Dogs

[KC 71]

I have noticed that my shepherd / Heinz dog's eyes turn orange when lights reflect on them at night time. I used to have a belgian shepherd and- same thing - but green. I just wondered if any of you dog owners have the same thing.

Is it a lineage that goes back to the wolf ?

[Oxx]

It's simply physics - light reflected from the back of the eyeball. Some dogs reflect different colours from each eyeball.

[chrisinth]

Dogs are primarily diurnal rather than nocturnal which means that their eyes are equipped to work best in the twilight.

Underneath the receptor cells of the retina (the rods and cones) is a glistening opaque reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum that reflects light back to the rods and cones.

This is what causes the dog's eyes to shine in a car's headlights.

No, I'm not a vet, I am just spookily reading a book at the minute (The Dog's Mind) and am actually on the section of vision relating to night vision, hence the above knowledge........................

[KC 71]

Thanks for the info all

[KC 71]

I see some dogs don't have it here- hence wolf receptors