Dogs are amazing animals. They have been man’s best friend for centuries, and they have developed a close relationship with humans. Dogs provide us with companionship, protection, and unconditional love. This blog post will share some fun facts about dogs that you may not know!
Dogs Have A Sense of Smell That Is 10,000 Times Stronger Than Humans
It might be hard to believe, but dogs have an amazingly strong sense of smell. For every scent receptor that a person has, dogs have about 50.
Dogs have an unbelievably strong sense of smell, with their noses being between 10,000 and 100,000 times more sensitive than ours. Humans have trained dogs who have great sniffers to do things like:
- Hunt animals
- Find contraband in packages
- Track criminals
- Sniff for explosives
There is evidence that dogs can also smell cancer or infectious diseases. It’s incredible to think how much dogs are able to smell.
They Can Hear Sounds We Cannot
Anyone who owns a dog has likely seen their head spring up out of sleep only to have them race to the nearest window. Their hearing is so sensitive that they can hear things like a squeak or rustle of leaves.
Not only do they have great hearing, but they can hear more than humans as well. A typical human can hear frequencies between 20 and 20,000 hertz. Compare that to dogs who can normally hear between 40 and 60,000 hertz. This means that while humans can hear slightly below what a dog can hear, dogs can hear frequencies that are three times the normal human ear!
This is how a dog whistle works. The whistle is so high-pitched that humans can’t hear it, but a dog’s hearing picks up the sound and can easily get their attention.
Dogs See Shades of Gray Better Than Us
The ability to see comes from different cells in the eye. These cells are referred to as rods and cones. More rods allow us to see better in the dark while cones allow us to see color.
A dog’s eye has more rods than human eyes do, but they have far fewer cones. This means that a dog is better able to see in the dark, but they have trouble seeing colors. Many people say that dogs can only see black and white, but they do still have some cones in their eyes. This means that they see closer to the way a color-blind human would see. They can still see color; it’s just missing some shades or is less vibrant.
There Are Many Different Breeds of Dogs in The World
There are many different breeds of dogs. It’s hard to say exactly how many because it really depends on who you ask. There are many different breed registries like the American Kennel Club, the World Canine Organization (FCI), and the British Kennel Club. Each organization has different breeds listed. Another problem is that each club inducts new breeds and prunes inactive breeds each year.
According to the FCI, there are 339 different dog breeds that are broken up into 10 different categories. Each governing body has a different number of breeds and uses a different method to categorize these breeds.
The Average Lifespan for Most Breeds Is Between 10-12 Years
The average dog only lives to be about 12 years old. You probably know a dog who has lived substantially longer or shorter than that. A dog’s lifespan is also affected by his breed, the amount of exercise they get, and how much food he eats.
There is no real rule for how long a dog should live, but here is a general rule: the larger the dog is, the shorter they live. For example, a Chihuahua can live anywhere from 15 to 20 years, while a Great Dane can live anywhere between six and ten. It’s pretty amazing that animals in the same species can have such a difference in their lifespans.
A dog’s general health can also affect how long they’ll live. A dog who eats a good diet and gets plenty of exercise will live longer than a dog who doesn’t. A few other things that affect lifespan are the environment they live in, their genetic predisposition and how well they’re cared for. All the more reason to shower your dog with as much love as you can, right?
The more we learn about dogs, the more amazing they seem. There’s no wonder why they are one of humankind’s favorite animals!