Our little canines have always been our best buddies and the most loyal companions, so it is quite natural that we would love to know everything about them. For this purpose, we have gathered the most amazing facts about dogs that even the most experienced dog owners will be surprised to know:
Dogs Can Sense Time
According to a study by Animal Planet, dogs know the difference between an hour and five. If trained well, they can even predict future events for you; for example, they can remind you of regular walk times.
Wet Noses of Dogs Are To Help Absorb Scent Chemicals
Do you worry about your dog’s nose been wet all the time? This is for a reason. According to Vetstreet, a dog’s wet nose can help it absorb scent chemicals. Their nose discharges a special mucus that helps absorb chemicals, and then they lick their noses to test those chemicals. This helps them understand what the smell is.
Dogs Can Help Lower Your Blood Pressure and Anxiety
According to research, you can feel much relaxed and lower your blood pressure by petting your dog! Isn’t that amazing? Its also why so many people are willing to do Pet sitting for free or as a job as well.
A Dog’s Power of Sniffing
If your dog is sitting calmly, it is breathing in and out up to 15 times per minute. This frequency increases up to 31 times per minute if your dog is walking. In an intense situation, when your dog is actively sniffing, its inhalation and exhalation rate boosts up to 140 to 200 times/minute.
Dogs Lick for a Purpose
Little pups lick their owners or mothers as a sign of affection or tell that they are hungry. On the other hand, adult dogs lick themselves due to several reasons, such as:
- They like the taste of their owner’s salty skin
- Show affection for their owners
- Licking releases pleasurable endorphins in the dogs that make them feel comfortable and relieve stress
Source: Animal Planet
Dogs Can See Better Than Us Humans in Night
There is a mirror-like membrane in dogs’ eyes, called tapetumlucidum, which helps them see better in the dark. They have light-and-motion sensitive cells in their retinas (known as rods) that can distinguish between light and shadow. The rods sometimes don’t absorb much light (especially during the night), and this is where tapetumlucidum comes – it rebounds the light into the retinas so the rods can take in more light.
Over time, dogs have become better in dim light, but not as much as cats.
Your Little Furry Companion is As Smart as a Two-Year-Old
Don’t underestimate the smartness of your dog. It is as smart as a two-year-old. This is the reason why children have a special bond with dogs, maybe because they speak the same language? Dogs can understand roughly 250 words and gestures. Smarterdogs can even recognize a whopping 1,022 words. Can’t believe it? Read it in detailhere.
Newfoundlands Are Incredible Lifeguards
Newfoundland dogs were originally bred as fishermen’s helpers and to help people from drowning, but later they evolved to be amazing lifeguards because they have water-resistant coats and webbed feet. Even some owners of Newfoundlands reported that they try to rescue them when they are swimming.
So, if you are a dog lover and want a fantastic doggy lifeguard, a Newfoundland dog is the right choice for you.
Your Dog Can Get Jealous
According to a study at USCD, your dog can get jealous if they see you showing more affection to another creature. So, make sure to show affection to your cat or someone only when your jealous little pup is not seeing you.
Three Dogs Survived the Titanic Incident
According to Vetstreet, three dogs were on the Titanic with their owners in the first class when it sank. Two of them were Pomeranian puppies, and one of these two was wrapped in a blanket that everyone thought was a baby. The third one was a Pekingese, which was also rescued.
You Can Use a Bloodhound’s Sense of Smell as Evidence in Court
According to an article by PBS, a bloodhound dog’s sense of smell is so strong and reliable that it can be admitted as evidence in a court of law. Strange, right? Prepare to have your mind blown once again. Bloodhounds can stay on a trail for more than 130 miles and follow tracks that are around 300 hours old.
Never Leave Your Doggy Alone In a Car
You shouldn’t leave your dog alone in a car at all costs because of certain drawbacks. First, they will miss you and try to get out of the car. Second, the temperature inside the cars increases rapidly, whether it is parked directly in sunlight or not. Plus, dogs overheat pretty quickly, which can cause many problems.
Read more about it here
The Reason behind Your Dog Curling Up
According to Vetstreet, your dog curls up because of an age-old instinct and to keep itself warm and cozy, and to protect vital organs while it takes a nap.
Your Dog Can Smell Your Feelings
According to an article by Dog Health, your dog’s sense of smell is 100,000 times (approx.) better than yours. This is why they can smell things such as fear, happiness, and sadness. When you are fearful, you sweat, and your dog can pick up on this change very quickly.
The Tallest Dog in the World
Ever wondered the height of the tallest dog in the world? It is Zeus, a Great Dane, who measured at 44 inches tall on 4th October 2011. He is the current Guinness World Record holder for the tallest dog in the world.
At Birth, Puppies Are Functionally Deaf and Blind
Wondered why a puppy’s eyes are firmly shut and ear canals closed on day one of their birth? In short, it is just a part of an evolutionary trade-off. Dogs have evolved to have short gestation periods because pregnancy can hurt a carnivore’s ability to hunt. Brief pregnancies are helpful because the canine mothers won’t have to wait for a prolonged period to do hunting.
However, just because dog embryos spend a short time in the womb (two months or a bit more time), puppies are not born fully developed, including their eyes and ears.
Greyhound vs. Cheetah
We all know that Cheetah is the fastest animal, but did you know that a Greyhound can beat a Cheetah in a long-distance race? As stated by Psychology Today, Greyhounds are amazing long-distance runners, and they can maintain a speed of 35mph for up to 7 miles. Although Cheetah can run at a speed of 68mph, it can only keep its pace for around 200 to 300 yards.
In short, a Cheetah may run ahead of a Greyhound in the start, but would soon be surpassed by a Greyhound.
The Most Expensive Dog Breed
Löwchens are the most popular and expensive breed in the world since the Renaissance. They are petite, have long hair, and their paintings from the Renaissance period have also been found. However, they are rare today and can cost you around $10,000 to $12,000 in some parts of the world.
Your Dog Can Help in Getting You a Date
According to a study, a man’s chances to successfully get a girl’s number increased from 10% to 33%, just by taking a dog with them.
A Story of a Blind Man and His Dog
You love your dog because he obeys your commands, adores you, and stays loyal with you, right? But did you know that a blind man named Bill Irwin hiked the Appalachian Trail with his guide dog, Orient? Orient helped him in navigating through different areas and took him to the top successfully. A book named Blind Courage is also written on this fantastic story.
Read more about this here.
Dogs Breathe Differently Than Us
While we humans breathe in and out the same way, our little companions breathe through their nostrils and breathe out through the slits (found on the sides of their nose). They breathe this way so they can always bring in new smells. Bloodhound dogs also have the benefit of floppy ears that can push up new smells to their nose.
The Oldest Dog Breed
You know the tallest and expensive dog in the world, now the oldest dog breed that also holds a Guinness World Record is the Saluki. This oldest breed dates back to 329BC, where they were kept as royal pets in ancient Egypt.
Dogs Dig Deep To Beat the Heat
When Max starts digging in an open lawn with little to no shade, don’t think he is ruining it – he is actually unearthing a fresh layer of dirt that is untouched by the sun and is cool enough to take a nap.
Many Dog Breeds Are Cat-Friendly
If you love both cats and dogs, you can get yourself a dog breed that is cat-friendly, so your cute little buddy doesn’t get hurt by your dog. Look for these breeds:
- Japanese Chins
- Golden Retrievers
- Papillons
- Labrador Retrievers
- Beagles
For more information on this, click here.
Some Dogs Will Look Like Puppies Their Whole Lives
If you love the innocence and cuteness of puppies, then you can get a dog that has pituitary dwarfism – it is rare, but dogs who have this dwarfism can look like puppies their whole lives, staying small in stature and keeping their puppy fur forever.
While this condition makes them look adorable little puppies regardless of their age, it comes with a lot of health problems.
Here are some more interesting facts about dogs:
- Your piece of clothing that has your smell can comfort your dog and help relieve their anxiety related to separation.
- There are diabetic dogs that can pick up on the distinctive scent that is released by humans when their insulin levels drop. To read more, click here.
- Basenji dogs are unable to bark, and they are from central Africa. The only noise they can make is described as yodeling, which they make when they are happy.
- Dogs don’t feel happy in the rain because the amplified sound hurts their sensitive ears.
- Dogs can easily locate a sound source in 6/100ths of a second.
- Your dog has a third eyelid called a haw – it is to protect the eye and help it remain moist.
- According to World Atlas, the USA has the highest pet dog population in the world, which is 75.8 million (approx.).
Final Verdict
We hope that you liked our list of amazing facts about dogs and gained a lot of knowledge about them. If you have a pet cat as well, you can check out our article on Amazing Facts about Cats. (Link here)
Last but not least, don’t forget to love your little companions because they love you more than anything.