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Dogs and humans have lived together happily for over twelve thousand years, and we have learned much about their behavior. Even though we have a greater understanding and gain more information as time passes, there are still many myths and misconceptions about dogs that we look to decode.
Let’s dive in!
These are the 8 most common dog myths:
Dogs Can’t See Color & Are Colorblind
We cannot be sure whether this is true or just a dog myth. It is because we cannot see what and how a dog sees. However, the retina on a canine has two of the three required photo receptor types to see color. Several studies have shown that dogs can see colors, including saturations of grey, blue, and yellow. What we can be sure of is that their visual spectrum color range is lesser than that of humans.
Sick Dogs Eat Grass
While some dogs eat grass when nauseous or ill, others eat it for the opportunity, displacement behavior, and boredom. Some dogs consume grass only because they like to. It is not a huge problem unless the grass is untreated. As long as the grass isn’t making your dog sick, we don’t see any problem. You need to work on immediately stopping this behavior if your dog gets sick due to eating grass.
A Wagging Tail Indicates The Dog Is Friendly
While many friendly dogs wag their tails, it does not always indicate their friendliness. You can invite trouble if you are not careful and misinterpret it. A dog can wag its tail due to several reasons. Some of them are:
- Alertness
- Excitement
- Happiness
- Fear
- Aggression
- Anxiety
Dog body language can be complex at times, and you must evaluate their body language before approaching it. You must always ask the dog owner about their dog’s temperament before petting or coming near it. This is especially important for our little children.
One Dog Year Is Equal To Seven Human Years
We don’t know how this myth ran rampant, but it is untrue. A dog’s first year equals the first 12-14 human years. Your dog’s age depends on factors like genetics, size, and breed. An average lifespan of a small dog is 15-18 years, and a large dog’s lifespan may range from 7-10 years.
A Wet Nose Means The Dog Is Healthy
The nose is not an indicator of a dog’s health as its temperature, dryness, or wetness can vary with the activities it indulges in. Changes in the dog’s appetite, activity, and routine can get you better results in understanding the dog’s feelings.
Human Mouths are Dirtier Than Dog Mouths
This myth probably became widespread because wounds seem to heal quicker when dogs lick them. However, it is not because the dog has a clean mouth. It is because licking removes the damaged tissue, which stimulates blood flow, resulting in faster healing.
An Old Dog Can’t Learn New Tricks
Older dogs have no problem learning new tricks. The tricky part is that they are not always interested in learning. Dogs grow disinterested with age and respond less to training. Older dogs can also have joint, hearing, vision, etc., issues and can make learning more difficult.
These were the common misconceptions most people have about dogs. We hope we were able to clear some of them and will see you again.