Think you know a lot about your furry friend?
The following is a list in no particular order of some tidbits about dogs you may not know:- Dogs have eighteen muscles that work their ears. And these muscles work independently. Watch a dog's ears sometimes. Dogs with perky ears will move them around, sometimes in different directions to locate a sound. Dogs with floppy ears will not only raise and lower them, but will also tilt their ears backward or forward.
- A frightened dog will clamp his tail between his legs. Why? It shuts off his glands so other dogs can't get his scent.
- The skin on a dog's nose is as individual as a human fingerprint. So he can hide his identity from his fellow dogs by clamping his tail, but if he leaves a nose print, he can be found.
- Your dog is hotter than you are. At least, his temperature is higher. A dog's average temperature is between 101° and 103°. Fleas are attracted to warmth, which is why your dog attracts more fleas than you do.
- Second-hand smoke is harmful to dogs. A dog can develop allergies, asthma, and bronchitis from exposure to smoke. Dogs can also get cancer from smoke: long-nosed breeds are prone to cancer in their nasal passages, and any dog can get lung cancer.
- Dogs can get the hiccups. Causes range from stress or excitement, eating too fast, irritants, or barking too much. Typically they're not serious, but if they last for more than 30 minutes, or if your dog seems to cough along with the hiccup, take him to the vet.
- Most people know puppies are born blind. But did you know they're also born deaf and toothless? The first sense they develop is the sense of touch, which is why you see puppies always reaching out to touch their littermates and mother.
- Just one pair of a male and female dog and their offspring can produce 66,000 dogs in 6 years.
- Dogs have no sense of time. That's one reason why your dog is as happy to see you when you come back in from taking out the trash as he is when you get home from a week-long business trip.
- Dogs do have sweat glands. Most of their sweat glands are around their paw pads. They also sweat through their noses.
- If your dog is limping, he may just have a sticker in his pawing. However, limping can also be a symptom of arthritis, or even bone cancer, so take your dog to the vet if you can't find a cause for his limping.
- Does your dog seem to be afraid of thunderstorms? He may be hurting, not frightened. Some thunderstorms emit sound frequencies that can hurt dogs' ears.
- Around 1,000,000 dogs in the United States are the primary beneficiaries on their owner's will.
- Your dog may not enjoy being hugged. Putting your limbs around another animal is a sign of dominance in the dog world.
- Dogs' cheeks can't create suction, which is why they lap their water. As sloppy as it sometimes is, lapping water is the most efficient way for a dog to drink.
Pam Hair is a pet industry copywriter with Fuzzy Friends Writer, where she combines her three passions: a love of animals, a strong desire to help other people, and the joy of writing. She has been a pet parent over the years to dogs, cats, and a variety of rodents. Currently she and her husband share their home with two guinea pigs.
