Fun Facts about Dogs!

Dogs truly are fascinating critters, there is so much about them that set them apart from other pets. Here are some fun and (hopefully) interesting facts about our furry companions! 

Dogs Have 18 Muscles in Their Ears – That’s right! 18 muscles in their ears to help swivel and move, all the better to hear you with! They're good for more than just taking scritches.

These 18 muscles allow dogs to move their ears in intricate ways, which is important to picking up sounds. Plus, your dog’s ears can give you a clue as to how they're feeling: If they're lying flat back against their head, your pooch may be scared. If they're pointing straight up, they're alert and on the case.

Their Nose Prints Are Like Fingerprints! - Just as humans can be identified by their fingerprints, dogs can be identified by their nose prints.  Yep! A dogs nose print is unique to that dog, just as no two human fingerprints are the same.  If you look closely at a dog’s nose, you will see lines forming patterns, just like fingerprints. 

So, if you suspect your pooch might be a criminal mastermind, heck-bent on a crime-spree, remind them not to leave a nose-print!

Dogs Can Genuinely Love You – Not that we ever need any proof that our pups love us, but a study has found that found an uptick in the level of oxytocin (sometimes known as "the love hormone") in both dogs and their owners when they stare at each other.

So, when your pooch looks lovingly at you, greets you when you’ve been away or brings you their favourite toy, this could be genuine love and affectionate behaviours – how lovely it that?!

Dogs Only Sweat Through Their Paw Pads - This is probably a very well known fact, but some people may not be aware that dogs sweat only through their paw pads. Their panting is a high your dog is hot and needing to cool down, their sweating paw pads also helps them with this!

Have you ever noticed sweaty paw prints when taking your nervous pup to the vets? Now you know why!

It’s Not All Black & White – It’s widely believed that dogs only see in black and white, this is actually a myth! Dogs actually see in a range of blues, green-yellow, yellow and shades of grey; that’s MUCH more than plain ol’ black and white! That’s why our awesome Dog TV episodes are in hues of these colours; there’s no point making Dog TV that only humans can enjoy!

Lifting Their Leg is a Sign of Dominance - Dogs' urine contains markers that inform other dogs of its presence, social standing, and sexual availability. Dogs lift their legs as high as they can so they can "distribute their message" better and allow its scent to travel further. A 2018 study found that smaller dogs try to lift their legs even higher so that they seem bigger to other dogs who may be around.

Please do bear in mind that everything in this post is strictly advisory and has been gathered from various reputable sources from the internet. We're not vets, and you should always seek professional advice if you ever have concerns.

Thanks for reading. If you have anything that you would like us to cover, then feel free to get in touch with us over on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!