10 Amazing Facts About Dogs
Dogs are great - they give us love and companionship and are always there when needed. We all know that dogs have been "man's best friend" for thousands of years, but there's so much more to our four-legged friends that make them truly excellent. We've compiled some of our favorite dog facts so you can learn more about your puppy.
1. Their sense of smell is at least 40 times better than ours
The area of cells in the brain that detect different odors is about 40 times larger in dogs than in humans. This means your dog can pick up many more smells than we can. This is why dogs are often used to sniff out people, drugs, and even money.
2. Some have such good noses that they can sniff out health problems
Medical detection dogs are a thing. Because their sense of smell is so great, they Can train some dogs to sniff out medical conditions. They are used to diagnose a specific disease or alert their owners if they need more medication. Some are even prepared to sniff out Covid-19! One of these incredible dogs is the medical detection dog Pal (pictured above). Pal played a vital role in the life of diabetic owner Claire by alerting her to changes in blood sugar levels. If not caught in time, these changes could have killed her. Read more about their incredible bond.
3. Dogs can smell at the same time as they breathe
Dogs rely heavily on their sense of smell to find food, potential dangers, and friends, so needless to say, they sniff a lot. Their noses are designed so that smells can stay in their beaks while air can move in and out of their lungs simultaneously, meaning they can breathe freely and still find out what the scent is!
4. Some dogs are incredible swimmers
So not all dogs like water, but those that do tend to be pretty good swimmers (but then again, not all are, so always keep an eye on your dog if he decides to bathe). Newfoundlanders are so good in the water that they have been used as lifeguards for years. In 2016, a brave Newfoundland named Whiz was awarded the PDSA Order of Merit for rescuing nine people from the sea during his career as a water rescue dog.
5. Some are fast and could beat a cheetah!
Most dogs can easily outrun humans - they are made to run and chase! However, the greyhound is by far the fastest breed of dog. These speedy hounds can reach a top speed of 45 mph within seconds of starting a run. While the dogs are sweating, don't expect them to have damp armpits soon. Where humans sweat a watery liquid to cool off, dogs produce a pheromone-laden oily substance that we humans can't detect (dogs know it's theirs, thanks to their excellent sense of smell). The only place dogs sweat as we do is on their paws, so they breathe to cool themselves instead. This is why keeping your dog calm during these warmer days is essential to make it easier for him.
6. Dogs don't sweat as we do
Even though dogs sweat, don't expect them to have damp armpits anytime soon. Where humans sweat a watery liquid to cool off, dogs produce a pheromone-laden oily substance that we humans can't detect (dogs know it's theirs, thanks to their excellent sense of smell). The only place dogs sweat as we do is on their paws, so they breathe to cool themselves instead. This is why keeping your dog calm during these warmer days is essential to make it easier for him.
7. Your dog can have a left or right paw
There have been several studies on this, and it turns out that just like us, dogs have a preferred hand (well, paw) for leadership. You can tell if your dog is left or right-pawed by giving him his favorite toy or interactive game and seeing which foot he helps first.
8. Along with their noses, their hearing is empathetic
We all know that dogs can hear much higher frequencies than we can, but did you know that they can listen even further? In general, dogs can hear much more subtle sounds than we do so that they can listen to things further away. This is another trait that makes them great search and rescue dogs. While they mainly use their nose to track, their hearing can also help (especially when they get close to what they're looking for!).
9. Dogs have 18 muscles that control their ears
If you have a dog, you may notice its ears moving a lot. They have about 18 muscles responsible for moving the ears. They help them slightly change the direction of their ears to hear the sounds around them better and play a significant role in telling us how our dogs are feeling. A lot of a dog's body language is expressed by what their ears do, so their ears are vital in helping them communicate with other dogs and us.
10. Dogs are about as intelligent as two-year-olds
dogs can learn more than 100 words and gestures, which puts their intelligence and understanding of us at the level of a two-year-old child. However, dogs are much easier to train than two-year-olds! They are used for all kinds of work, from military roles to assistance dogs, because they are intelligent and highly loyal animals. To start training your puppy with the basics, check out some tips from our qualified behaviorist.