22 facts you may not know about dogs
Jealousy
Dogs can get jealous when their humans display affection toward someone or something else.
Feel good
Stroking dogs and gazing into their eyes releases the “feel good” hormone oxytocin for both people and dogs.
Spiked dog collars
Spiked dog collars were used to protect dogs’ throats from wolf attacks in ancient Greece.
Obesity
Obesity is the top health problem among dogs.
Illegal to keep dogs
Although it was once illegal to keep dogs as pets in Iceland’s capital city, the laws have been relaxed.
The Chihuahua
The Chihuahua was named for the state in northwestern Mexico where they were discovered.
Raining cats and dogs
The phrase “raining cats and dogs” originated in seventeenth-century England. During heavy rainstorms, many homeless animals would drown and float down the streets, giving the appearance that it had actually rained cats and dogs.
Unique noses
Dog nose prints are as unique as human fingerprints and can be used to identify them.
Never kick a dog
A person should never kick a dog facing him or her. Some dogs can bite 10 times before a human can respond.
Wagometer
In 2003, Dr. Roger Mugford invented the “wagometer,” a device that claims to interpret a dog’s exact mood by measuring the wag of its tail.
A Day in the Life
Paul McCartney of the Beatles recorded a high pitched whistle at the end of “A Day in the Life” for his dog.
Rocco
In 2007, a dog named Rocco discovered a truffle in Tuscany that weighed 3.3 pounds. It sold at auction for $333,000 (USD), a world record for a truffle.
Instant happiness
Petting a dog or cat or other furry pets releases oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”), which creates instant happiness. Oxytocin also lowers blood pressure and reduces stress levels.
Dogs tail
The origin of amputating a dog’s tail may go back to the Roman writer Lucius Columella’s (A.D. 4-70) assertion that tail docking prevented rabies.
Dog Lovers
People who kiss their dogs have lower blood pressure than those who don’t.
Better person
93% of dog owners in the U.S. say their dog has made them a better person in at least one way, a study found.
Ancient Egyptians
Ancient Egyptians revered their dogs. When a pet dog would die, the owners shaved off their eyebrows, smeared mud in their hair, and mourned aloud for days.
Lampposts are falling
In Croatia, scientists discovered that lampposts were falling down because a chemical in the urine of male dogs was rotting the metal.
Waving
A person standing still 300 yards away is almost invisible to a dog. But a dog can easily identify its owner standing a mile away if the owner is waving his arms.
Zoo admission ticket
During the 18th century, you could pay your admission ticket to the zoo in London by bringing a cat or a dog to feed the lions.
Unsung heroes
One of the unsung heroes of 9/11 was a guide dog, Roselle, a yellow Labrador who led her blind owner, Michael Hingson, down 78 storeys of the North Tower and to the home of a friend.
Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone was so poor, he had to sell his dog for $50. A week later, he sold the script for Rocky and brought him back for $3,000.