There are hundreds of official dog breeds around the world, as you well know, and each dog has its own unique set of characteristics and personality. But one thing is certain, these reliable companions of ours are fascinating creatures! That’s why we should know some interesting things about dogs.
If you want to fully laugh, yawn in front of your dog. The chances of him copying your gesture are very high because empathy is a well-known characteristic of dogs. You can do it several times, and the result will be the same. The effect is called “contagious emotion” and was discovered not long ago, in 2008 by a group of researchers. Prior to this study, there was a certainty that primates would copy yawning, but it was not known that dogs did, too.
Moreover, dogs seem to copy not only gestures, but also the feelings of the owner, so the next time your dog is agitated, ask yourself if he has taken over from your anxiety.
Dogs are the only animals that are not part of the primate family that would look right into your eyes. And you can look deep into their eyes without fear of being attacked. However, there are also individuals who interpret this gesture as one of hostility, so you better not apply it to a dog you don’t know.
You might also like my articles with interesting facts about the Long-Haired Dalmatian, the Miniature Pug, or the Bichon Shih Tzu.
On the other hand, if you have long eye contact with your pet, your bodies will eliminate oxytocin, also known as the love hormone. Doctors have found the same hormonal release in moments of affection between two lovers or between a parent and child, dogs being the only animals having this reaction, of all the species on earth.
A 2015 study about dogs’ neural reactions showed that when dogs smell their owners, it automatically activates the part of their brain called the reward center. Moreover, it seems that they consider themselves part of the family, and even that they are the children of the owners because they often have the same behavior as that of a baby.
Unlike cats or horses, dogs will always seek help from owners when they feel in danger, like children.
Like dolphins, monkeys, or parrots, dogs can understand and react to about two hundred words. Of course, most of these will be closely related to the toys that the dog has, the food or walk he is looking forward to every time. The speed at which dogs can learn new words is similar to that of children who are just beginning to speak.
If you noticed at least some funny behavior of your dog before he finds a good place to sleep, you can be sure that you’re not the only dog owner who wondered why he keeps circling and going after his tail before he goes to bed.
The answer is hilarious and comes from the genetic inheritance of dogs, who, as you already know, lived in the wild before being domesticated. There was also the danger that they would sit in a place where insects or snakes could bite them. Therefore, the dogs would beat the leaves, grass, or soil on which they were to sleep.
The same gesture was a signal to other dogs that the sleeping place was already marked. Last but not least, dogs circle before falling asleep to test the comfort level of the place they are going to rest on.
If your pet likes to take the biscuits you offered him and eat them in another place, you’ve probably wondered why he’s doing so. The reasoning seems to come from a time when dogs were not domesticated yet. At that time, when hunting in packs, they had to take their portion and eat it somewhere where a possible confrontation with another dog was avoided. So, your dog probably thinks you’re the alpha, so you are stronger than he is.
The world’s largest dog weighed over 155 pounds at just 8 years old and was part of the English Mastiff breed. Also, Neapolitan Mastiff is the second breed in the world when it comes to huge dogs. Bronze in this chapter is won by the Irish Wolfhound breed, which has existed since Roman times.