10 Weird Facts About Dogs You Probably Didn’t Know

There is just a certain quality that is innate in a dog that makes people so drawn to them. Their fun personalities and loyal behavior are a few of the things that make them deserving of the title “man’s best friend.” This is just a taste of what dogs have in store for us. There are a lot of facts about dogs that are truly interesting and will further deepen our affinity for them. 

1. Three survivors from the Titanic were dogs

The sinking of the RMS Titanic was one of the most traumatic accidents that caused thousands of lives to be lost at sea. Few people are aware that dogs were among the passengers who perished when the ship sank along with human passengers. 

At least 12 dogs were boarded on the Titanic, and only three survived. The names of the three survivors were Lady (a Pomeranian), Sun Yat Sen (a Pekingese), and another unnamed Pomeranian that was owned by Martin and Elizabeth Rothschild. 

2. The tallest dog in the world measured at 1.118 meters 

According to Guinness World Records, the tallest dog in the world was 1.118 meters (44 inches) on all fours. When the dog was standing, he measured 2.23 meters (7 ft 4 in)! The record holder was a Great Dane named Zeus. Sadly, he passed away at the age of five in 2014. 

3. Dogs dream 

Like humans, dogs are capable of dreaming too. According to several researchers, dogs share similar brain wave patterns to humans, making them able to dream while they sleep. Further, puppies and senior dogs are more likely to dream. 

4. A German Shepherd was nominated at the Academy Awards

As strange as it may seem, a dog was nominated for the Academy Awards, one of the most prestigious events in the world. A German Shepherd played the part of Rin Tin Tin, and this actor garnered the most votes for the Best Actor award. 

Sadly, the dog did not end up getting the award since the Academy wanted to treat the awarding process “seriously.” Instead, the Best Actor award was given to the next actor who had the most votes after Rin Tin Tin: Emil Jannings. 

5. Dogs do not see everything in black and white 

Contrary to popular belief, dogs do not only see in black and white. While humans have three cones that help in differentiating the colors of red, blue, and green, a dog only has two. With that being said, dogs can only differentiate between yellow and blue. The term for this kind of perception is dichromatic vision. 

6. Every dog nose is unique and that is one of the weirdest facts about dogs 

Dogs’ noses are what fingerprints are to humans. This analogy means that every dog’s nose is unique, so no two dogs have the same markings on their noses. The grooves on a dog’s nose also help in identifying them from other dogs. 

7. The oldest dog lived up to 29 years and 5 months of age 

Another one in the books of Guinness World Records was a dog named Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog. He was born from 1910 to 1939 in Victoria, Australia. 

8. Greyhounds can outrun cheetahs

Almost everyone knows that the cheetah is the fastest land animal, capable of running up to speeds of 70 mph. On the other hand, what most people are probably not aware of is the fact that a dog can beat cheetahs based on speed alone. 

Cheetahs do run very fast, but this speed can only be maintained for a maximum of thirty seconds. Meanwhile, greyhounds run at 35 mph for approximately seven miles. The outcome of this race? The cheetah will outrun the greyhound at first. However, in the long run, the greyhound will end up in first place given that it can cover a lot more miles in a longer span of time. 

9. A Bloodhound’s sense of smell is used in the court of law

Bloodhounds are one of the most incredible breeds, and most of that has something to do with their strong sense of smell. A bloodhound has 230 million scent receptors in its nose, and when compared to that of humans, it is 40 times stronger. 

Moreover, this breed has a stronger sense of smell compared to other working dog breeds too. This is why bloodhounds are used in the court of law and for police manhunts. Bloodhounds can smell a scent that has been left for over 300 hours and can follow a scent trail for approximately 130 miles. 

10. Sweat glands are solely present in a dog’s paw

Some may wonder how dogs release sweat, knowing that they are covered in fur. The explanation behind how dogs cool themselves off will make a whole lot of sense. 

While there may be two types of sweat glands in a dog’s body, namely merocrine glands and apocrine glands, only the former releases sweat to cool them off. These sweat glands are located in a dog’s paw. 

There are no merocrine glands in the body of a dog since they cannot evaporate due to fur. The paw only has a little fur in between their toe beans, which is why the sweat glands are present there.

Now read some weird facts about cats.

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