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Man’s best friend (Canis lupus familiaris) are decedents from Canis lupus or more commonly known as wolfs. Although puppies come in all colors, shapes and sizes, dogs are considered the first species to become domesticated and selectively bred over the millennia. This artificial selection has resulted in the recognition of over 344 breeds by the Fédération Cynologique Internationale. Check out some amazing dog facts below!
1. Dogs sweat through their feet!
There is a myth out there that dogs have no sweat glands and its untrue. Dogs have small sweat glands in their paws which help wet their paws on hot days. Since they’re so small, dogs must rely on panting as their primary method for cooling down.
2. Dogs are about as smart as 2 or 3 year old children
During their lives dogs can learn between 150 to 200 words. They can also learn hand signals and movements along with these words. Due to this mental capacity, scientists have suggested dogs are about as smart as most toddlers!
3. A group of pugs is called a grumble.
4. Dogs have three eyelids!
While we humans are stuck with two eyelids, our furry friends have three. An upper eyelid, a lower eyelid and the nictitating membrane. The third eyelid (nictitating membrane) provides puppy eyes with lubrication and is generally seen during an eye infection.
5. Dogs are everywhere
According to a survey done in 2018, in the United States 85 million families own a pet. This is more than 2/3rds of all U.S. households. Almost 90 million dogs overall! (Some people are double dipping :)) Cats are found in around 42.7 million households with 94.2 million of them in the U.S..
6. More than 5,000 dogs for one person
Ancient Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan owned more than 5,000 dogs! This is thought to be the most by one person.
I imagine a lot of time was spent picking up dog poop…
7. Walking a dog is illegal in Iran
Iran recently banned walking dogs in the capital city of Tehran. All media and advertisements for dogs or related products is also banned. The ban is so extreme that dogs are not allowed in any public spaces or even in cars. Apparently an Iranian cleric said the move was to discourage western dog ownership, “Friendship with dogs is a blind imitation of the West”… sad.
But they’re so cuteeee!
8. Dogs have 42 teeth
Puppies generally have about 28 teeth but as they grow into adulthood they add an additional 14 to their jaws. Humans in comparison have 32 teeth to chew raw hides with.
9. Why the constantly wet nose?
Dog noses are wet in order to help them smell. A thin layer of mucus is secreted onto their nose which helps absorb scent, which they then lick to sample the scent in their mouth. Cats actually do the same thing. Yumm scent…
10. They can hear a lot more than you…
Dogs can hear a frequency range from 40 all the way to 60,000 Hz. The range of humans in comparison is between 20 and 20,000 Hz. There are numerous factors that help them hear so much better.
- Dog ears are much larger and stand up on their head, while ours sit flat on our sides
- Dogs have over 18 muscles in their ears, which allows for rotation, tilting, and focus.
- They are able to hear from just one ear, allowing them to filter sounds and selectively pay attention.
