Through A Dog's Eyes
Ojos de perro: una mirada diferente
🐾👁️ Ever wondered what the world looks like through your dog’s eyes? Today, we’ll mindfully explore their sense of sight, using breath and attention to step into their unique visual experience. 🌎🐕✨
🎧 Tune in to begin your transformation 🐾
Transcript S1 I E9 Through a Dog’s Eyes
Hello, today we will be using what we learned in last week’s episode to mindfully try to experience what our dogs’ sense of sight might feel like. Using our attention and breath to become aware of how our dogs’ bodies work and the meaning they might give to their surroundings.
We recommend listening to this episode while on a leisurely walk with your dog. We’ll be practicing active mindfulness, meaning that we will be using our amazing power of observation and empathy to take what we learned and try to see through their eyes! If you have already walked your dog, don’t worry - you can either listen to this episode at a later time, or you can listen to the episode while observing your dog doing whatever they might be doing at the present moment. Choose a comfortable place to sit where you have a good vantage point of your dog or just keep doing what you are doing while keeping your dog within your field of vision.
Feel free to pause the episode while you get ready, but before you press pause, as you get ready, focus on your dog’s behavior. If you are getting ready for a walk, notice what your dog is looking at; similarly if you are staying at home and as you get settled in, notice what they look at.
What we will try to do today is to switch places with our dogs, not only as a means to try and understand a bit more of their experience of seeing the world but how it influences their behavior. Ok, go ahead and hit pause.
If you are out for a walk take a few seconds to relax your body and your gait; if you are at home take a few seconds to reposition yourself if needed. As always, let’s begin by taking three deep breaths slowly counting to 5 as you inhale and 5 as you exhale.
30 second silence
Ok, let’s quickly cover some of the content we learned about in our last episode to remind ourselves of what the biggest differences are between our sense of sight and that of our dogs.
While we both rely on light entering the eye and passing through the retina, dogs have less flexible lenses which limits their ability to focus on close objects, so anything closer than 13 inches appears blurry. For this reason dogs recognize artefacts within their environment by their overall shape, how they move, and of course how they smell, rather than by noticing fine details. Another big difference is that dogs see a dichromatic world of blues and yellows, as their retinas have fewer cone cells than ours, giving them a more muted color palette but heightened sensitivity to motion and contrast. Their wider visual field helps them be able to scan their surroundings really well, and the fact that they have more rod cells than we do, allows them to excel in low-light conditions and detect even the slightest motion. I’ll give you a few seconds to take this in and make a mental reminder of how these differences affect our experience of sight.
30 second silence
Ok, keeping in mind the main differences between our and our dogs’ sense of sight, imagine yourself putting on a pair of “dog vision goggles.” These goggles allow you to experience the world through your dog’s eyes - seeing our surroundings with fewer colors, sharper motion, and a unique perspective of the horizon. As you walk alongside your dog today, or follow them with your gaze while at home, use this perspective to explore how their sense of sight differs from yours and how that shapes their experience to allow you to deepen your connection with them.
Let’s start by slowing our pace if on a walk or relaxing our gaze if at home and start to pay attention to your surroundings, as if they were a still image you were looking at. Look at the different elements that make up this image while picturing how their colors might appear to your dog. The vibrant reds, greens, and oranges would look muted or gray, while blues and yellows would stand out. Notice how these changes shift your attention—what objects or details catch your eye now? Perhaps it's the movement of leaves blowing in the wind or the bright yellow of a passing car if on a walk; or the color of your home furnishings and decorations. Let this simplified palette guide your focus. I’ll give you a few seconds to imagine this.
45 second silence
Now think about your focal range. While you can easily bring nearby objects into sharp focus, imagine if anything closer than 13 inches became blurry. What would this change for you? Look at something far away and then something up close, experiencing how your dog might need to step back or tilt their head for clarity. Embrace this shift as you continue walking, or looking at the elements within your home as you continue to tune in to your dog’s unique way of seeing.
45 second silence
Next, observe how movement draws your attention. Notice the swaying of trees, the darting of a bird, or a jogger in the distance close by or outside the window of your home. Dogs are naturally attuned to motion, as their rod cells outnumber ours. Imagine how these movements might feel even more captivating to your dog. Try focusing solely on what moves around you, letting the still objects fade into the background.
Now, consider light and shadows. Dogs excel in low-light conditions but take longer to adjust to sudden changes in brightness. If you walk into a shaded area or pass from shadow to sunlight, pause and notice how your eyes adapt. Imagine how this slower adjustment might feel to your dog, navigating a dimly lit path or entering a brightly lit store. Or if at home, think of how they navigate the differently lit spaces inside.
45 second silence
As you continue your walk, pay attention to your surroundings in all directions. Dogs have a broader visual field—about 240° horizontally and 250° vertically—so they see more above, below, and to the sides than we do. Pause and try to expand your awareness. Look overhead at the sky, glance down at the ground, and scan the horizon. What details do you notice now that you’re actively widening your perspective?
Take a moment to align your field of vision with your dog’s. If they stop to look at something, crouch down and try to see what they see. Consider their height and how their perspective might differ from yours. What does the world look like from their eye level? This shift in perspective can help you empathize with their experience.
45 second silence
As you near the end of your walk, or this exercise if at home, take a moment to reflect. How did this experience of wearing “dog vision goggles” change the way you see your environment? Did focusing on color, movement, and perspective help you feel more connected to your dog? Take a deep breath, thank yourself for taking the time to explore this new perspective, and thank your dog for being your guide.
When you take off your imaginary goggles, carry this awareness with you. Every walk is an opportunity to step into your dog’s world and see the beauty and wonder they experience every day.
To close, let’s take our customary three deep breaths.
30 second silence.
If you like what you hear and would want others to find Pomodogo and take part in this adventure, please follow us on Apple or Spotify or come join the pack on Substack where you can leave comments and support us by becoming a free or paid subscriber. The link is in the show notes.
As we wrap up for the holidays, I want to take a moment to thank you all for your continued support and for being part of this incredible journey. Creating this unique content has been a true labor of love, and your engagement inspires me to keep pushing boundaries and sharing meaningful stories. I’m so excited about what’s to come and can’t wait to reconnect with you next year. Until then, I wish you a joyful and restful holiday season, and I’ll see you back in the New Year! Where we will continue our journey through sensory landscapes starting the year off with dogs’ most dominant sense - smell!
Episode written and produced by Luisa Ruge © 2025
🐾👁️ ¿Alguna vez te has preguntado cómo ve el mundo tu perro? Hoy exploraremos su sentido de la vista de manera consciente, usando la respiración y la atención para adentrarnos en su experiencia visual única. 🌎🐕
🎧 ¡Oye nuestro episodio 🐾
Transcripción: T1 I E9 Ojos de perro: una mirada diferente
Hola, hoy utilizaremos lo que aprendimos en el episodio de la semana pasada para intentar experimentar, de manera consciente, cómo podría sentirse la visión de nuestros perros. Usaremos nuestra atención y respiración para tomar conciencia de cómo funcionan sus cuerpos y el significado que podrían darle a su entorno.
Te recomendamos escuchar este episodio mientras das un paseo tranquilo con tu perro. Practicaremos la atención plena activa, lo que significa que usaremos nuestra increíble capacidad de observación y empatía para intentar ver a través de sus ojos. Si ya has sacado a tu perro a pasear, no te preocupes: puedes escuchar este episodio en otro momento o mientras observas a tu perro haciendo lo que sea que esté haciendo en este momento. Busca un lugar cómodo para sentarte donde tengas una buena vista de tu perro.
Si necesitas prepararte antes de comenzar, siéntete libre de pausar el episodio, pero antes, presta atención al comportamiento de tu perro. Si te preparas para salir, nota qué observa; si te quedas en casa, fíjate a dónde dirige su mirada mientras te acomodas. Hoy intentaremos intercambiar lugares con nuestros perros, no solo para comprender un poco más su experiencia visual, sino también para fortalecer nuestra conexión con ellos. Adelante, presiona pausa.
Si estás caminando, toma unos segundos para relajar tu cuerpo y tu andar; si estás en casa, ajusta tu posición si es necesario. Como siempre, comencemos tomando tres respiraciones profundas, contando lentamente hasta 5 al inhalar y hasta 5 al exhalar.
30 segundos de silencio
Ahora repasemos rápidamente lo que aprendimos en el episodio anterior para recordar las mayores diferencias entre nuestra visión y la de nuestros perros.
Aunque ambos dependemos de la luz que entra por el ojo y pasa por la retina, los perros tienen lentes menos flexibles, lo que limita su capacidad para enfocar objetos cercanos; todo lo más cerca de 33 centímetros les resulta borroso. Por eso, reconocen los elementos de su entorno por su forma general, movimiento y olor, más que por detalles precisos. Además, los perros ven un mundo dicromático de azules y amarillos, con menos colores y mayor sensibilidad al movimiento y al contraste. Su campo visual más amplio les permite escanear mejor su entorno, y su alta densidad de células de bastón les ayuda a detectar movimientos sutiles y a ver en condiciones de poca luz.
30 segundos de silencio
Ahora, imagina que te pones un par de “gafas de visión canina”. Estas gafas te permiten experimentar el mundo como lo ven ellos: con menos colores, más nitidez en el movimiento y una perspectiva única del horizonte. Mientras caminas junto a tu perro o lo observas en casa, utiliza esta perspectiva para explorar cómo su visión difiere de la tuya y cómo esto da forma a su experiencia.
Comencemos reduciendo el ritmo si estás en un paseo o relajando la mirada si estás en casa. Observa tu entorno como si fuera una imagen fija y piensa en cómo los colores podrían aparecerle a tu perro. Los rojos, verdes y naranjas se verían apagados o grises, mientras que los azules y amarillos destacarían. Nota cómo estos cambios dirigen tu atención. ¿Qué objetos o detalles llaman más la atención ahora? Deja que esta paleta simplificada guíe tu enfoque.
45 segundos de silencio
Ahora piensa en tu rango focal. Mientras que tú puedes enfocar objetos cercanos fácilmente, imagina que todo lo más cercano a 33 cm estuviera borroso. ¿Cómo cambiaría eso para ti? Mira algo lejano y luego algo cercano, experimentando cómo tu perro podría necesitar dar un paso atrás o inclinar la cabeza para ver con claridad.
45 segundos de silencio
Luego, observa cómo el movimiento atrae tu atención. Nota las hojas moviéndose con el viento, un pájaro que vuela o una persona corriendo cerca. Los perros están naturalmente sintonizados con el movimiento, gracias a sus células de bastón. Imagina cómo estos movimientos podrían ser aún más cautivadores para tu perro. 45 segundos de silencio
Mientras continúas el paseo, presta atención a tu entorno en todas direcciones. Los perros tienen un campo visual más amplio, de unos 240° horizontalmente y 250° verticalmente. Pausa y trata de expandir tu conciencia. Mira hacia el cielo, hacia el suelo y hacia el horizonte.
Alinea tu campo visual con el de tu perro. Si se detienen a mirar algo, agáchate y trata de ver lo que ellos ven. Considera su altura y cómo podría ser diferente su perspectiva.
45 segundos de silencio
Al terminar este ejercicio, tómate un momento para reflexionar. ¿Cómo cambió tu forma de ver tu entorno? ¿Te ayudó esto a sentirte más conectado con tu perro? Toma una respiración profunda, agradécete por dedicar este tiempo y agradece a tu perro por ser tu guía.
Cuando te quites tus gafas imaginarias, lleva contigo esta conciencia. Cada paseo es una oportunidad para adentrarte en el mundo de tu perro y experimentar la belleza y el asombro que ellos ven cada día.
Muchas gracias por oirnos, si te ha gustado este episodio de Pomodoro puedes calificarlo con 5 estrellas y darle click al botón de seguir para no perderte nuevo contenido de este podcast y ayudarnos a que otros nos encuentren. O únete a la manada en Substack donde puedes dejar comentarios y apoyarnos convirtiéndote en suscriptor gratuito o de pago. El enlace está en las notas del episodio.
Mientras cerramos por las fiestas, quiero agradecerles por su continuo apoyo y por ser parte de este increíble viaje. Crear este contenido único ha sido un verdadero acto de amor, y su compromiso me inspira a seguir compartiendo historias significativas. Estoy emocionado/a por lo que está por venir y espero volver a conectar con ustedes el próximo año. ¡Les deseo unas felices y relajantes fiestas y nos vemos en el Año Nuevo! Comenzaremos explorando el sentido más dominante de los perros: ¡el olfato!
Episode escrito y producido por Luisa Ruge © 2025