Dogs were the very first animal humans domesticated — and thousands of years later, they still read us better than almost any other species.
Here are 15 true facts about our best friends.
Dogs were the first domesticated animal, diverging from wolves at least 15,000 years ago.
A dog's sense of smell is estimated to be tens of thousands of times more sensitive than a human's, with up to 300 million scent receptors versus our roughly 6 million.
Dogs have a second scent organ, the vomeronasal (Jacobson's) organ, for detecting pheromones.
A dog's nose print is unique and can, in principle, identify an individual.
Dogs can learn hundreds of words and gestures; some border collies have learned over 1,000 object names.
Puppies are born blind, deaf, and toothless, relying entirely on their mother for the first weeks.
Dogs sweat mainly through their paw pads and cool themselves primarily by panting.
Dogs' brains produce sleep patterns similar to ours, so they likely dream.
The Basenji doesn't bark in the usual way — it makes a yodel-like sound instead.
Dogs curl up to sleep partly to conserve body heat and protect vital organs, an instinct inherited from wild ancestors.
A dog's whiskers help it sense nearby objects and air currents.
Dogs tilt their heads partly to locate the source of sounds and see past their own muzzles.
Wagging direction may carry meaning: studies suggest more right-sided wagging with positive stimuli and left-sided with negative ones.
Greyhounds are the fastest dogs, reaching around 45 mph (72 km/h).
Dogs can be trained to detect certain diseases, including some cancers and low blood sugar, by smell.
We write every article to be genuinely fun — and genuinely true. Each fact is checked against reputable sources before it goes live. Spotted something off? Tell us and read our fact-check policy.
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