20 Incredible Facts About Dogs
I think it’s fair to say that we can all agree that dogs are pretty awesome, right? But did you know just how awesome a dog truly is? There are hundreds of thousands of reasons why we should love dogs- their intuitiveness, their care, their loyalty and their love to name but a few. Yet, our fascination and unique bond with our dogs has led to some incredible research being done on one of the world’s favorite animals. Below, we discuss some of the most amazing facts about dogs that this research has been able to give us. Get ready to have your mind blown.
Dogs Are As Smart As 2-Year-Olds
The University of British Columbia carried out language development research and discovered that the average dog can learn around 165 words, including signals and gestures (similar to that of a 2-year-old). Supposedly, our canine companions fare even better when it comes to arithmetic, when compared to their counterparts.
Sound odd? Researchers placed two treats in front of a dog, then covered them with a screen- when the screen was later raised again, the dogs expected there to be two treats. If one treat were to magically disappear, the dog would then go looking for it- indicating that they had counted the number of treats available and were able to do the maths, if one were to be subtracted. For a wider selection of choices, check out our dog treats guide.
Their Sense Of Smell Is Amazing
A dog’s nose has over 300 million scent receptors (compared to our measly 5 million). This allows them to detect various cancers, diabetes and other ailments. Not only that, but most dogs can smell even something as small as a fingerprint- a week after it was left.
To put that into some kind of perspective, using our taste as an example; we might notice if someone had added sugar to our coffee- with dogs, they could tell if a teaspoon of sugar had been added to a million gallons of water. That’s pretty impressive, by any standards!
There are also some amazing anecdotal stories to go along with the research- one sniffer dog found a bag of marijuana that had been submerged in gasoline, multiple owners have declared their dog’s their saviour after “insisting” on certain areas of their body, which have later been found to have developed cancer. Not to mention that any dog can recognise the scent of their treats from a mile away- a fact any dog owner will happily confirm.
When we look at our dogs, our brains release a hormone called oxytocin – the happy hormone. But did you know that, when dogs look at us, they also release oxytocin? How’s that for being in sync!
Not only that, but the University of London found evidence that dogs feel empathy with their humans- with our four-legged friends approaching their owners if they cried with signs of sadness (tucked tail and bowed head). They’re also known to pick up on our agitation and anger- and this can even be the reason why some dogs are more aggressive than others.
They’re Related To Wolves
Now, we know this is a fairly well-known fact- but this doesn’t make it any less incredible. Indeed, there’s actually new evidence to suggest that dogs are not actually descended from wolves- they’re just related to them. If you’re wondering how that works, it’s based on new research that suggest both dogs and wolves come from a pre-historic creature named the Tomarctus, an ancient wolf-like animal. These are believed to be the progenitor of wolves, dogs and foxes and their remains have been found across North America.
They Have A Unique Nose Print
In much the same way as us humans all have unique fingerprints that are individual to us, dogs have unique nose-prints that are unique to them. Naturally, there are few sellers that have cashed in on this fact- and you can even get your own pup’s nose-print framed and popped on a wall or immortalized with a piece of jewellery.
In fact, in Canada, the Kennel Club have been accepting nose-prints as proof of identity since 1938. There are even some people that call for nose-prints to be used when identifying a dog, in the same way that we use microchips or dog tags.
You may also like our article on Dog ID Tags.
They Know Their Place In Their Pack
Dogs are pack animals. This means that dogs need to have a defined hierarchy within the family home in order to learn their place and stick to it. If you’ve heard of dog trainers telling owners to be the “Alpha”, this is why. Dogs will only respond to their owner’s commands if they believe that they are “below” the Alpha, in terms of dominance of the pack.
In other words, an owner needs to show their dog that they are the boss with their tone of voice and mannerisms, or else their dog simply won’t listen to them. A good owner is firm but fair, which creates an environment for a well-behaved dog that thrives both inside and outside the home.
They’re Loved All Over The World
Not only is the English phrase “man’s best friend” translated into similar messages across the globe, there is a strong history of dogs being kept as our faithful companions since we, as humans began to settle into villages and hunt together. Indeed, many of the world’s most fearsome leaders have also been big fans of their canine companions- from Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt right back to Adolf Hitler, right back to Kublai Khan and his 5000 dogs (reportedly).
Their Skeleton Is Unique
A dog’s shoulders are separate from the main bulk of their skeleton. This allows to them maintain their flexibility and run faster, over greater distances. Another fascinating fact about their bone structure is that, like humans, dog’s skulls are in multiple pieces at birth and fuse together as they age to become a fully-formed skull bone.
Their Sense Of Hearing Is Incredible
While we know how amazing a dog’s sense of smell is, have you ever considered how amazing a dog’s hearing is? They can hear at about 4 times the distance of a human, despite being born deaf. They also have an incredible ability to hear different pitches to humans- up to 45,000Hz which makes our 25,000Hz maximum look dreadful in comparison.
They can also have over 18 muscles in their ears alone, which allows them to use their sense of hearing almost like a radar- detecting different sounds from any direction.
There Are 7 Classes Of Dog And Over 300 Breeds
If you’re wondering what the difference is, don’t worry- you’re not the only one! While we all know about dog breeds and pretty much every dog owner out there has their favourite, the classes are another matter entirely.
The AKC (American Kennel Club) has 7 different classes which they place breeds into. These are based on their lineage and their original purposes and functions around us humans, and they are currently divided into Terrier, Toy, Working, Sporting, Non-Sporting, Hound and Herding.
They Save Countless Lives
We mentioned earlier that a dog’s sense of smell has been able to pick up on multiple different illnesses and diseases in humans- but their heroic deeds often go unnoticed. There are some amazing stories of dog’s guiding their owners to safety, digging tunnels to get to their trapped owners, attacking wild animals to keep their humans safe and even fetching help a la Lassie to keep humans safe.
Their Sense Of Smell Can Be Used In Court
A dog’s sense of smell has regularly been used when it comes to searching for drugs and contraband items, as their amazing noses can easily pick up the scents and catch the criminals- meaning they are able to then charge the perpetrator with possession of an illegal substance. That said, courts are increasingly seeing evidence provided by bloodhounds and other scent-trained dogs that indicate whether or not a person was at a scene of a crime. Fascinating!
Dogs Have Three Eyelids
Another interesting titbit of information is that dogs have three eyelids. While the first two are the same as our own- the upper lid and lower lid which are used for protection, covering our eyes, keeping them moist and so on, the third eyelid is only really visible when there’s an issue with your dog’s eye.
It’s based around the inner corner of their eye and can only cover about half of the eye (unlike our reptilian friends whose third eyelid covers their whole eye!). It’s more of a membrane than the thicker outer parts, which allows it to remain under the skin near their nose. You’re more likely to notice it when something is wrong, so if you see a red, sore looking part of the eye become exposed, head to your vets to get it diagnosed and any issues sorted out.
The Idea That Dogs Are Colorblind Is A Myth
For a long time now, we’ve believed that dogs are only able to see in black and white, yet recent research has revealed that dogs can actually see a range of colors- and are only red-green colorblind. Meaning that, even though they do struggle to see the range and diversity of colours that humans can, they can still see more hues than we initially thought.
City Dogs Live Longer Than Country Dogs
Recent research has indicated that dogs that live in the city are more likely to live up to three years longer than dogs who live in the country. This is because dogs that live in the country are more likely to come across trauma-type injuries than those who live in the city, since city dogs are more likely to be kept on leads and less likely to come across and dangerous predators when out and about.
They’re also more likely to come up against parasites such as fleas and ticks- or worse, pesticides and toxic chemicals designed to rid farmland of pests. Meanwhile, if a dog in the city becomes ill, it seems the owner is more likely to take their pet to the vet immediately, with a full description of symptoms, while a country owner may not have seen their pet all day, and therefore cannot say for certain what the symptoms are or why their dog is unwell. For more options, check out our detailed review of flea treatment for dogs.
Obesity Is The Number One Health Problem In Dogs
Accidents and trauma aside, obesity is the number one health problem in dogs, in the US. This is simply because owners have a habit of loving their pooch a little too much! There is currently an epidemic in which owners are feeding their dogs too much and not taking them out for exercise enough. Of course, with the right advice from your vet, this is a reversible health condition that some controlled food sources and plenty of exercise can solve.
Dogs Poo In Alignment With The Earth’s Magnetic Field
A new study has found that dogs like to poop on the North-South axis, apparently. Who knew? 70 dogs were studied with nearly 2,000 defecations recorded in the study, which showed that dogs like to avoid the East-West axis altogether and prefer to poop in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field. While we’re still not sure what this has to do with anything or why someone chose to study it, it’s still interesting to know. Kinda.
The Mayor Of Comorant, Minnesota Is A Dog
The election for an honorary mayor was conducted for charity, with $1 votes being cast to allow residents of Comorant to choose their favourite through a democratic election process. Duke, a Great Pyrenees has won over the crowds for three terms running and even appears on the town’s noticeboards, as well as near the highways, promoting the good work the town does.
Dalmatians Are Fascinatingly Unique
Not only are Dalmatians born completely white, with their spots appearing over time, they also have their own blood type! While most dogs have DEA 1.1, DEA 1.2 or DEA 1.3 (up to the increasingly rarer DEA 7), Dalmatians have their own blood type, the DAL1. While this a relatively new discovery, we look forward to learning more about this blood type and how it can help save other dog’s lives through blood transfusions.
The Mayor Of Comorant, Minnesota Is A Dog
The election for an honorary mayor was conducted for charity, with $1 votes being cast to allow residents of Comorant to choose their favourite through a democratic election process. Duke, a Great Pyrenees has won over the crowds for three terms running and even appears on the town’s noticeboards, as well as near the highways, promoting the good work the town does.
The USA Has The Highest Pet Dog Population In The World
Americans really do love man’s best friend, with dog ownership in the US hitting an incredible 75.8 million dogs across all the states. That’s nearly double that of second-place Brazil, who came in at 35million. Our fondness for dogs really shows, with an increase of dog parks, training centres and grooming parlours in every state. If you’re looking at getting into the dog industry, whether it’s through grooming, training or any other method, now would be the time, since the canine industry is certain booming!
Luckily, there’s also strict animal welfare programmes in place, which helps to stop the use of puppy farms, as well as coming down hard on those who mistreat their pets in any way. Some states even restrict what breeds of dog are actually allowed to be owned- and all owners require their dog to be licensed.
Admittedly, through our list, we came up with a few more than 20 incredible facts during this article- but, hey, with so many fascinating things to learn from man’s best friend, it was just so difficult to choose just a few! We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article as much as we enjoyed writing about it- and we hope you learned just as much as we did, too! From their incredible senses to their undeniable love for us humans, it seems there’s nothing a dog can’t do. And after reading this, we’re confident you’ll agree- dogs are incredible!
Sources:
- 30 Mind Blowing Facts about Dogs – Animal Friends
- 25 Fun and Fascinating Dog Facts – AKC
