May 19, 2026
Today, I am going to give you some fascinating facts about dogs. We will look at characteristics, unique abilities and more.
Dog noses
Dogs smell 100,000 times better than we can.
Like fingerprints, dogs have a one of a kind nose print.
Dogs noses are wet to absorb chemicals, which they lick to help them understand the smell.
They pick up on human fear or stress by smelling changes in body chemistry.
A trained bloodhound’s sense of smell can actually be used as evidence in a court of law.
Canine hearing
Canines have the ability to hear much higher sound frequencies , so they can hear sounds we can’t.
Vision
Fido is not colorblind as commonly thought. While they can’t see what we see, they can see the colors of blue and yellow. Dogs see much better in the dark than we do.
A dog’s paw
Dogs only sweat through their paws to cool off.
They can favor one paw over the other, much the same as we are right or left handed.
Anatomy of a dog’s eyelids
Did you know your dog has three eyelids? An upper and lower lid, but they also have a third lid underneath known as a nictitating membrane. This membrane clears particles and debris from the front of the eye. It also acts to help fight off the start of infections.
Dreaming
Yes, they do experience dreaming. You can see their tails wag, their paws move and other body language as they are dreaming.
Bathroom habits
When your dog kicks backwards after pooping, it is actually to mark their territory and not to cover their poo.
Dogs also pee to mark their territory. They check out what other dogs have left in pee “post-it” notes as well.
Dog smarts
It is said that dogs are as smart as a two year old. They know roughly 250 words ands gestures.
Dogs are one of the few animals who will do things for others, even if they know they will get nothing in return.
Stray dogs in Russia have learned to ride the subway system and get off at specific stops for food.
Dogs can be trained to detect diseases in humans.
Breed specific
Newfoundland dogs have water-resistant coats and webbed feet. They can swim long distances. They were bred for fishermen to rescue people from drowning.
Greyhounds can maintain a speed of 35 mph for up to 7 miles.
The “African Barkless Dog” called a Basenji doesn’t bark, instead it will yodel, whine and occasionally scream.
30% of all Dalmations are deaf in one ear. 5% are deaf in both ears.
Black tongues
Shar-pies and Chow chows are the only two dogs bred to have black tongues. No one knows the reason for breeding for this trait.
Dachshunds were bred originally to fight badgers.
The Saluki is the oldest breed of dog. They have been found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 2100 BC.
Fun facts
- The United States has the highest population of dogs as pets at 75.8 million.
- More than half of all U.S. presidents have owned dogs.
- Spayed or neutered dogs live longer.
- The world dog population is approximately 600 million. An estimated 400 million of those dogs are strays.
- Spiked collars were originally made in Ancient Greece to protect a dog’s throat from wolf attacks.
The awe and wonder of our furry friends.
Kelly