There are countless myths about our pets. To separate fact from fiction, the American Kennel Club clears up some well-known myths about dogs.
There are countless myths about our pets — some so old they have become facts in the eyes of many people. While some of these myths are harmless, many are filled with misinformation about a dog’s care, temperament, behavior and intelligence. Pet owners who act on this misinformation may not be meeting the needs of their dog.
To separate fact from fiction, the American Kennel Club clears up some well-known myths about dogs.
The truth: A wagging tail does not always mean the dog is happy. While a natural, midlevel wagging tail does indicate the dog is content, most other wags indicate the opposite.
A high, stiff wagging tail can be a sign of agitation in the dog, suggesting they are ready to protect something, while a low and quick wag may express the dog is scared and submissive.
The truth: This myth has been around for so long most people see it as a fact. Although dogs do age quicker than humans, the 7:1 ratio is not perfectly accurate.
Dogs age faster when they are younger, and then the aging process slows down as they get older.
The truth: The idea that a dog in good health should have a cold, wet nose is nothing more than another myth. The temperature of a dog’s nose does not represent health or sickness. Using a thermometer is the only way to accurately measure your dog’s temperature.
The truth: You can absolutely teach an older dog new tricks, like how to shake hands, speak or roll over. Keeping the training sessions short and fun while using plenty of positive reinforcement like treats and praise can help make the training process easier.
The truth: At one point in time, it was believed dogs could only see in black, white and shades of gray. This myth is still believed by many people today. Dogs have fewer color-sensitive cones in their eyes than humans do. However, it has been discovered that although it’s not in the same way as humans, dogs can in fact see color. They can see blue, green-ish yellow and yellow along with various shades of gray.
A study on service dogs’ impact on vets with PTSD finds those with the animals experience fewer suicidal ideas and more improvement to their symptoms.
Is your party dog-proofed? Here are some tips from the American Kennel Club for safely including your pet in holiday festivities.
The presence of pets makes people seem more trustworthy, research found. People are more likely to help a stranger with a pet than a person without one.
Scientists found that dogs that had been trained to detect COVID-19 could also identify long COVID patient samples with a "high sensitivity."
Dogs with noise phobias often act out in response to thunderstorms. Here are tips from the American Kennel Club to help your dog weather the storm.
Officials say an illness that sickened dogs, killing some, is canine parvovirus. It's a common illness, but affected dogs were not fully vaccinated.
There are many things you can do to help your pets when they’re sick.
Are our animal companions showing off when they share more than toys with us? And what should we do about it?
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