Fun (And Weird!) Dog Facts
Dogs are incredible creatures. Although many like to point out how dopey they can some times be, they are actually extremely intelligent and complex animals. The things they do, the way their bodies function and what they feel is all just fascinating… and to be honest, a little strange. That’s why we’ve rounded up 20 totally weird and fun dog facts that even cat lovers will be interested in knowing.
They aren’t actually color blind.
It’s probably one of the biggest dog myths ever. Dogs can actually see in color just not as vividly as we humans can.
One breed is just like a duck.
Newfoundland dogs have water-resistant coats and webbed feet, which explains whey they are such good swimmers.
Why they really chase their tails….
Your dog hasn’t necessarily just gone insane if you see him chasing his tail. Dogs do this for a number of reasons including: curiosity, exercise, anxiety, and fleas! Definitely get your pup checked if this is happening often.
City slickers live longer.
On average, dogs that live in a city live longer than those that live in the country. It doesn’t really make sense, but it’s true.
Their noses are incredibly unique.
Similar to a human’s finger prints, a dog’s nose prints are incredibly unique and can be used to identify them if they are ever a suspect in some crime scene (ha-ha!).
But their anatomy is not.
All dogs have the same anatomy consisting of 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.
They do indeed dream.
According to Psychology Today, dogs dream about specific things just as humans do. On average, a dog’s first dream occurs 20 minutes into sleep.
They understand the concept of time… we think.
Some studies say that dogs do not understand the concept of time, however, many would argue that is incorrect. While they might not perceive the concept like humans, just think of how your pup greets you when you’ve been gone 10 minutes versus the whole day.
They have prostates.
Interestingly enough, dogs and humans are the only species to have prostates.
The longer a dog’s nose, the more effective it’s internal cooling system.
Apparently, when dogs are overheated and panting, their sense of smell reduces so they can use their noses and air to cool themselves.
They can see in the dark.
Similar to our friend the cat, dogs have a special membrane called the tapetum lucidum, which allows them to see in the dark.
They sweat through their paws.
Many of a dog’s sweat glands are located around the paws, this would explain why their feet smell so much!
Dogs have three eyelids.
Believe it or not, your pup has three eyelids: upper, low and a third called a nictitating membrane that helps to protect the eye and keep it moist.
They have over 1,000 tastebuds.
There’s a reason they kick.
If your dog kicks the dirt around after he or she goes to the bathroom, it’s to further mark his/her territory with the glands on their paws.
The real reason they curl up.
You might think your dog is cold if you see it curling up in a ball, but really, it’s an instinct to protect its vital organs from predators. Interesting!
They are just as smart as your toddler.
Dogs are capable of understanding up to 250 words and gestures, which is similar to a 2-year-old. And if trained, they can also count up five and do calculations. WOW.
They don’t like to be hugged.
Although we spend most of our free time hugging our adorable pups, they actually don’t like it. Dogs take it as a sign of dominance.
Seeing Eye dogs go on command.
These incredible pups are trained to go to the bathroom on command so their owners can clean up after them.
The shape of a dog’s face can determine how long it will live.
It’s said that dogs with longer faces, similar to wolves, live longer, while those with flat faces will live shorter lives.
There are a lot of dogs in the world!
It’s estimated that there are nearly 400 million pups around the globe!