Here Are Some Scientific Curiosities About Dogs
The friendship between the dog and the man has awakened the curiosity of scientists and generated many popular beliefs. Today we are going to talk about some scientific facts about dogs.
Dogs are known to be able to tell if their owners are sad, sick and can even predict pregnancy, but what does science say? Here are some scientific facts about dogs.
Scientific curiosities: dogs perceive our moods
Dogs are known to feel when people are sad and need their company. This behavior has incentivized many investigators to check whether they are really able to perceive moods.
An interesting experiment was conducted at the University of Sao Paulo and the University of Lincoln. First, various dog breeds were selected, including mestizos, with different ages. Their reactions to people with different moods were observed.
The most interesting thing is that the dogs have not become familiar with the participants, they have simply been in contact with them several times.
In conclusion it has been shown that these animals are really able to interpret the moods of the human being.
It is said to be a skill typical of their species, probably developed over the centuries by being close to humans. This is why they can perceive the moods of even strangers.
The most plausible explanation lies in their ability to “read” our facial expressions, our postures and our actions.
Because dogs communicate more through their bodies, they can sense people’s emotions and mood swings even if they don’t speak.
Some particular curiosities
1. Their “fingerprints” are found in the nostrils
If people identify themselves through their fingerprints, dogs can recognize themselves through their noses. That is, each dog has a unique “design” inside the nostrils, which is why their muzzle is unique. This type of signals indicate the identity of the animal.
2. They can understand more than 100 words (and even signals)
For many years, it was believed that canine obedience relied primarily on understanding the intonation of the voice; recent studies from the University of British Columbia show that dogs can distinguish more than 160 words.
Some breeds, such as the Border Collie, are capable of understanding 200 terms.
Many experts also assure that dogs easily distinguish signals and tone of voice; among other things, because they have areas of the brain similar to ours. For this reason, it is important to use body language and pay attention to the intonation of the voice when training.
3. Our love for dogs is similar to that of a mother for her child
Various researches have shown that the bond between humans and dogs is similar to that between mother and child. Oxytocin (the so-called love hormone) is responsible for this. Its effects on the organism allow our emotional connection with dogs to be similar to the biological bond between mother and child.
4. Tasmanian dogs and devils look alike
Another scientific curiosity about dogs is that they are the only mammals, along with the Tasmanian devil, that suffer from transmissible cancer. It is a malignant tumor and the infection occurs through mating. It can affect both mestizos and purebred dogs.
This serious disease must be diagnosed as early as possible in order to give effective treatment. The progression of symptoms can cause malformation of the genitals and damage the health of the animal. For this, remember the importance of preventive medicine.
5. There are also some pessimistic dogs
A recent study published in the journal Current Biology states that some dogs have a natural tendency to pessimism. That is, there are some more cheerful and positive races, while others show a certain tendency to be sad and moody.
For this, genetics play an important role in each dog’s personality and behavior. You must remember that education and socialization are crucial to their behavior.
These scientific curiosities can help us understand the nature of dogs. It is essential to underline that each dog is unique and singular, with its own characteristics that form their personality.
