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.

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