5 Fascinating And Crazy Dog Facts

Attention dog lovers! Think you already know everything there is to know about man's best friend? Sure, you know a lot, but there are all kinds of interesting facts about dogs that not everyone knows…even crazy dog people.

Here are some crazy dog facts you’ll find fascinating…so you can impress all your friends at parties!

1. Dogs Do Dream

Who doesn’t love a good, relaxing nap? Not our furry friends, that’s for sure. Dogs can actually dream themselves, which is pretty surprising if you think about it.

It may be impossible to ask our doggy pals what they’ve dreamt about in their nap sessions. Still, researchers have managed to deduced this fact by scanning their brain activity. Their findings show that dogs also experience rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

REM sleep is usually characterized by humans with dreams. Similarly, dogs were found to have similar brainwave patterns during this section in their sleep.

Physical signs of dreaming have also been seen among dogs. They twitch their leg muscles and move at times, behaviors typical of many human dreamers. Some scientists believe that these are indicators that your pet is dreaming about running or chasing.

This phenomenon has been observed in various dog breeds, ages, and sizes. Talk about dream inclusivity! Next time you see your pup dozing off in his bed, you can safely assume that he might be dreaming about your next fetching session.

2. A Wet Nose Helps A Dog's Sense Of Smell

You probably haven’t thought about it a lot, but have you ever wondered why dog noses are, for the lack of a better term, wet? There’s actually a very good reason for this (and not just to make you feel uncomfortable when they kiss you).

Dogs have about a hundred thousand times better sense of smell than humans, and part of the reason is their wet noses. Moisture helps dogs absorb scent chemicals in the air, which their brain uses to process different odors.

These particles stick better to damp surfaces, so our pups often have wet and cool noses. Some experts even suggest that the more humid the air is for dogs, the better they can sniff.

Why exactly is this the case? When noses become too warm, mucus from the nostrils starts evaporating. This mucus which is so helpful for picking up scent particles, thus loses its efficacy, lowering your pet’s sense of smell.

As such, dogs keep their noses cool and moist with daily grooming. Lapping up water when they’re thirsty also helps. This way, they can detect even the most microscopic of scent particles with their overpowered senses.

Studies have also shown that dogs can recognize between familiar and unfamiliar scents. They do this by tilting their heads so that they pick up the scent through varying parts of their noses.

By detecting familiar scents, our pets can make more accurate decisions about what smells good and bad and thus increase their survivability!

3. Dogs Can See In The Dark

Our feline friends may have hogged the reputation as all-seeing nightcrawlers, but make no mistake, dogs are also good at seeing in the dark.

The question of what do dogs see through their eyes have long bothered many fur parents. The answer lies in their eye structure.

Canines have a layer in their eye called ‘tapetum lucidum’. This organ helps reflect extra light onto the retina, so they can see even in dark conditions. They also have more visual rods than humans.

The tapetum lucidum is what gives our furry friends the bright glow in their eyes when you expose them to a bright light source, such as a flashlight. If you wonder why your dogs look like aliens when you turn on the flash mode in your camera, then this is why.

Experts think that this layer is also present in other animals, such as cats. It’s also believed that this layer was developed to help these creatures detect night movement, a hint to their wilder genetic origins.

While dogs can see farther and have better night vision, their eyes can’t perceive that many colors, unlike humans. They have dichromatic vision, meaning they can only see two colors through their eyes, in this case, yellow and blue.

Unfortunately, they won't be able to perceive the amazing dog lover shirts you're wearing for them (they still look fantastic though). This is because they only have two types of cone cells. We humans have an extra rod in our eyes which helps us see things in rich and vivid colors.

4. Dogs Can Recognize Emotions

You probably wonder how your loyal friend can provide you with kisses and cuddles when you’re feeling down. So that you know, dogs can actually read our emotions.

Our furry friends have the ability to decipher our moods by processing subtle cues such as body language and facial expressions. Studies support the theory that dogs can recognize certain human emotions, such as happiness and anger, and that they might even show signs of empathy toward their furry parents.

But how are they able to read our emotions so easily? Experts believe that this is due to a combination of the following factors.

Intuition

Dogs just have a preternatural sense to detect what we feel. They can sense our mood through the energy we give off. Sometimes they’re even better at detecting our temper than we are ourselves!

Nonverbal cues

Dogs can see the slightest change in your body language, thanks to their fantastic sight. They can see the subtle a widening of the eyes or the shuffling of your feet when you feel scared.

They can also detect vocal cues to determine what you’re feeling. For example, someone in a heightened state of mind will probably have a higher pitch or tone when speaking.

Facial expressions

Dogs can understand when their owners are happy by seeing the looks on their faces. This is partly through association and partly through the long history of their domestication.

When your smile while playing with your pets, it’s usually followed along with other positive reinforcement, such as petting or giving treats. As such, your pup learns to associate it with your good mood and will waggle his tail even more for attention.

Conversely, if you frown or pout, your pet will associate it with a negative mood. Next time you’re feeling some extreme emotion, don’t doubt the fact that your dog can share these too!

5. Some Dogs Have Astonishing Memory

Another crazy fact about dogs is their astonishing memory. Some breeds are actually very good at these, the border collie, for example—no wonder they’re used for all sorts of professional work.

All dogs have individual differences in their brain and cognition. Some may have better memory and problem-solving abilities than others. Certain studies show that certain breeds, like the border collie and poodle, have a larger brain-to-body size ratio than normal. This contributes to their superior mental abilities.

In addition to their innate talents, dogs can also be trained using memory and recall tasks. Positive reinforcement is particularly effective when used along with these methods. Doing so reinforces his behavior and also motivates him to remember the information.

Combining your dog’s natural intelligence with a suitable environment filled with mental stimulation will help you train commands even faster. If you’re looking for an intelligent companion with a fantastic capacity for memorization, look no further than these furry pals!

Frequently Asked Questions On Crazy Dog Facts

Can dogs see ghosts?

If ghosts can be proven to be scientifically real, then there's a high chance that our pets would be able to sense them. However, this is not the case, and as such, the answer is still up for debate.

Can dogs laugh and smile?

While you may have seen images or videos of pets either laughing or smiling with their owner, they aren't the same in the sense that we humans do it. Dogs have different facial structures, which hinders them from making such movements,

Can cats and dogs be friends?

Crazy as it sounds, the answer is yes. dogs and cats can be friends. It might take some patience and training, but interspecies friendship is definitely a thing in the animal kingdom.