10 Facts About Dogs That Make Them So Special

Of course, every loving dog owner thinks that their dog is the best, full of personality and a wealth of cute moments to capture. Could any other animal, even another dog, ever be so loyal, cuddly, and/or wonderful? Probably.

The fact is that dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and tendencies. Teacup Yorkies might weigh three pounds and barely stand as high as your ankle. A Great Dane can top 200 pounds and stand three-foot tall at the shoulder. Border collies are known to be crazy energetic; bulldogs are noted for their phenomenal napping.

All of this is to say that, yes, your dog is awesome and special. But, so is the neighbors’ boxer or that basset hound down the road or that pug always prancing around at the park. In other words, dogs are special animals. They all have unique characteristics that make them brilliant buddies.

1. Hearing And Smelling, Yes, Tasting Not So Much

Source: TED-Ed/Youtube

Dogs have remarkable sniffers. They have dozens of times as many smell receptors as humans do. That’s why they can be used to sniff our drugs, bodies, bed bugs, explosives, and more, stuff that we can’t even sense.

Most folks already know about dogs and smelling stuff, but they are also fantastic listeners. They can hear much more than humans can, and they have muscles that can position their ears to more effectively pick sounds at the source.

All that said, we can taste way more flavors than dogs can. So, there’s no need to have bruised egos over the other stuff. Eating is way more fun.

2. Dogs Are Big Dreamers

Dogs, like humans, have very active brains when they are sleeping. We are both dreamers. Some of us, both dogs and humans, even find ourselves twitching and making noises in our sleep.

3. Tail Wagging Is A Form Of Communication

Source: Jaw-Dropping Facts/Youtube

While most of us mistakenly believe that tail-wagging is our dog’s way of showing excitement, it turns the messages are more complex than that. Tail-wagging can communicate lots of different things.

1. Tails wagging to the right show happiness.
2. Tails wagging to the left denote fear.
3. Tails wagging low is a sign of insecurity.
4. Tails wagging rapidly along with tense muscles shows aggression.

In short, they use body language to express different ideas. Even so, we are likely getting the happy wag when we get home.

4. Dogs Get Sweaty Paws (And Not Just When They’re Nervous)

Humans, they say, get sweaty palms when we are nervous, but dogs get sweaty paws any time they sweat. Aside from panting to cool down, dogs have sweat glands in their paws and nowhere else.

Strangely, there is a condition called “Frito feet” in which dog paws smell like corn chips. It’s due to a buildup of sweat and bacteria. Probably best to make sure no one catches you sniffing your dog’s feet.

5. Why Dogs Spin Around Before, Well, Ya Know…

Source: Seeker/Youtube

Any dog owner, or anyone who has ever been around a dog in need of relief (or rest), is familiar with their tendency to spin around in search of the perfect place or position. While the motivation for this is still up for debate, researchers suspect it is because dogs are tapping into the Earth’s magnetic field and aiming to face the appropriate direction.

6. Dogs Hating The Mail Carrier Is Real

Not that we should or do hate mail carriers, but it’s nice to know that our dogs do. Yep! This dislike is nothing personal. Rather, it’s a dog’s way of protecting us and the home because intruders are a potential threat. Repeat intruders, like mail carriers, are even worse because they are obviously casing the joint.

The best way to ease the tension is to be very friendly with the mail carrier in front of your dog so it learns to trust that the post is A-Okay.

7. “Dog Years” Vary By Breed

A “dog year” isn’t really seven-to-one with human years. Different breeds of dogs have much different life expectancies. The notion came from the fact that typical, medium-sized dogs tend to be about that.

8. Petting Dogs Can Be Healthy

Source: AnimalWised/Youtube

Petting dogs is not only pleasant and calming, but it actually lowers our blood pressure. For that matter, according to the American Kennel Club, it lowers the dog’s blood pressure as well. Isn’t that great?

9. Dogs Dig Punctuality

Dogs have a developed concept of time, particularly when patterns are consistent. For example, if a dog gets fed at five every evening, it will begin to expect that. The same goes for walks, humans returning from work, and other conditioned things. Dogs will have the ability to predict what will happen throughout their day.

10. Obesity Is A Big Problem In The Canine World

As human obesity has become more and more of a problem so has obesity in the canine world. On the whole, dogs have much more sedentary lifestyles than they once did, and they eat a much more processed diet, including human food, than in the past. A healthy lifestyle for a dog will include plenty of physical and mental exercise. Some breeds need much more than others.

Dogs are amazing, and it’s amazing that we are so lucky to get to interact with them so much in our lives.

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