Here are seven fun canine facts we’ve ‘fetched’ just for you.
- Contrary to popular belief, dogs aren’t colour-blind. [Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica]
Dogs aren’t colour-blind; they can see more than just black, white and grey. But the actual range of colours they recognise differs to us. Human eyes have three types of cones (cells that form the retina part of our eyes) so we see reds, blues and greens. Dogs are only able to see yellows and blues so have ‘dichromatic vision’.
- Human yawns are contagious for domestic dogs! It’s four times as likely to happen when it is the yawn of a person they know. [Source: Scientific American]
Dogs are among only a few of the species that display signs of contagious yawning. This exclusive list includes humans, chimpanzees, stump-tail macaques and gelada baboons.
- A Greyhound could beat a Cheetah in a long-distance race. [Source: Psychology Today]
Greyhounds are superb long-distance runners and can maintain a speed of 35 mph for up to seven miles. Cheetahs, while incredibly fast, can only sprint for around a fifth of a mile.
- A wet nose helps with scent detection. Your dog’s nose secretes a thin layer of mucous that helps to absorb scent chemicals. [Source: Vetstreet]
Dogs rely on scent to explore their surroundings. Their wet noses attract and hold scent particles making it easier for the dog’s olfactory (smelling) system to process. There are up to 300 million sensory receptors in a dog’s nasal cavity; humans only have 6 million.
- Petting a dog can lower your blood pressure. [Source: WebMD]
We all know that petting a dog feels good but did you know it can also lower your blood pressure? The petting action helps your body release relaxing hormones and reduces the level of cortisol (a stress hormone).
- Dogs have about 1700 taste buds! [Source: Woof Report]
Dogs have great taste because of the 1700 receptors (taste buds) on their tongue. In comparison, cats only have about 470.
- Dogs have at least 18 muscles in each ear! [Source: The Bark]
Up to 18 muscles control the ears of dogs while humans have only six. Dogs can tilt and rotate their ears to help direct sound into their ear canal. Most humans struggle with a basic ear wiggle!
