8 Interesting Facts About Dogs

Image by Helena Sushitskaya from Pixabay

Whether you are a seasoned dog owner or a novice who recently had your heart stolen by an adorable rescue pooch, it is normal for our dogs to surprise us every single day, and you’ll find there is always something new to learn. 

Naturally, we want the best for our most loyal companions, and we do our utmost to learn as much as we can to become good pet parents. This can be done by speaking to other dog owners and learning from their experiences, reading useful articles online, or watching dog training videos. However, sometimes it’s also good to have a little bit of fun when it comes to learning. Here are some quirky dog facts that you might find interesting. They’ll certainly provide some unique conversation starters when you are out and about with other dog lovers. 

Dogs Are As Smart As Toddlers

You may have seen some cases where a baby will be quite happy playing with great Dane or staffie, without an ounce of fear. If you’ve ever wondered why your pup gets on so well with toddlers, it’s ultimately because they speak the same language; the average two-year-old communicates using around the same number of words and gestures as the average dog.

Dogs Have a Good Sense of Time

Have you ever noticed that your dog starts pacing when it’s time for their walk or they go to the bowl when it’s around feeding time? Well, this is because dogs actually have a great sense of time, and can pick up our routines and habits. For example, they can tell if you’re about to leave the house if you put on your shoes. Some dogs also respond differently depending on how long their owners are away. This is why it’s always best to start leaving them alone for short periods of time to ensure the separation anxiety is tackled gradually. 

Dogs Only Have Sweat Glands in Their Paws 

Unlike humans, who sweat through the pores of their skin, no matter how hot the day gets, you’ll never notice your dog sweat. This is because they actually only have sweat glands between their paw pads, which is why you may notice them jumping into water or very hot days. Dogs don’t sweat nearly as much as we do. In fact, panting is their main means of cooling down. As a responsible dog owner, it is really important to ensure your dog is always well hydrated especially when out and about on a summer day. Remember dogs won’t always know their limitations and they’ll always try to keep up with no matter what the weather, so it’ll be up to you to ensure they don’t over-exert themselves to the extent they become dehydrated or experience heatstroke. 

A Dog’s Sense of Smell Is Pretty Spectacular
It varies from one breed to the next, but dogs generally have anywhere from 125 to 300 million scent glands, compared to just five million in a human. Furthermore, the part of a dog’s brain that controls smell is about 40 times larger than that of a human brain. It’s no small wonder that dogs spend so much time sniffing around. A bloodhound’s sense of smell is known to be so accurate that the information they help ascertain can be admitted as evidence in court. 

They Can “Smell” Your Feelings

On a related note, dogs can often pick up on subtle changes in your odor, which gives them an idea of how you’re feeling. Have you ever noticed your dog jump to your defense or growl when you are nervous? This is because when we are fearful, our perspiration levels increase and our dogs can sense this with their superior sense of smell. This also helps explain how dogs have been known to detect certain diseases like cancer, or how they seem to know when a member of their human family is pregnant. 

Dogs Have a Keen Sense of Hearing

You may already be aware that dogs hear at a much higher frequency than humans do. However, their sense of hearing goes much further than that. Generally, speaking dogs can hear softer sounds much better than we can, often those that are much further away. This makes them a great asset when it comes to search and rescue. Even though their nose is their main tool when it comes to tracking, having good hearing can also help.

Whiskers Are a Dog’s Secret Weapon 

While dogs might not quite have night-vision, their whiskers (some of which are hardly noticeable) help then pick up on even the most minor changes in the air current. This provides the dog with information about the size, shape and speed of objects nearby and gives them an indication on how to navigate around them in the dark. 

Human Food Can Be Toxic for Dogs

We are all a little guilty of sneaking our dogs a little scrap of meat from our dinner plate now and again. While most dog owners will generally provide healthy dog food for their pets, it’s only natural to want to spoil our pups from time to time. However, it’s important to know what is and isn’t allowed in terms of human food. You might be surprised to learn that dogs can easily eat strawberries, blueberries, and carrots, but onion, garlic, nutmeg, avocado and macadamia nuts are off-limits, as they can be toxic. 

Some Dogs Are Remarkable Swimmers

Not all dogs like water, but the ones that do have a penchant for taking a dip tend to be able to swim very well. Newfoundlands, in particular, are such good swimmers that they are regularly used as life-saving dogs. However, this doesn’t mean you can leave them to their own devices so always keep a close eye on your dog when they are out in the water. 

Hopefully, these useful facts have given you greater insight into your dog and their behavior. Perhaps now you understand why your hound is constantly sniffing and exercising their superior sense of smell or how they hear cars pulling up outside the house when you don’t. Whatever the case, we hope this helps you to have a greater appreciation for your canine companion. Good luck on your continued journey of pet ownership!