Bow WOW! Fascinating Facts About Dogs

Your dog can smell your feelings

Don’t bother trying to hide your emotions from your dog! Dogs have highly developed olfactory systems—with 100 million to 300 million scent receptors—that allow them to pick up on subtle chemical changes in our breath and sweat associated with fear, anxiety, and stress. This ability, along with contextual cues, such as changes in your behavior, breathing, or tone of voice, can make you think your dog is reading your mind.

Dogs have three eyelids

In addition to the upper and lower eyelids, dogs have a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane. This triangular-shaped membrane is near the corner of the eye, generally staying out of sight, and helps protect and keep the eye moist. The third eyelid may become visible because of prolapse or “cherry eye,” sedation, dehydration, or weight loss. If you can see your dog’s third eyelid, consult your AAHA-accredited veterinarian.

Your dog is left- or right-pawed

Like humans who are left- or right-handed, dogs can prefer their left or right paws. This can also extend to how they move their body and which way they prefer to turn. While this seems trivial, understanding your dog’s “handedness” can improve training success. Test your dog’s preferences by observing which way they turn after fetching a ball, or which paw they use when manipulating a puzzle toy or trying to free a treat from your closed fist.

Your dog has the IQ of a 2-year-old child

Research shows that the average dog is as intelligent as a 2-year-old child and is capable of understanding up to 250 words, gestures, and signals. Some dogs, such as the famous border collie “Chaser,” are intelligent at remarkable levels. Chaser, who knew more than 1,000 words and could identify objects by name, demonstrated an extraordinary memory and understanding.

In addition to dogs like Chaser, other dogs have been trained to “talk” using buttons that produce words when pressed. One such dog, “Bunny,” has learned to use a soundboard with more than 100 buttons and can communicate her basic needs and express emotions like “happy” or “mad.”

Dogs can tell time

Your dog can’t read the clock face and doesn’t measure time in minutes or hours, but they have their own impressive internal timepiece. Research indicates that dogs and other species experience passing time on different, yet equally informative, scales influenced by their body mass and metabolic rate. This could explain why your dog seems to predict or anticipate when a family member will return home from work or it’s time for their daily neighborhood walk!

Dogs can detect odors underwater and underground

Search and rescue (SAR) and human remains detection (HRD) dogs possess extraordinary scenting skills that surpass those of humans and machines—they can detect odors as far as 80 feet underwater and 40 feet underground. SAR dogs find survivors after disasters by detecting scents through debris, while HRD dogs can pinpoint human remains to help locate or solve cases of missing persons. These highly trained dogs, with their unparalleled accuracy and reliability, play a crucial role in emergencies.

While your dog may not be saving lives or solving cold cases, imagining what they might be smelling can give you a greater appreciation for how they perceive the world.

Your dog’s gaze provides an oxytocin boost

When you and your dog look into each other’s eyes, you both experience a rush of oxytocin, the “love hormone” that bonds human mothers and infants. This positive feedback loop creates powerful shared emotions and deepens the canine-human relationship. Of course, treats and toys help, too!

Are you interested in learning more fascinating facts about your dog? Your AAHA-accredited veterinarian is your best guide for understanding your canine companion’s health and well-being, as well as ensuring they live a healthy, happy life.