#Japan #Tokyo #dog preferences #color survey #dog owners

Unraveling the Color Preferences of Our Canine Companions

In a fascinating survey conducted by EIGHT Inc., based in Minato, Tokyo, over 373 dog owners shared their insights regarding their dogs' favorite and least favorite colors. The findings challenge conventional beliefs about canine color perception, revealing a complex relationship between what dogs can see and what they seem to prefer.

Understanding Canine Color Vision

Dogs are known to perceive a limited color spectrum, primarily viewed through shades of blue, yellow, and gray. They struggle to distinguish between red and green, perceiving these colors as grayish in their world. This limited vision prompts the question: do dogs exhibit preferences for colors based solely on their visibility?

The survey aimed to uncover potential links between colors that are easily recognizable and those that dogs are perceived to like or dislike. The results were quite surprising.

Ranking of Dogs' Favorite Colors

The survey revealed that the most liked color among the dogs was unexpectedly red, accumulating a significant number of votes despite its recognized challenges for dogs in seeing it. This could indicate that dogs might associate the color with favorite toys or experiences. Additionally, blue and yellow, both of which are generally more visible to dogs, occupied the second and third positions in popularity, respectively.

• - Top Ten Favorite Colors:

1. Red - 49 votes
2. Blue - 43 votes
3. Yellow - 33 votes
4. White - 23 votes
5. Pink - 17 votes
6. Green - 15 votes
7. Brown - 14 votes
8. Black - 11 votes
9. Orange - 6 votes
10. Light Blue - 5 votes

This suggests that while vision plays a role, other factors, such as personal experiences and associations may heavily influence dogs' color preferences.

Ranking of Dogs' Least Favorite Colors

On the flip side, the least favored color was black, drawing a significant amount of responses. It was followed by red once again, highlighting the potential for specific colors to elicit negative reactions in dogs.

• - Top Ten Least Favorite Colors:

1. Black - 36 votes
2. Red - 34 votes
3. Blue - 8 votes
3. Purple - 8 votes
3. Yellow - 8 votes
6. White - 5 votes
6. Brown - 5 votes
8. Fluorescent & Sparkly Colors - 4 votes
9. Green - 2 votes
9. Silver - 2 votes

Black, in particular, may invoke feelings of anxiety or unease, potentially due to its dark nature and the associations dogs create with certain colors and the physical environments in which they live. Interestingly, colors like blue, yellow, and purple, recognized as easier for dogs to see, are also present in the least favorite category, indicating the complexity of dogs' color relationships.

Insights from Dog Owners

Among the owners surveyed, approximately 58% felt their dogs had a preferred color, while 35% reported their dogs had a color they disliked. This implies that a notable section of dog owners believe their pets possess color preferences akin to those of humans—albeit largely through subjective interpretation.

Conclusion

While this survey sheds light on possible canine color preferences, it's essential to remember that dogs primarily rely on their keen sense of smell rather than sight. Thus, their perception of a color might strongly correlate with the scent of their favorite objects or experiences. Further research is needed to explore the intricacies of how dogs perceive color in conjunction with other sensory information.

For more detailed insights from the survey and the full methodology, check out the full report on Dog Food 8's website.