Posted on September 11 2020
Dogs are wonderful creatures. They do hard work, graze sheep, lead blind people through crowded city streets, they detect cancer and other diseases, and they seem to listen carefully when we speak to them.
Of course, we all think our own dogs are well above average intelligence, but what traits do dogs actually have? What can they feel just like people do, and what remains beyond their understanding? Dogs are truly unique, and scientists are beginning to uncover their most amazing abilities only now.
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Dogs can read faces
Studies have shown that the dog is the only creature in the animal world that can read emotions from a human face. If you suddenly notice that the dog is staring at you, perhaps at this moment, he is trying to determine your emotional state by the expression on your face.
Dogs will help you communicate
According to a 2010 survey by the American Pet Supplies Association, 39% of American households own at least one dog, and 80% of dog owners spend more than two hours with their pets. A study published in the Journal of the British Psychological Society shows that when a person walks with his dog, his social interactions with other people will be three times more. Moreover, the dogs evoked positive social contact, even when the animal looked angry, or the owner was untidily dressed.
Dogs have color vision
Contrary to popular belief, dogs can distinguish colors - but, of course, far less than humans.
Dogs can "feel" the disease
Recently, scientists from the clinic in the German city of Schillerhehe conducted an impressive study. The results led them to believe that dogs can smell certain organic compounds that indicate lung cancer development. The discovery attracted the attention of scientists worldwide - after all, such abilities of animals can potentially be used for the early diagnosis of cancer.
Dogs are intolerant of second-hand smoke
Several studies have confirmed that inhalation of second-hand smoke can lead to the development of severe respiratory diseases, allergies, and nose or lung cancer in dogs. When the smoke from your cigarette enters your dog's nose, it experiences the same agony as a child next to a smoking person.
Dogs can hiccup
Dog hiccups are no different from human hiccups. And the reasons are the same - overeating, especially of older dogs as. ThePets emphasizes that rapid swallowing of food, and the air, hypothermia, and stress may cause a hiccup as well. Some scientists believe that hiccups help the dog's body eliminate the air accumulated in the stomach after a long run.
There are no identical dog noses in the world
Just as it is impossible to find two people with the same fingerprints, you can hardly find two dogs with identical nose prints. The drawing on it is unique.
Dogs shouldn't eat chocolate
Chocolate contains the toxic substance theobromine. In the human body, it is metabolized and excreted without causing harm. The metabolism of dogs is much slower. Just 100-150 mg of theobromine per kilogram of body weight is enough for a dog to get seriously poisoned.
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Small dogs live longer
According to statistics, small breed dogs (for example Maltipoos) have a longer life span. Thus, animals weighing less than 9 kg live on average about 11 years, while dogs weighing more than 40 kilograms barely live to eight. Interestingly, only 2% of Americans have pet insurance despite the fact that only 20% of pet owners can afford to pay a $5,000 vet bill. Small dogs are adorable and easy to take along dog adventures due to their transportable size, and they also make excellent companions that will be there for you when you need them the most. Small dog owners owe it to take care of them throughout their life by providing them with healthy and nutritious options - click here to learn more.
Dogs have a unique thermoregulation system
Dog's body can independently prevent overheating with the help of rapid breathing with a tongue sticking out.
The strength of a dog is in the sense of smell
The animal's nose contains up to 300 million olfactory receptors (compare: humans have only about 6 million). This means that the dog smells 50 times stronger than us. Check this out for more information on your pets.
Dogs can inherit property
In some countries, including the United States, a dog can become the legal heir to the owner's estate after his death. Some owners become so attached to four-legged friends that they leave them incredible amounts of money. So, the richest heir was a German shepherd named Gunther the Third. According to her will, she inherited about $80 million.
Dogs can be jealous
Research has shown that dogs can actually be jealous. Their body produces the hormone oxytocin (the same as in humans), which is associated with the ability to express love and jealousy.
Dogs have a very impressive vocabulary
Cognitive abilities in dogs are much more developed than it might seem at first glance. Studies have shown that dogs can memorize 150 to 250 words, which is comparable to the vocabulary of a two-year-old.
Communicating with dogs reduces blood pressure
Surprisingly, it's true: after talking with dogs, some people do return to normal blood pressure - this has been scientifically proven. On a related note, a study showed that owning a dog might reduce the risk of heart disease by 36%! Playing with an animal calms and soothes, increasing the production of certain hormones that suppress stress hormones.
They smell our diseases
If a person has cancer, diabetes, or epilepsy, the dog can be the first to report this in theory. Research has shown that dogs can be trained to screen for lung, breast, skin, bladder, and prostate cancers. Besides, dogs can sense fluctuations in the blood sugar of diabetics and can alert their owners of danger even before they even experience symptoms. The most mysterious fact is that dogs can experience an epileptic seizure approximately 45 minutes before the onset.
Not all dogs are equally smart
Dogs can be as smart as a 2-year-old, according to a study presented in a 2009 meeting of the American Psychological Association. Collies can understand up to 200 words. German shepherds, Golden retrievers, and Dobermans are also in the five smartest breeds list. By the way, older hunting breeds, such as hounds and bulldogs, are at the bottom of the list, as nature has developed their muscles rather than brains. Smart dogs like golden retrievers are also often used as service dogs or working dogs because of their intelligence and trainability, you can read more at Golden Retriever News.
Dogs can infect humans
Like other animals, dogs can carry pathogens that harm humans, causing rabies and neurological disease. Humans can contract the salmonella bacteria and parasitic roundworms from dogs by simply stroking infected animals' fur. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly wash your hands after each contact with a dog for prevention.
Dogs Feel Envy
According to a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, when some dogs are rewarded, others who are left without a reward freak out, scratch themselves and prefer not to look at the rewarded others. A similar situation occurs if some dogs receive sausage as a reward, while others only receive bread.
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Dogs have no guilt
Your pet's "puppy eyes" are simply a response to punishment, regardless of whether the dog is actually to blame or not. It has been experimentally confirmed that this penetrating look does not reflect any introspection.
Obedient dogs live longer
A study published in June 2010 in The American Naturalist compared energy consumption, growth rate, and lifespan of 56 dog breeds. Scientists found that bold, aggressive breeds died young. Moreover, they grew faster than obedient, more trainable dogs, and also had higher energy requirements.
Dogs are the most diverse looking mammals
There is a fantastic variety of body shapes. According to a study published in The American Naturalist in 2010, the differences between the skulls of different dogs' breeds can be as between entirely different types of mammals.
The research done on dog cognition highlights a key point: humans know far less information about the dog's brain than we previously thought. As time goes on, more and more scientists become interested in animal research, and with each new study, we learn more about how our pets think.