incorrect responses made by the dog in the second part of your experiment.

Results

1. Was the dog able to distinguish between degrees of brightness and contrast in the first part of your experiment?
2. Was the dog consistently correct, incorrect, or did it vary in its responses?
3. Was the dog able to distinguish between the similar shades in the second part of your experiment?
4. Was the dog consistently correct, incorrect, or did it vary in its responses?
5. If the dog was mostly correct, do you think that other variables may have accounted for its accuracy?

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