Rolling with our pups for ages uncounted- alas we know them not. From uncanny perceptions to singular talents diverse, many an intriguing truth of dogs evade our ken. Varied as the breeds themselves or the spans they endure, here lie 10 facts to stun about those we call friend.
You have ever been enchanted by the tales of allegiance, camaraderie, and valor regarding humanity’s most treasured quadruped consorts, the dogs, which have traversed the ages? Despite the deep affection and knowledge we harbor for these creatures, they remain shrouded in mystery, harboring secrets unseen by the naked eye. Herein divulged are 10 captivating truths of dogs hitherto veiled.
For aeons, the hounds have consorted with humankind, cementing an allegiance memorialized in chronicles of fealty, fellowship, and fearlessness, handed down generation to generation. While these four-footed soulmates are dearly cherished—their traits and quirks familiar to most— manifold mysteries dwell within, obscured from casual glance. Ten enthralling revelations about these phenomenal beasts, hitherto obscured, are hereby imparted.
1) Sense Of Smell Is 40x Better
Dogs possess an incredible nose. One of the most fascinating aspects of their species is how powerful their sense of smell is; in fact, their average sense of smell is 40 times stronger than our own! When dogs smell something it’s not just an indistinct aroma – rather, it’s as though they’re sucking in that scent like an enormous vacuum cleaner!
Caught in the olfactory reception, dog’s nasal cavities hastily channel distinct fragrances to their brains repository devoted exclusively to smell – enabling canines with an uncanny knack for detecting contraband, explosives or individuals, as if their sense of smell possessed preternatural prowess. Packed within mysterious folds lay clues to aromas once fleeting now etched into memory, swift sorting and storing away for swift withdrawal. An ephemeral whiff scarcely registers yet lingers long after, dogs empowered to unearth hidden elements evading human perception. As aroma silently signals, the nose knows – alerting dog to elements imperceptible yet laden with clues. Keen noses attune to the faintest traces, picking up where eyes and ears leave off.
2) They Sniff Medical Problems
Dogs possess an exceptional sense of smell, making them ideal for sniffing out drugs, bombs and people. Did you know they could also detect early symptoms of medical conditions like diabetes and cancer which produce chemical signatures which can be detected via smell?
Although further research needs to be completed on this theory, it appears likely that dogs could use their keen sense of smell to detect health problems – making them an invaluable healthcare asset for people who are blind, visually impaired, or don’t wish for their condition to be made public.
3) They Are Fast And Can Beat A Cheetah
Dogs may have a reputation for sleeping, but when it comes to hunting prey they can move incredibly quickly! In fact, an eager canine may run as fast as a cheetah! When dogs switch into “running mode” while hunting for prey they become much faster!
At full power and speed, all the leg muscles contract simultaneously to produce maximum power and speed. While running, their hearts can beat up to 400 times per minute! That is why dogs pant when they become hot – their bodies just trying to cool off after experiencing such incredible bursts of speed!
4) Dogs Don’t Cool Off Like Humans
Have you noticed how your dog remains warm even on cold winter nights? That isn’t by chance; dogs have what’s known as “warm-blooded” bodies, which don’t lose heat as quickly. While this might seem like an inconvenience, warm-blooded animals such as dogs are actually better equipped to survive in freezing environments than cold-blooded creatures like humans would be; plus it means less winter food intake!
As they don’t need to work as hard to keep themselves warm, this means dogs don’t make great swimmers because their warm blood makes them more buoyant than humans, meaning they have to work harder when swimming and are more likely to succumb to hypothermia when temperatures drop.
5) Dogs Can Be Left Or Right-Pawed
Most humans tend to be either left- or right-handed, yet many are unaware that dogs can also switch paws like humans do. This is because dogs are “laterally ambidextrous”, meaning that unlike us, who use one side of our brain more frequently for most tasks than another side, dogs use both sides simultaneously.
So they can perform many actions with either paw – such as eating, fetching and opening doors! However, some exceptions apply: toes and ears are controlled by the right side of their brain so right-pawed dogs tend to have left-eared toes and vice versa.
6) They Have Super-Sensitive Hearing
Dogs might seem deaf at times, but in truth their hearing is far more sensitive than ours due to their absence of bones in their ears which allows them to better detect vibrations than we can. Dogs can hear sounds so high pitched that humans would find them totally inaudible!
Dogs have remarkable hearing, which allows them to hear another dog’s heartbeat up to half a mile away! That’s why dogs can often be startled by things we can’t hear such as sirens; their highly sensitive ears pick up sounds too high-pitched for us.
7) They Have Muscles Controlling Their Ears
Have you ever seen a dog with their ears flicked back? Dogs can use muscles in their scalps to control where their ears sit. While this might seem silly at first glance, dogs use their ears as an important way of communicating their moods; flicked-back ears are seen as signs of playfulness while pressed forward ears indicate aggression or displeasure.
Weather changes may cause your dog’s ears to drop; this is because dogs possess an additional set of muscles in their ears which allow them to maintain neutral positioning when temperatures drop.
8) They Are As Intelligent As A 2-year-Old
As with human toddlers, dogs can often be likened to toddlers – and for good reason. Like human toddlers, dog intelligence grows over time. Newborn puppies don’t know much; as they age and mature they develop problem-solving skills, learn faster than before, and are even capable of communicating with people – meaning dogs have the capability to learn new things quickly and can be trained for virtually anything!
Many dogs learn basic commands such as “sit”, “stay”, or “come”. Some even master sign language or typing with their paws on keyboards! Plus, dogs have incredible memories; recalling people, places, and events long after their existence has taken place or things learned as puppies!
9) Dogs Have A Sense Of Time
Dogs can recognize the difference between being in pain and discomfort. Although this may sound obvious, there is actually a distinction: pain is caused by physical trauma while discomfort is just an annoyance. They also know when it’s time for themselves or when human family are around them.
A recent study has discovered that dogs possess a biological clock that serves to track time. According to this research, this period can vary depending on social circumstances: when living with humans it has a shorter biological clock than when alone.
10) They Have Sweat Glands On Their Paws
Dogs don’t sweat like us humans do, but their paws secrete some moisture that helps keep their paws cool and comfortable during movement. Dogs do this to stay hydrated as sweat consists primarily of water and salt.
Dogs don’t possess the necessary salts in their paws to work in the same manner, nor do they sweat like we do – instead secreting moisture through their pads instead. Moisture on your dog’s paw pads could be a telltale sign of stress; so if it appears there, be sure to check in with them to make sure everything is OK.
Also Read- 5 Healthy Foods To Feed Your Dog For Optimal Health