10 Amazing Facts About Dogs

 As a dog lover, you already know that dogs are smart, loyal and full of unconditional love. But, did you know that they also have some amazing abilities? For example, according to Vetstreet, their noses are wet because they secrete a special mucus that helps them absorb scent chemicals. They also have a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane that keeps their eyes clean, protects their cornea and produces tears.

1. They Can Smell Diseases

Dogs have a superpower that lets them smell diseases like cancer before they spread. They can sniff out the odor of the growth thanks to their noses that are 10,000 times more sensitive than our own. Dogs can also sense the Earth’s magnetic field. That’s why they tend to line up their poop on a north/south axis.

2. They Can Dream

Dogs are known to bark while they’re sleeping, and a twitching paw is usually a sign that they’re dreaming. Research suggests dogs have visual dreams, too. They enter a sleep stage called REM during the night when they are most likely to dream. Smaller dogs may dream more often, while larger dogs dream less frequently.

It is also possible that dogs can smell their owners’ dreams, as well. This could help them warn their owners about a coming illness, such as a stroke or heart attack.

3. They Can Swim

Dogs have many natural instincts, and one of them is their ability to swim. As soon as they see water, they start that doggy paddle motion.

However, this doesn’t mean that all dogs can swim. Some breeds with shorter legs or rounder bodies, such as dachshunds and pugs, struggle to stay afloat. They also tend to have thick, dense coats that can become heavy in water. These breeds need to be carefully introduced to swimming. They may need to be assisted or wear a life jacket. In the animal kingdom, felines and canines are distinct families with numerous differences despite some similarities.

4. They Can Read Your Emotions

Whether it’s their wagging tail or nudge of the nose, your dog can read your emotions in a blink. That’s because they have a special patch of the brain that detects emotions, similar to the one we humans have for our voices.

You can test this for yourself by pretending to laugh or cry in front of your dog and seeing how they react. They’re also able to connect with us through body language like eye contact and posture. Dogs can even catch our yawns! This is called emotional contagion.

5. They Can Smell the Earth’s Magnetic Field

Scientists found that dogs can actually sense the Earth’s magnetic field. If you’ve ever noticed your dog pacing around before going potty outside, sniffing the ground and air, or focusing on a specific point in the sky, they are probably using their internal compass to find their way home.

Dogs have about 300 million scent receptors, compared to only 5 million in humans. That’s why they are so good at sniffing out criminals, bombs, and other hazards. They can also smell pheromones to track other animals and people.

6. They Can Pet You

Just like us, dogs are able to feel our emotions - especially when we’re feeling stressed. They can also sense our fear and danger based on our body language. According to Vetstreet, a Bloodhound’s sense of smell is so spot on that it can even be used as evidence in court. These clever canines can follow a scent trail days after it was left behind.

Just like humans, a dog may have a dominant right or left paw. They also have a preference for petting with their favorite side of the body.

7. They Can Share Their Food With You

Dogs are known to help each other, and they’re even willing to do things for people without expecting anything in return. They are truly man’s best friends. A dog’s sense of smell is so sensitive it can follow scent trails days after they are left. Bloodhounds can even use their sense of smell to find a missing person!

A dog’s eye has three lids. The third eyelid clears visibility, helps with tear production and produces antibodies to fight infection. It also acts as a windshield wiper!

8. They Can Smell Your Feelings

Dogs have 300 million scent receptors, compared to just 5 million for people. They use their powerful noses to track and find bombs, guns, drugs and even human remains. They also sniff out stress in humans by detecting changes in a person’s breath and sweat. This is why petting dogs for 15 minutes lowers blood pressure, reduces feelings of stress and anxiety and combats loneliness.

Their noses can even have a unique print, much like a fingerprint. This has been used to help dogs and their owners reunite when they’ve been separated.

9. They Can Rescue You When You’re Swimming

You might already know that dogs are incredibly intelligent creatures. However, did you know that they’re also extremely skilled swimmers? According to Vetstreet, Newfoundlands are the ultimate dog lifeguards thanks to their water resistant coats and webbed feet.

Dogs can also smell diseases, including Covid, cancer, and malaria; notice when a woman is pregnant; or detect dangerous changes in a diabetic owner’s blood sugar levels. It’s no wonder they’re used in drug detection and as service dogs! They can even recognize their owners from TV! How cool is that?

10. They Can Be Models for Ewoks

Dogs are as smart as two-year-olds, and can understand approximately 250 words and gestures. They can also hear four times better than us. The 18 muscles that control their ears allow them to raise, rotate and tilt their heads in order to identify sounds from varying directions.

Many dogs can be right or left-pawed. To find out which one, observe them as they walk forward and note which leg they start with first. Most dogs will start with their dominant paw! The Pekingese is a dog breed that looks very much like an Ewok.