Fun Facts About Dogs
Jul 27, 2016
Fun Facts About Dogs
Dogs have become one of the most beloved pets on the planet.
Their loyalty and obvious affection for mankind are legendary.
Beyond the emotional satisfaction they give to us, they display some amazing and interesting qualities.
Here are just some of them.
The Body Language of a Dog's Tail
Dogs express themselves through body language the same as people do.
That little tail on the rear of the dog speaks volumes.
Dogs use their tails, whether consciously or unconsciously, to “talk” to humans, other dogs, and other animals.
If the tail is stiff and straight, it usually means that the dog is expressing aggression.
A wagging tail may not mean that a dog is happy.
If it wags to the right, it probably means the dog is happy.
Studies show, however, that if it wags to the left, it means he is frightened.
If a dog is wagging his tail slowly
back and forth, and his body is
rigidly pointing in your direction,
stay out of his space.
The Wonders of a Dog's Nose
A dog's sense of smell is
more than 10,000 times
greater than that of man.
The mucous on the surface of
a dog's nose helps him to
define a scent, as well as
helping him to determine the
direction it is coming from.
There are some smells that
are undetectable to man but
can be discerned by a dog.
This is why dogs are trained to
sniff out drugs, human scent
and blood, insects, and even
the presence of bombs.
Recent studies have also
shown that dogs can smell
cancer in the body of a human.
The Homing Instinct in a Dog
There are amazing true stories about
dogs that became lost or separated
from their owners and literally
crossed thousands of miles to
successfully find their owners again.
It remains a scientific mystery as to how
dogs can do this, but one theory that
has been suggested is that dogs have a
homing instinct that is sensitive to the
earth's magnetic fields.
They are able to map out
landmarks, scents and sounds
by a kind of an inner compass.
The interesting thing is that
researchers have discovered
that if magnets are attached to
a dog's body, they lose their
sense of direction.
The Perfect Weather Dog
Dog's ears contain more than eighteen
muscles, and a dog can hear in both
low and high frequency.
When a storm is on its way, a dog can
hear low rumblings before we can.
He is more sensitive to a drop in
barometric pressure that signals a
storm is on its way.
It has also been suggested that a dog
may be able to smell the metallic
scent given off by lightning.
Some dogs are highly fearful of
storms. They will bark, shake,
hide, or soil the carpet.
If your dog is overly frightened by
storms, experts say you should
command him to sit and stay and then
reward him for staying calm with a treat.
There are also medications your
veterinarian can give you to help calm
your dog through his anxious episodes.
A dog is more than man's best friend.
Dogs have proven invaluable, because
of their unique physiology, in helping
man in a number of useful ways.
Are you thinking about getting a
beautiful portrait of your pet?
An artist by profession, Miri's paintings
make a lasting keepsake of your furry
or feathered friend.
For more info, please visit
Custom Pet Portraits by Miri at
www.petportraitsbymiri.com