We all love dogs, and they just don’t stop surprising us with their unconditional love, loyalty and friendship.
In this article, I want to share 5 interesting facts about dogs that will make you fall even more in love with yours!
By Mila Bander.
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Dogs Have Unique Nose Prints
Dog noses are just like our fingerprints (& snowflakes): one of a kind.
Each individual dog has a unique nose pattern, and it can be used to identify the animal.
A study confirmed that the nose print pattern is formed by 2 months of age and doesn’t change after that.
Researchers showed that a computer algorithm was able to recognize dog nose prints.
This suggests that if a database of dog nose prints were to be created, the canine equivalent of the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) used by police forces to identify potential criminal suspects based on their fingerprints, it could also be useful in locating and identifying lost dogs.
In the popular Disney+ show ‘Turner & Hooch’, the dog was recognized as innocent after comparing nose prints left on a surface: another dog was the culprit!
The Tallest Dog in The Word
The Guinness World Records has declared a Great Dane called Zeus the world’s tallest living dog. He stands at 3 feet, 5.18 inches or 1.046 meters.
Zeus won the pawsome award on March 22, after his height was measured and verified by his vet.
His owner, Brittany Davis, told Guinness World Records that, “He’s been a big dog since we got him, even for a puppy. He had huge paws.”
Great Danes are indeed one of the breeds known as “giant dogs” along with other breeds such as Saint Bernards, Scottish Deerhounds and the Tibetan Mastiff.
Are you up to the task of caring for a giant dog, or do you prefer smaller ones? Let me know in the comments!
Dogs Dream When Asleep Just Like Humans
Many scientists share that there is evidence to support the claim that dogs actually have dreams.
Researchers analyzed canine brain wave activity during sleep using an electroencephalogram (EEG).
They discovered that dogs’ sleep patterns and brain wave activity are similar to humans.
Just like us hoo-mans, dogs also enter a deep sleep stage in which their breathing becomes irregular and their eye movements become fast (REM).
It’s common to see dogs moving their legs as if they’re running, and even whining.
They might be dreaming that they’re playing with you.
Now, if you suspect your dog is having a nightmare, know that you should not wake up your dog. Let them sleep on their bed or wherever they are.
Disrupting sleep can be detrimental to their health, and they can also wake up feeling scared and confused.
Chocolate Can Be Fatal to Dogs
Unfortunately, some take “don’t give chocolate to your dog” lightly.
Chocolate has an ingredient called theobromine which dogs are simply unable to digest.
This ingredient will build up in their system and this could be fatal.
And the darker the chocolate is, the worst it is for your pooch.
The most common signs of chocolate poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, increased thirst, panting, restlessness, racing heart, among others.
Some gourmet dog treats use an imitation of chocolate called “carob” as a substitute.
Carob is safe for your pup to enjoy, but it is recommended to all dog owners to carefully read the label of your dog’s carob treats to ensure it doesn’t contain real chocolate in any form.
Dogs Can Learn Over 1,000 Words
Dogs can actually learn over a thousand words and understand what they mean.
A female border collie named Chaser learned the names of 1,022 objects and proved that she knew the meaning of each word in a series of fetch trials.
Chaser actually outdid her handlers, who had to often write the names of the 1,022 toys to remember them correctly.
You can see her in action in the video below. What a smart girl!
A Few Honorable Mentions:
🐶 Dogs can see colors.
They don’t see as many colors as we do, but they can see other colors besides black and white.
🐶 Your dog’s nose is at least 10 thousand times more powerful than your nose.
🐶 A dog named Otto learned how to skateboard and even broke the world record of the longest human tunnel traveled through by a dog on a skateboard.
Photo by Isaiah.