10 Interesting Facts About Dogs

10 interesting facts about dogs that won't leave you untouched

 

Although dogs were adopted by humans thousands of years ago, there are still many new things we are learning about them. Dogs are truly unique creatures, and scientists are discovering more and more amazing things about them every day.

 

1. Dogs can "read" faces

Neurophysiologists have discovered a special area in dogs' brains that allows them to remember and recognize the faces of their owners and other people, which may have made them man's best friend. So if you notice your dog staring at you, it may be trying to read your emotional state from your facial expression.

 

 

2. Dogs have colour vision

Everyone knows the theory that dogs see black and white, but did you know that dogs see about the same colour spectrum as people with red-green colour blindness. This means that dogs cannot see red and green or shades that contain any of these colours - pink, purple and orange. Because dogs have more rods in their retinas than humans, they can distinguish many shades of grey that are inaccessible to the human eye.

So what colours can dogs see?

Have you ever noticed that dogs especially love bright yellow tennis balls? That's because dogs are good at distinguishing between shades of yellow, blue, and brown, as well as between grey, white, and black. So red appears to dogs as brown and orange as brown-yellow.

3. Dogs can "sense" disease

It has long been known that dogs can detect cancer. They can even be trained to sniff out different types such as skin cancer, breast cancer and bladder cancer. Scientists have shown that dogs can detect the smell of children infected with malaria parasites 70 percent of the time.

Dogs can also be used to detect the early stages of Parkinson's disease. People with this disease smell differently, even years before actual symptoms appear.

 

4. A dog's nose is individual and unique

 

You know, of course, that the human fingerprint is unique and that it's impossible to find a second one. Scientists believe that the dog's nose is similar to the human fingerprint. So dogs also have a reliable form of identification that doesn't break like a chip and isn't lost like a collar tag.

 

 

5. Dogs are not allowed to eat chocolate

 

Chocolate contains a toxic substance called theobromine. It is harmless to humans because it is metabolized and detoxified, but a dog's metabolism is much slower, and as little as 100-150 mg of theobromine per kilo is enough to cause severe poisoning. Of course, you do not need to worry if your dog eats a chocolate bar or a small piece of chocolate, but if you have a small breed and your dog eats a whole box of chocolates, you should go to the vet immediately

 

6. Smaller dogs have a longer life

The average life expectancy of a dog depends on whether it is a small, medium, large or giant breed.
Statistically, small breeds that weigh less than 9 kilos will live up to 11 years, while dogs that weigh more than 40 kilos will barely live 8 years. Do not get too carried away, the average life expectancy calculations are averaged, so some dogs live longer than average, while others live shorter. It depends on many factors, for example, diseases typical for the breed, and there is an opinion that mixed breed dogs live 1-2 years longer than purebreds of the same weight class.

7. Dogs can hide personal information

 

It's likely that you try to keep your passport close to you to prevent it from getting lost? That's what dogs do too! You might have noticed how dogs tuck their tails at the sight of their mates, you'd think they'd be scared. The tail is used to cover up the glands near the anus, which are how dogs can recognise one another.

 

 

8. Dogs can get jealous

 

Dogs, like humans, produce the hormone oxytocin, which is known for its ability to form social bonds. In this way, dogs can also show love and jealousy.

If a dog tries to squeeze between you or squeals impatiently, it is an indicator of jealousy. A dog's jealousy is also shown when it growls at people or animals approaching you.

 

 

9. Dogs have an impressive vocabulary

 

Many dog owners have noticed that their dogs react immediately to pleasant words like "walk" or "chicken" before they have even finished saying them. Dogs can memorize about 200 words on average, which is comparable to the vocabulary of a two-year-old child. In comparison with children, dogs cannot say the words out loud, but they react differently to different words, showing a basic understanding of human language.

 

 

10. Dogs help with depression

 

There is research that shows playing with dogs reduces blood pressure.

Playing with an animal is soothing and calming, which helps in the production of hormones that suppress stress hormones. A pet can be comforting to someone who suffers from anxiety or depression, and it is pleasant to be snuggled up to a pet when you feel anxious or depressed.