Color therapy is a pretty big deal around people.
You have probably benefited from it at some point in your life.
When you are down, looking at certain colors is guaranteed to lift your spirits.
And when you need to unwind and reduce your stress levels, you look for stuff with bright colors.
During bedtime or when it’s time to take a nap, you want darker calm colors around you.
It turns out dogs share certain similarities with us humans in their interpretation and appreciation of colors. For instance, some colors have a soothing effect on them.
When they are anxious, nervous, or just want to lie down, the colors can help them greatly.
If you own a dog that struggles with anxiety, you know the challenge of comforting them down when the nerves kick in.
Lucky for you, I have rounded up calming colors for dogs.
Colours That Make Dogs Happy
Research has shown that our favorite animal friends don’t see their world the way we do.
For one, they see extremely well at night – much better than humans.
However, when it comes to interpreting color, dogs aren’t that great (compared to humans).
At best, they perform like color-blind people in the sense that they are dichromatic (they can see the world in two-color variations).
Canines essentially see things in blue, yellow, and gray hues. This is according to a study by the University of California in Santa Barbra.
Blue, especially stands out as most dogs see it almost the same way we do.
If you want to prove it, get two toys – one blue and the other a different color.
Entice your dog to play with them and see which one he’s likely to pick. The blue toy is almost always a canine’s favorite.
It is for this very reason that blue makes for a happy color in the dog’s world. Your canine friend sees it for what it is.
While reds, greens, and oranges appear grayish to your pup, blue is easy to pick out.
Besides blue, yellow also scores high when it comes to creating a happy mood in a pooch.
Although this one isn’t as clear as blue to a dog, it still passes as a good happy doggie color.
Any shade of yellow is easily identified by any dog. Dark yellow hues become slightly yellow through your canine buddy’s eyes.
Light yellow turns into something close to brown but still within the yellow shade.
When your doggie needs a flow of happy hormones in her body, bring a yellow blanket while she takes a nap or let her play with yellow balls.
If you have a yellow-based room at home, bring her there for some time to soak in the effects of the color.
Colors That Make Dogs Sleepy
Apart from making dogs happy, color therapy can also help them go to sleep.
It’s the same way certain essential oils make you go to slumberland when you are having sleep challenges.
For dogs, blue and violet have been shown to possess these characteristics: they deliver a calming effect to dogs. And we all know that a calm dog can drift to dreamland with less hassle.
Typically, blue is the color of tranquility. It is laid back thus triggering the feeling of calmness in humans as well as dogs.
The art of staring at a blue wall or any other object painted blue gets the brain to slow down and go to rest.
Although blue can excite your dog, it can also help her sleep.
You just have to know how to play with the color to give you the desired result.
For instance, if you are looking to make your pup happy, consider handing her a blue chew toy or a ball.
But if she needs to rest, take her to a blue-themed room or cover her with a blue blanket.
Violet, too, is a wonderful calming color for most dogs.
See, violet doesn’t necessarily exist in the dog world. When your pup sees violet, her vision will perceive it as some sort of blue.
Well, it makes sense since violet has a blue base. A soft violet color or lilac tone is bound to trigger inner peace and bring balance to your doggie’s body.
Both of these will greatly help the dog fall asleep.
You may also want to check:
12 Best Calming Dog Beds in 2023
Avoid These Colors: They May Make Your Dog Aggressive
While some colors are calming to dogs, some are downright disliked by them.
Here is a roundup of colors that may make dogs aggressive.
Red
Red is the color of love, happiness, and fun. Well, that’s only true for humans.
Our canine friends, on the other hand, don’t care for it. The color is by far the most disliked by dogs.
Part of the reason is that canines see red as some sort of dark gray color that doesn’t catch their attention.
It’s also possible that dogs associate red with danger or some kind of threat as it resembles the color of blood.
No matter the reason, red can trigger the aggressive side of Fido.
Yellow
Although it doesn’t happen often, yellow can also make a dog aggressive.
Some dogs associate yellow with the color of vomit and in turn, an illness.
To avert disease, these doggies can become upset when they see any yellow.
Thankfully, most pups find yellow appealing rather than intimidating.
Black
To a dog, the color black resembles darkness or a shadow of sorts.
Dogs don’t feel safe around both and may act aggressively if presented with the colors.
Image sources: 1, 2, 3
As an Amazon Associate, we may receive a small commission from qualifying purchases but at no extra cost to you. Learn more. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.