Dog Fun Facts

Dog Fun Facts

Here's some interesting facts about our best pals:

  • Why do they circle before they do their business? They do this to clear the area of snakes or spiders, so they can poop safely Source: Dr Schuff
  • How many teeth do dogs have? Puppies have 28 teeth and normal adult dogs have 42. Source: About.com
  • Why do dogs chase their tails: Curiosity, exercise, anxiety, predatory instinct or, they might have fleas! If your dog is chasing his tail excessively, talk with your vet.
  • Do Dogs dream? Dogs and humans have the same type of slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) and during this REM stage dogs can dream. The twitching and paw movements that occur during their sleep are signs that your pet is dreaming. Source: Healthy Pet
  • Do dogs see at night? Dogs’ eyes contain a special membrane, called the tapetum lucidum, which allows them to see in the dark. Source: Healthy Pet
  • How fast does a dog's heart beat? A large breed dog’s resting heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute, and a small dog breed’s heart beats between 100-140. Comparatively, a resting human heart beats 60-100 times per minute. Sources: About.com and Mayo Clinic
  • What's a dog's temperature? A dog’s normal temperature is between 101 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Source: Web MD
  • How do dogs sweat? Dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet. The best way to cool down a dog is to cool down their chest. In addition to sweating through their paw pads, dogs pant to cool themselves off. A panting dog can take 300-400 breaths (compared to his regular 30-40) with very little effort.
  • Are my dog's eyes safe? Dogs have three eyelids, an upper lid, a lower lid and the third lid, called a nictitating membrane or “haw,” which helps keep the eye moist and protected. Source: Whole Dog Journal
  • 62% of dogs sleep in their owner’s bed (we’re pretty sure a large percentage also hogs the blankets!) Source: American Pet Products Association
  • Why are dogs’ noses so wet? Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucous that helps them absorb scent. They then lick their noses to sample the scent through their mouth. Source: Vetstreet
  •  Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. Humans have approximately 9,000 and cats have around 473. Source: Psychology Today
  • A Dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 – 100,000 times more acute as that of humans.Source: PBS
  • Are dog's color blind? It’s a myth that dogs only see in black and white. In fact, it’s believed that dogs see primarily in blue, greenish-yellow, yellow and various shades of gray.
  •  Dogs hear best at 8,000 Hz, while humans hear best at around 2,000 Hz. The higher the Hertz, the higher-pitched the sound. Source: Whole Dog Journal
  • Dogs’ ears are extremely expressive. It’s no wonder! There are more than a dozen separate muscles that control a dog’s ear movements. Source: Whole Dog Journal
  • Chow Chow dogs are well known for their distinctive blue-black tongues, they’re actually born with pink tongues. They turn blue-black at 8-10 weeks of age. Source: Vetstreet
  • Why do they do that? When dogs kick after going to the bathroom, they are using the scent glands on their paws to further mark their territory. Source: Healthy Pet
  • No, it’s not just to make themselves look adorable. Dogs curl up in a ball when they sleep due to an age-old instinct to keep themselves warm and protect their abdomen and vital organs from predators. Source: Vetstreet
  • A Beatles hit. It’s rumored that, at the end of the Beatles song, “A Day in the Life,” Paul McCartney recorded an ultrasonic whistle, audible only to dogs, just for his Shetland sheepdog. Source: PBS
Enjoy your best pal and keep them safe. Top Dog

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