Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Dogs may have wild ancestors, but domestic canines make for great pets, helpful service animals and superb friends. Whether you own one or more dogs already or are thinking about getting one, it’s always good to learn more about dogs in general. After all, these creatures are constantly a part of our lives, but you may be surprised at how much there is to know about them.
KSL and Scott Hale Plumbing, Heating, & Air have created the following list of dog trivia for your entertainment:
1. Dogs are intelligent
As any dog owner knows, a given dog’s smarts depend on its breed, age and general disposition. However, one scientific study published in 2009 showed that dogs possess an intelligence level that is on par with most human toddlers.
Like many 2-year-old children, the average dog can understand up to 150 words, and that’s not counting the gestures they can remember, either. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule on both sides, with a positive one being Chaser, a ridiculously intelligent border collie.
2. Dogs can improve your health
Aside from the fact that petting your pooch can actually lower blood pressure, having a canine pet can provide multiple health benefits. Victims of abuse, the disabled and those with serious medical conditions have all benefited from the loving companionship of a pet dog or service animal.
In fact, seeing-eye dogs and service animals aren’t just trained to lead or calm their owners. Some special service dogs receive training to sense a coming seizure or smell change when their person’s insulin drops. This knowledge in a service animal is invaluable because the dog can get help or warn passersby when their owner is in trouble.
3. Dogs have a long history of usefulness
In ancient times, dogs were often used to help hunt food. The bloodhound is today’s product of this practice, as it can trace scents over 300 hours old. In times past, people also used dogs for protection from wildlife and hostile attacks. The ancient Greeks invented spiked dog collars to protect their dogs’ throats, and Chinese emperors even used the lightweight Pekingese as a last line of defense — by keeping it up their sleeve.
(In the app and can't see the quiz? Click here.)
4. Dogs have a fascinating ancestry
You may thing that dogs originated from wolves and other similar animals, but recent research shows that we don’t know exactly where dogs came from, and what animals are now still distant relatives. For instance, the hyena is more closely related to cats than the dogs of today.
5. Dogs enjoy specific kinds of affection
Although we humans and other primates generally enjoy hugs from our loved ones, this isn’t necessarily the case with dogs. Canines see the act of putting a limb over another creature as an assertion of dominance. Maybe the next time you want to show your dog some love, rub its belly.
6. Dogs sweat differently
Dog’s don’t have sweat glands throughout their bodies like humans do. Instead, dogs release sweat from the pads on their paws, creating the common phenomenon known as “Frito feet.” The reason that your dog’s feet smell like corn chips is because the bacteria on their feet mixes with their sweat, resulting in the strange smell. But sweating feet isn’t the only way your dog cools off — dogs use panting to circulate air through their bodies before sweating from their feet.
Although your dog might have its own built-in air conditioning system, you probably want to rely on a well-functioning AC unit for your use. Contact Scott Hale Plumbing, Heating, & Air to upgrade your AC today.
