Dogs are human’s best friends and we sure love our furry companions, so we can never pass on an opportunity to learn some new dog facts that can help us understand their crazy antics. From traits that set them apart in the canine world to cute and funny behaviors, here are 10 dog facts that will only make us fall in love with them even more.
Nose print
There’s still a lack of scientific evidence on this matter… But it’s believed that a dog’s nose print, when combined with the shape of the nostrils, could be a unique identifier, like fingerprints on humans! As if the touch of their muzzle wasn’t special enough, now we know we are also being blessed with their unique mark. ❤️
However, even if we could somehow identify our buddies by their nose print, we should never disregard how important it is to have our beloved dogs microchipped. That remains the safest way to identify them!
Smell that?
“What a big nose you have Grandma!”, said Red Riding Hood. “Only to smell you better with, my dear”, said the Wolf. 🐺 A dog’s sense of smell is not as extensive as a wolf’s, but it’s still pretty impressive. Although size doesn’t matter as in the fairytale, the nose of our canine companions has over 100 million sensory receptor sites… Compared to 6 million in people. They can detect tiny concentrations of odor that our poor human noses cannot even dream of! It’s actually estimated that dogs can smell from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than humans! 😯
Kung Fu moves
No, your dog is not training to be the next Jet Li, nor is your buddy suddenly stricken by shame after pooping. Dogs actually kick backwards after doing their toilet business as a way to mark their territory using the scent glands in their paws. 🐾
To chew, or not to chew
In dogs, the digestive process does not begin in the mouth, as is the case with humans. This is because canine saliva lacks amylase, a powerful digestive enzyme. Even though dogs should chew properly so that they don’t regurgitate afterwards, the truth is that chewing is not required to start digestion as in people.
Antibacterial self-medicine
It’s known that dog saliva has some antibacterial and antimicrobial properties… But that doesn’t mean that licking a wound won’t do more harm than good. Besides these properties, a dog’s mouth harbours tons of bacteria, and the saliva and constant licking can lead to skin irritation, infection and even wounds. Preventing your dog from licking wounds is even more important when we’re talking about sutures! They can easily get infected or open. ⚠️
Shamelessly innocent
We hate to be the bearers of bad news with these dog facts, but don’t be fooled by the “puppy eyes” dogs give you after some mischievous act. Researchers say that our little buddies cannot feel any guilt, and the sad and eye-avoiding demeanor is nothing but an act set to match your rebuke! In fact, most of the time, innocent dogs will be the ones putting up a more convincing show.
Spot the tongue
Some dog facts are useful to help us understand their behavior… And others are good to calm our little pet owners’ heart. 😌 Spots on their tongue are not universal, but they’re also not a cause for worry. More than 30 breeds are known to have these marks, which can also be found under their furry coat. They’re nothing more than simple deposits of pigment! As is the case with humans, these spots are just birthmarks or freckles, that make our buddies extra special. Marks can also appear with age, and that’s no problem.
Paw up
Have you ever wondered why male dogs lift their paws to pee and females usually don’t? Well, it’s all about playing “macho”. Dogs lift their paws while urinating simply to spray their pee higher and in a more disseminated way. This way, other canines can easily smell it and know who runs the show in that territory. Additionally, some researchers speculate that it may also be a way for dogs to make themselves look bigger. Size seems to matter after all… 👀
Dogs sweat
We all know dogs are overheated when we see them panting to cool their body temperature, by allowing the moister in the tongue to evaporate. But can you see any droplets of sweat coming out of their fur? No, you can’t – and the reason is simple. The few dog sweat glands are called merocrine glands, and they’re actually located around their foot pads. They’re quite inefficient in helping a dog cool down! That’s why you might find tiny wet paw marks around your house on hot summer days. 🐾
Poop compass
One of the benefits of knowing some dog facts is that they can help us understand some of their annoying traits and be more sensitive towards them. For instance… Dogs aren’t actually trying to drive us crazy when they’re being fussy choosing a spot for their toilet business! In fact, studies suggest that they have a sort of “poop compass” embedded in them… And they’re simply trying to find the right spot aligned with Earth’s magnetic field. Maybe they are scientifically picky but hey, that’s still kind of cool. 😎
Dog facts are always funny and interesting, as they can help us understand some of furry companions’ weird behavior. Then again, it just might be that our dogs are simply crazy but we sure love them anyway! Did you discover any new interesting fact about your buddy?
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