Dogs have been our trusty companions for thousands of years (ABO PHOTOGRAPHY / Shutterstock.com)
Ever since early humans domesticated dogs some tens of thousands of years ago, they truly have been man’s best friend. They protect us, cuddle with us, cheer us up and will always be loyal beyond reason. To celebrate National Dog Day, we collected some incredible facts about dogs that show just how awesome our pawed friends truly are.
1. EGYPTIANS DIDN’T JUST WORSHIP CATS
Even ancient Egyptians revered their dogs. When a pet dog passed away, the owners would shave off their eyebrows and smear mud in their hair as a sign of mourning.
2. DOGS CAN ACTUALLY SEE IN COLOR
It is a widely-spread myth that dogs can only see in black and white, but they are actually capable of seeing see colors - just not as vividly as humans.
3. DOGS CAN SNIFF OUT DISEASES
It’s well known that dogs have great noses, but did you know that they can even smell diseases? Research at the Schillerhohe Hospital in Germany found dogs have an incredible ability to recognise the smell of a range of organic compounds that show the human body isn’t working as it should. Dogs have been trained to detect melanoma and can even warn diabetics when their insulin levels are running low.
Dogs can even warn diabetics when their insulin levels are running low. (DavideAngelini / Shutterstock.com)
4. DO DOGS DREAM OF SHEEP?
Nobody knows, but we do know that dogs dream just like us. Scientists found that dogs have the same sleeping brainwave patterns as humans, which explains all these YouTube videos of dogs running in their sleep.
5. DOGS CAN BE PRETTY SMART
This might not come as much of a surprise, but did you know that dogs are about as smart as a two- or three-year-old child? This means they can understand about 150-200 words, including signals and hand movements.
6. A HAIRY HEIR
An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the United States have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will. Think how much dog food they could buy!
There might be a few dogs out there with more money than you. (gvictoria / Shutterstock.com)
7. A TRUE FAMILY MEMBER
Seventy percent of people sign their pet’s name on greeting and holiday cards and a whopping one in three families in the US owns a dog.
8. THEY ARE EVERYWHERE!
If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 offspring in as little as six years.
9. IT WASN’T ME
Despite what those big puppy eyes might tell you, dogs don’t actually feel guilt. Your pooch may get jealous sometimes, but researchers found that puppy eyes are not a sign of guilt, but simply our way of interpreting a dog’s reaction to being scolded.
Dogs don't actually feel guilty. (Zavats Svetlana / Shutterstock.com)
