can dogs see at night

Dogs can see quite well at night, better than humans, but they cannot see in complete darkness. Their eyes have more rod cells which detect light and movement in low-light conditions, and they have a special reflective layer called the tapetum lucidum behind the retina that bounces light back through the retina, enhancing their night vision. This allows dogs to detect shapes and motion in dim light much better than humans can, though their night vision is not as strong as that of cats. They need at least some ambient light to see, so total darkness remains challenging for them.