Man’s best friend has been part of human culture for over 30,000 years. Archaeologists have found dog bones that date back to 15,000 BCE in Germany, and people have been painting them on cave walls since 12,000 BCE! It’s no wonder we love dogs so much; they have been a source of companionship and help to humans from the very beginning. Here are 10 fun facts about dogs that you may not know!
1) Did you know that dogs can smell cancer?
According to a study published in 2014, dogs were found to be more than 95% accurate at identifying lung cancer. They can smell it on your breath and urine, much earlier than doctors can through physical examination. This is truly an amazing thing for man’s best friend. Other research suggests that dogs are able to detect prostate cancer as well by sniffing out small amounts of volatile organic compounds present in a man’s breath and urine.
2) Did you know dogs dream about chasing rabbits?
According to a recent study, dogs dream about chasing squirrels and other wildlife. Scientists from Washington State University found that dogs do in fact enter REM sleep (the stage of sleep during which dreams are formed) and experience rapid eye movement—the telltale sign of REM sleep. When analyzing their brain activity using an electroencephalogram (EEG), it was also determined that dogs experienced images, thoughts, and emotions.
3) Did you know that dogs develop addictive personalities like us?
Dogs are susceptible to psychological problems, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and separation anxiety. The similarity between dogs and humans in how they process reward is believed to contribute to canine behaviors such as dominance, sexual attraction, and binge eating.
4) Did you know there are dog dating sites?
If you’re looking for a new mate, and you’re not a cat person, dog dating sites can help. There are currently more than 60 dog-dating websites, with names like WooFoo and OkCupid. Sign up with as many sites as you like to increase your chances of finding love. If that’s not for you, there are plenty of other benefits to owning a dog (like cuddles).
5) Did you know many dogs are colorblind?
It is estimated that about 20% of dogs are affected by color blindness. Canines are known to have dichromatic vision, meaning they only see two colors: blue and yellow. The same gene mutation responsible for red-green color blindness in humans is present in dogs with similar effects on their day-to-day perception of colors. So even though your pet may have great eyesight, she may not actually be able to see that awesome new green sweater you bought her!
6) Did you know they share our DNA?
It has long been known that dogs are man’s best friend. What many people don’t know is that dogs have a lot of similarities to humans genetically as well. Studies have shown that our DNA is only around 93% different than a dog’s. This means that if we look at their DNA strand by strand, one out of every 10 pieces will be identical to ours! This leads researchers to believe there may be some specific gene responsible for creating mammals.
7) Did you know they produce antibodies?
Yes, dogs produce antibodies. In fact, all mammals produce antibodies, although to different degrees. For example, rabbits and horses have relatively little antibody production (or immunoglobulin) in their blood and so are not considered immune to disease. And cows and humans, like other animals like dogs that belong to canidae family are very much immune to diseases due to high amount of immunoglobulins present in their blood stream at any given time.
8) Did you know being kept at home is better for them than a kennel?
Most pet experts agree that dogs are happiest and healthiest when they live indoors, with a loving family. It’s certainly easier to provide food, water, shelter and exercise when they stay at home with you—but it’s not just because of convenience. Living at home can lead to fewer behavioral problems in your dog because he feels safer than being isolated in a kennel or outdoors.
9) Did you know didgeridoos were made from hollowed-out dog bones?
This is probably one of my favorite fun facts about dogs. Now, many people might not even know what a didgeridoo is, but it’s used for traditional music in Australia. So here’s a trivia question for you: what animal bone is used to make a didgeridoo? The answer may surprise you – dog bones!
10) They have wagging tails for a reason!
As dogs wag their tails, it releases endorphins which, in turn, make them feel good. Tails are also used as a way of communicating with other dogs. A friendly dog will hold its tail high and a dog that is feeling nervous will keep its tail between its legs and shake it from side to side. Even if your dog has never had any formal training you can still tell what mood he is in by looking at his tail!