10 Interesting Facts About Dogs
We all know our own pets are special, but what about every other dog out there? As it turns out, "man's best friend" is a pretty fascinating and impressive companion!
Dogs are not only remarkably intelligent — we have been domesticating them for hundreds of thousands of years. In this article we've gathered 10 of the most interesting facts about dogs that you might not know! Ready to dive into the world of dogs? Let's begin!
No. 1. Dogs have a powerful sense of smell
Dogs have over a thousand more receptors in their nose than we do, which means their sense of smell is far better than ours. In fact, in perfect conditions a dog can pick up a scent from 20 km away! And the reason a dog's nose is always wet is so that it can absorb scent chemicals more easily.
This is how most dogs make sense of their surroundings and work out where they are. They leave scent markers all over their territory and along their usual walking routes, and those markers help them navigate. It's also why dogs are used to detect drugs, certain metals and bombs.
No. 2. The oldest dog breed is the Saluki
The Saluki breed dates back to ancient Egypt. They were remarkable hunters, and there is evidence that they were kept as pets by the royal pharaohs.
There are also records of prehistoric dogs, however, which suggest that people in Europe owned dogs more than 30,000 years ago.
No. 3. The oldest dog lived to the age of 31
Bobi sadly died in October 2023, but he reached the astonishing age of 31. He was a purebred Rafeiro do Alentejo and lived in Portugal.
His owner believes the family dog's long life came down to his diet. Bobi ate only human food — whatever the family was having, Bobi had too. That can supply plenty of nutrients, but it's important to avoid certain human foods that can be toxic to our furry friends.
No. 4. Dogs use the Earth's magnetic field to navigate
A dog's sense of direction is impressive. Plenty of studies show that dogs can find their way home from kilometres away, but the interesting part is that they don't always take the same route. Instead, they use the Earth's magnetic field to orient themselves along the north–south axis. That's what's behind their "homing instinct", which means many dogs can find their way back to their home or their owners after getting lost.
No. 5. A dog's nose print is like a human fingerprint
Of all the curious facts about dogs, this is one of the most impressive! Every dog has a completely unique nose print, just as we have our own distinct fingerprints.
That means dogs can be identified by that print — a big breakthrough for finding lost dogs and returning them to their owners.
No. 6. All dogs dream
For dog owners this may not come as a great surprise. We often see a dog twitch, "run" or even bark in their sleep. Our suspicions have been confirmed — every dog dreams at night, working through the day's experiences.
Puppies dream more than adult dogs, because they process an enormous amount of new information every day.
No. 7. Dogs can smell cancer cells
In the human body, cancer cells give off specific odours that healthy cells don't, and dogs can pick them up. That's why many working dogs are now trained in hospitals to help diagnose cancer early. They can even do it by sniffing someone's breath, which makes the process extremely quick and easy.
No. 8. Dogs have over 100 facial expressions
For owners, this one probably isn't a surprise either. The more time you spend with your dog, the better you read their expressions. But your dog isn't the only one with an expressive face!
Dogs actually have over 100 facial expressions. Combine that with their body language and working out what they want is fairly easy.
A few examples:
- Soft, round eyes: your dog feels confident, sociable and relaxed
- Head tilt: your dog is curious about something
- Raised eyebrows: your dog is interested and alert
No. 9. The USA and Brazil have the largest dog populations
The USA has a staggering population of 90,000,000 dogs. That is a genuinely astonishing statistic, and a hard one to take in. This overpopulation is why so many animal shelters in America struggle to find homes for the dogs they rescue.
Brazil is much the same, with a dog population of 55,000,000. It shows just how important neutering our pets is if we want to stop stray dogs from breeding.
No. 10. Dogs can understand words and gestures
On average, a dog can learn and understand 165 words. That's a fairly impressive number, especially considering we usually repeat the same handful of words — "walk", "treat" and "stay". Some dogs can even learn over 250 words!
Studies show, though, that the tone of our voice makes a big difference to how well dogs understand us. Say "good boy" in a bright, enthusiastic tone and they are far more likely to recognise the words than if we say it offhandedly.
Conclusion
Our fluffy friends are our favourite companions. And it's no surprise why. As well as being affectionate, loyal and fun, they are also exceptionally intelligent and talented animals.
So the next time you catch your dog doing something ridiculous and slightly daft, remember that if they fancied it, they could work in healthcare or the army — and they already understand a great deal of what you say. Impressive, isn't it?
