22 Facts about dogs you won’t believe

Dogs are the best; you will find many people who would prefer the company of a dog over human interaction any day. There isn’t anything wrong with that, either. Dogs are often the brightest spot in a person’s life. So, it would be great to know some facts about dogs to have a better understanding of our best friends.

For children, taking care of a dog can be their first experience with responsibility, which normally includes walking and feeding, but most importantly, love and respect for other living beings.

These lessons of responsibility and love last a lifetime and turn children into adult members of society who are well-adjusted and considerate. A dog’s unconditional love is important at any age, as is the companionship they provide. Dogs provide a reason for people who may not talk so much otherwise to reach out or feel more comfortable speaking with others in social situations.

Dogs provide hope as well as a source of therapy for children afflicted with life-threatening illnesses, as well as for soldiers returning from a war zone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, a condition also known as PTSD. Seeing-eye dogs have been used for many years for those suffering from partial or full loss of sight, and law enforcement uses dogs for everything from tracking drugs, to bombs, to bodies because of their keen sense of smell and intelligence.

Let’s start with the facts about dogs

This article is dedicated to dogs, a form of thanks and a tribute to their many contributions to our lives. However, just for fun, we have decided to put together a list of 22 of the coolest and craziest facts about dogs that you might not have believed were actually true. Here we go!

22. Dachshund History

Can you believe dachshunds were originally bred to fight badgers? They were created by German breeders and could be found in royal courts all over Europe.

21. Genius Dogs

Apparently, there is a pecking order when it comes to the smartest and not-so-bright in the canine world. The smartest?

1. Border Collie,
2. Standard Poodle, and
3. Golden Retriever.

Who is the cerebral runt of the litter? The Afghan Hound is considered the dog most likely to need extra time in order to learn how to jump over the fence.

20. Canine Border Patrol

United States Customs and Border Patrol employed two dogs by the names of “Rocky” and “Barco”. Combined, their drug-sniffing snouts were responsible for preventing a significant amount of contraband from entering the United States, enough so to catch the attention of Mexican drug smugglers who placed bounties of $300K on their heads!

19. A Dog’s Ears

Human hearing is able to recognize sound at approximately 20,000 cycles per second. A dog’s sense of sound can reach frequencies closer to 30,000 cycles per second. They are much better than humans at detecting higher notes and their ears can work independently of each other.

18. Protect Me

Speaking of a dog’s ability to protect, in one instance a woman in her seventies was defended by her twelve-pound Yorkshire Terrier, which had the ferocity to fend off an eighty-pound Akita and suffered only minor injuries along with nine stitches.

17. Look Up in the Sky

Do you know when and where the phrase “it’s raining cats and dogs” first came about? It was during the seventeenth century in England, during rain storms of biblical proportions caused the deaths of countless cats and dogs due to drowning.

16. Dog Soldiers

Unfortunately, man’s best friend became man’s worst enemy for at least a couple of periods in time. The Romans were known to dress their Mastiffs in armor and have them attack soldiers on horses. More recently, during World War II, the Russians strapped deadly loads of explosives onto dogs and trained them for suicide missions, detonating the animals in close proximity to enemy soldiers.

15. Dog Vision is not black and white

Spoiler Alert! The truth is, dogs don’t see in black and white but they are what we call color blind. In fact, dogs can see in color, mainly blues, yellows, and grays; their vision is not as detailed in regards to color and is comparable to how we see just before nighttime, at dusk.

14. Where are all the dogs?

Did you know that China has the highest population of dogs worldwide? Who would believe that the US, has the second-highest population of dogs despite its considerably smaller population? If you find that surprising, you might want to sit down after learning the typical city dog has a three-year longer life span than what is considered a country dog.

13. Prime Time for Dogs

From the extra, super cute files, close to 87% of those who own dogs say that their dogs will curl up on their laps or on their feet when they watch television. Dogs may also be watching more programs now. The newer TVs are capable of producing programs with more frames per second than the old ones which make it easier for a dog to watch.

12. Our Favorite Family Member

And, finally, a poll from one source reports that one-third of dog owners say how they will talk to their dogs while doing household chores, or in the shower, and even while on the toilet! That comes as no surprise once you learn that close to 1 million dogs are named primary beneficiaries when their owner’s write wills.

11. Dogs are Math Geniuses

Dogs have the capability to understand at least 250 gestures and words, counting up to five, and the performance of simple calculations of math. Most dogs on average have the intelligence equal to a two-year-old child. When you work with your dog and help them expand their intelligence and help them to be excellent companions.

The top 10 Dog facts

Dogs are popular pets all around the world. People treat them as regular members of their families. If you are a dog lover, then I am sure you have spent many hours learning all you can about your beloved pet and then some. Everyone is aware that the largest dogs are Irish Wolfhounds and the brain of a dog specializes in scent. There are a few quirky things that you may or may not know that could easily blow your mind when it comes to dogs. Here are the top 10 facts that you will find shocking when it comes to dogs:

10. Don’t Hug Your Dog?

Hugging is not something that dogs enjoy in any way as primates and humans do. A limb being put over another animal is interpreted by the Canine as a display of dominance. It is very important not to send the wrong signals to your dog through the gestures that you make.

9. The Beatles Wrote a Song for Dogs

The song “A Day in the Life” by The Beatles contains a whistle that is extra high-pitched and only audible to a dog. Paul McCartney recorded it for the sheer enjoyment of his Shetland Sheepdog. Most people are not aware of this unique dog fact.

8. A Dog and Its Harness

A Service Dog will know when it is on duty because is trained to know. When they wear their harness they understand it is time for business. When it is removed, they know they have time to play. That is why service dog owners are so particular when the dog is harnessed and at work while they are mingling in public. They don’t want dogs to be confused when they are in work mode.

7. Service Dogs Handle Their Business

Service dogs such as Seeing Eye dogs are trained to poop and pee on command so their human can clean up their mess. Male dogs are taught to handle their business without having to lift a leg. This helps the owner work in a smaller area when they are cleaning up.

6. Dogs in Battle

Many years ago in ancient China, the Emperor would use a very small Pekingese Dog hidden literally up inside his sleeve. If he were in a battle to save his life he would use the dogs to protect him. This kept his enemies off guard.

5. Lord Byron and His Bear?

Lord Byron attended Cambridge Trinity College and he was told his dog was not allowed to come with him. As a form of retaliation, he brought a bear with him instead. This was a very shocking thing to do in those times. Check out other famous dogs owned by presidents and world leaders.

4. Buddies in Old San Francisco

In San Francisco back in the 1860s, the best of friends were two stray dogs who became instant local celebrities. In the local papers, their exploits were celebrated and the dog catchers granted them immunity.

3. A Dog in Disguise?

The Hyena is often mistaken for a dog. In actuality, they are truer relatives of the feline community even though they possess many canine-like qualities such as having boxy heads and short tails.

2. The Greeks and Their Dogs

In ancient Greece, dog owners used spiked collars for their dogs to protect them from being attacked in the throat by wolves. Wolf attacks were quite common during these times and many pet owners lost pets to being attacked by wolves.

1. Do You Smell Corn Chips?

Have you ever heard of “Frito Feet”? This is a phenomenon where the bacteria that grows on the paws of a dog will cause a smell to be emitted that is akin to the scent of corn chips. Since a dog’s feet are constantly against the cold, hard ground, they can pick up quite a bit of microorganisms within their paws. As their feet begin to cool and sweat comes through the pads of their feet, the combination of bacteria mixed with moisture will release a popcorn-esque, nutty type of aroma. In gentler words, it’s doggy body odor!

Now you know some facts about dogs to entertain your friends

Despite how we treat them and the way they treat us, a dog is not a human. In fact, viewing these animals as people has caused many misunderstandings of their actions. Because we can’t understand them all the time, they will act out. That is why it is so important to take the time to understand the breed of dog that you own. There are many online resources available to help you fill in the gaps and to find out information like this and so much more. Dogs are amazing creatures and many of their mysteries have yet to be fully unraveled.