The sense of hearing, the sense of smell, and 42 teeth. Your dog is a lot more special than you might think.
Dogs have been called man’s best friend for a long time, and that’s for a good reason. Dogs’ are some of the most loving creatures on earth.
If you’re interested in dogs and their abilities, let’s take a look at 13 fun facts about dogs that you probably didn’t know.
Fun Facts About Dogs You Probably Didn’t Know
1. 321 Bones
Dogs have an astonishing 321 bones in their bodies, which is quite a lot more than a human’s 206 bones. There are also some differences in the bone structure of dogs and humans, such as humans having collar bones, which dogs’ don’t. But dogs have 20-23 tailbones, whereas humans have 4-5.
2. Teeth and Eyes
A fully adult dog has 42 teeth. This makes it a bit easier for the dog to chew their food than it is for us humans, who are equipped with only 32 teeth.
But it’s not only the dogs’ teeth that separate them from humans. Dogs’ eyes are also quite different from humans, as they have to see completely other things than we do. The cornea of the eyes has two types of cells, rod cells, and cone cells. Cone cells are responsible for the sense of color, and the rod cell manages the eyes’ night vision.
Dogs are equipped with a lot of rod cells, which is why they are remarkably strong for seeing in the dark, whereas humans have more cone cells, which makes us better at seeing colors.
3. Sense of Smell and Hearing
A dog’s sense of smell is 1 million times stronger than it is for humans. So if you’re enjoying the smell of your evening dinner, you can be certain that your dog feels the same. But dogs’ aren’t equipped with as many tastebuds as humans, which is why they don’t taste their food. A dog will instead chew for a bit, before swallowing.
Dogs’ have another advantage compared to humans. They are also able to hear 10 times better than us and are therefore capable of hearing other frequencies. A young human can hear sounds at a frequency of around 16 – 20.000 Hz. Dogs can hear sounds at a frequency of around 15 – 50.000 Hz.
4. 12.000 Years and The Bible
Humans have kept dogs for about 12.000 years, and we still love them just as much today as they did back then. Dogs are actually also mentioned 14 times in the bible, so even then they must have been absolutely loveable.
5. A Dog’s Brain and Dreams
A cat’s brain weighs around 0.06 lbs (30 grams) and a human’s brain around 2.8 lbs (1300 grams). If we look at the brain of a Beagle dog, it weighs around 0.15 lbs (70 grams).
Those 0.15 lbs are also used for dreaming because dogs’ are just as capable of dreaming as humans are. Dogs’ have two centers in the brain for sleeping, one for light and one for very deep sleep. Deep sleep is called REM (Rapid eye movements).
If you notice your dog’s eyes twitching and moving while the dog is sleeping, you can assume that he’s in deep sleep. Humans are also capable of REM sleep, and it’s at this stage that we dream.
6. zzZzZzZZZZzzzz
A dog will spend a lot of its’ time sleeping, and if you’re a dog owner, you’ve probably already noticed this. Dogs sleep a lot more than humans, and can easily spend 14-18 hours sleeping every day. But dogs’ also awake a lot more often than humans, and thereby don’t have a long and ongoing sleep.
Cats sleep around 16 hours a day and horses only 3-4 hours.
7. Pregnancy and Routines
A pregnant dog will carry her pups in the stomach for about 60 days, which is almost nothing compared to the 9 months a human pregnancy lasts.
Your dog knows when it’s ready for puppies, and it also knows when it’s time to go for a walk and when to eat. Dogs’ are capable of getting used to routines, and they will miss you when you’re gone for work or just out shopping for a short period.
8. Saggy or Pointy Ears
Have you always wondered why your breed of dog has saggy ears, and the neighbor’s dog is equipped with pointy ears? There’s actually a good explanation for that.
The number one use of a dog’s ears is to catch sounds and localize stuff. A dog with pointy ears uses their ears as radar and is highly attentive to sounds.
Dogs with saggy ears don’t have quite the same ability as dogs with pointy ears, and instead focus their skills on something else, namely smell and vision. That’s why you will see more hunting dogs with saggy ears, as the sound of a hunting rifle doesn’t bother them as much.
9. Carnivore and Omnivore
A dog is both a carnivore and an omnivore.
10. Whiskers
The whiskers on a dog are another tool they use in their lives. They use the whiskers to measure distances and are therefore an important element in dogs.
Some trainers will cut or trim their dogs’ whiskers if they use them as show dogs, but a lot of dog owners are against this, as whiskers don’t grow back out the same way as regular hair. The whiskers will only grow until the next shedding period.
11. ”Noseprint”
Everybody knows about fingerprints, but the “noseprint” of a dog is much the same as a human’s fingerprint.
12. Clever Dogs With Special Ability
Your dog is actually just as smart and clever as a 2-year-old toddler. So if you have a feeling that your dog and child have a special connection, it’s because they “speak” the same language.
But a dog also has another gift. It’s actually capable of smelling your feelings, and by that, it can read how you feel.
13. Water-drinking
Dogs and cats have quite a bit more in common than you might think, they even drink water in the exact same way.
Sources: www.dogtime.com, www.cesarsway.com
Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners
I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years, I’ve tried many different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have the utmost praise for.
Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be challenging, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.
Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that it requires a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.
Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.
If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
