Dogs have been humankind’s best friends for thousands of years. Their loyalty, affection, and playfulness have made them one of the most popular pet choices worldwide. Learning more about our canine companions can help us appreciate them even more. In this article we talk about 22 Amazing And Fun Facts About Dogs The Ultimate Dog Facts Guide For Kids And Adults.
1. Sense of Smell
A dog’s sense of smell is about 40 times better than a human’s. They have up to 300 million scent receptors compared to our 6 million. Dogs can sniff out drugs, explosives, missing people, and even cancer. Their powerful noses can also determine emotions like fear and aggression in humans.
2. Sense of Hearing
Dogs can hear four times farther than humans. They can detect higher frequency sounds at a wider range of pitches too. Their movable ears help them pinpoint the location and distance of sounds more accurately. A dog can identify its owner by their footsteps from a block away!
3. Fastest Dogs
The Greyhound is the fastest dog breed in the world. It can run up to 45 miles per hour. Next fastest are the Saluki and Afghan Hound at 40 mph speeds over short distances. In comparison, we puny humans max out at 27 mph!
4. Oldest Dog Breeds
The oldest dog breeds include the Saluki, Afghan Hound, Akita, Chow Chow, Alaskan Malamute, Siberian Husky, and more. Their closest wild ancestor is the grey wolf of Eurasia from over 15,000 years ago. For example, Salukis were revered in ancient Egypt over 5,000 years ago.
5. Dog Vision
Dogs do not see color as vividly as humans do. Their vision is similar to people with red-green color blindness. However, they have better motion detection skills. Their peripheral or side vision is also wider than ours – 250 degrees versus 180 degrees in humans.
6. Puppy Litters
The average litter size for puppies is 6 to 10. However, some small breeds only have 1 to 3 pups. The largest litter ever recorded was 24 puppies from a Neapolitan Mastiff in the UK in 2004. Large litters can result from multiple egg fertilizations.
7. Dog Noses
A dog’s nose print is as unique as a human’s fingerprint and can be used to accurately identify them. Dog noses are also wet to help absorb scent chemicals. Their noses produce a thin layer of mucous that helps sample smells dissolved in the moisture.
8. Powerful Bite Force
Dogs have an extremely powerful bite force. Mastiffs, American Bull Dogs, and Rottweilers top the charts at 500-800 PSI (pounds per square inch). Wolves and Tasmanian Devils come close at 400-450 PSI. In comparison, humans have a much weaker 120-140 PSI bite.
9. Dog Tongues
A dog’s tongue has tiny bristles called papillae that face backwards. This helps them lap water into their mouths and collect liquid/food from hard to reach places. Their saliva also has an antibacterial compound called lysozyme for cleaning wounds.
10. Dog Smarts
Border Collies are considered the most intelligent dogs. They understand new commands with fewer than 5 repetitions. Poodles, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Doberman Pinschers are also very smart. But all dogs are intelligent in their own ways.
11. Ancient Breeds
The Saluki, Samoyed, Chow Chow, Akita, Afghan Hound, Lhasa Apso, Shiba Inu and Chinese Shar Pei are all ancient dog breeds dating back thousands of years. For example, Vikings used the Samoyed for herding reindeer over 3,000 years ago.
12. Dog Sleep Habits
Dogs sleep a lot – up to 14 hours per day! Puppies sleep even longer at 18-20 hours. In the wild, sleeping less makes dogs more vulnerable to predators. Domestic dogs sleep deeply since they feel safe at home knowing we are “on guard”.
13. Dog Yawns
Like humans, dogs yawn when they are tired or bored. But did you know they also yawn when stressed? Yawning releases tension and cools the brain. Next time your dog yawns for no reason, he might need some stress relief!
14. Dogs Have Clean Freak Habits
Like cats, dogs spend substantial time self-grooming. Their saliva has cleaning agents and their barbed tongue can comb out bugs/dirt from coats. Dogs will also rub themselves on grass or objects to scratch itches and remove dead fur.
15. Dog Whiskers Sense Closeness
A dog’s whiskers help it gauge narrow openings and object proximity. The whiskers spread out equal to their body width. If the whiskers touch obstacles, the opening might be too small to squeeze through. This helps prevent dogs from getting stuck.
16. Dog Nose Prints
Yes, dog noses are as unique as human fingerprints and can be used for identification. Their nose prints have distinct ridges, loops whorls like our fingertips. Law enforcement has used nose prints as evidence in court cases to identify dogs.
17. Dogs Have a Sixth Sense
Dogs may have a canine sixth sense. There are well documented stories of dogs detecting cancer or alerting owners to seizures/low blood sugar before they happen. Dogs likely pick up on subtle smell/behavior changes that humans miss. More research is still needed though.
18. Dogs Have Few Taste Buds
Dogs only have about one sixth the taste buds that humans do – just 1,700 versus our 9,000-10,000. They likely taste food differently than we do and are less sensitive to flavors. Most of a dog’s taste receptors detect salty, sweet and acidic tastes.
19. Dogs Have Third Eyelid
Dogs have an extra “third eyelid” inside their lower eyelid called a nictitating membrane. It protects their eyes from scratches and spreads tears/lubrication across the eyeball. You may see it if your dog has eye irritation or illness. Should only cover 30% of the eye normally.
20. Dogs Have Amazing Digestion
Most dogs can digest raw meat and bones just fine due to highly acidic stomach juices. Their small intestines are also shorter and smoother than ours helping food pass quicker with less chance of irritation. Be careful though – some dogs still have sensitive stomachs.
21. Dogs Have Hundreds of Facial Expressions
Think your dog has just a half dozen expressions? Think again! Recent research shows dogs actually have hundreds of distinguishable facial movements. That’s four times more than chimps and likely an evolutionary advantage for communicating with humans.
22. Dogs Have Cooling Paws
A dog’s paws can help regulate its body temperature. Inside the paws are blood vessels that dilate to release heat through the foot pads. The sweat glands there also help cool them down which is why dogs often prefer flooring over furniture.
The Bottom Line
Dogs have some amazing biology and behaviors that make them the special pets we all love. Learning more “fascinating facts about Fido” can make you appreciate them even more. Observing your own dog’s unique personality and quirks can be just as rewarding too. So go give your furry friend a big belly rub from this dog lover! I sincerely hope you find this “22 Amazing And Fun Facts About Dogs The Ultimate Dog Facts Guide For Kids And Adults” article helpful.