Today, July 21st, World Dog Day is celebrated. This anniversary, created in 2004, celebrates the existence of one of humankind's best friends and aims to raise awareness about an increasingly common problem: according to the World Health Organization, 70% of dogs worldwide do not have a home.
Today, in addition to encouraging you to adopt and give your furry friend lots of cuddles, we're sharing 5 curiosities about this animal that we think you won't know:
1. The Importance of Their Whiskers
Did you know they have them because they send information to their brain and because they are emotional expressions? Whiskers are shaped by rubbing against things, and this action is detected by mechanoreceptors, which send the information through nerve impulses to the neurons of the central nervous system. This allows them to know if there are objects nearby – in case of darkness or if they have vision problems – and gives them clues about their shape, temperature, and texture.
In addition, whiskers can bristle with certain emotions, such as fear. Thanks to these little hairs, we can better understand our companions and try to comprehend what is happening to them without needing to speak.
2. We Can Measure Their Intelligence
And the fact is, whether one animal is smarter than another is not measured by how well-behaved they are and how much attention they pay to their family, but rather by the skills they have developed to survive.
Dog intelligence specifically is composed of five cognitive aspects that go beyond the ease of learning, and they are: empathy, communication, memory, the ability to reason, and cunning.
3. The Brains of Modern Dogs are Much Larger Than 150 Years Ago
A study published in Evolution concludes that modern dogs, which have been bred in the last 150 years, have larger brains compared to their body size than ancient canines.
Although numerous studies had indicated that the domestication of some wild animals, such as dogs, might have influenced the reduction of their skull size, this latest research suggests that in the last century, their cognitive function has subtly increased, most likely due to the progress and complexity of the new society. "Different breeds of dogs live in different levels of social complexity and perform complicated tasks, which likely require greater brain capacity," explains Niclas Kolm, an evolutionary biologist at Stockholm University and one of the authors of the study.
4. It's True, Your Dog Understands You
It's not your imagination influenced by the love you feel for them: dogs are capable of identifying the generosity or selfishness, nervousness, abilities, and understanding attitudes of humans.
5. They Can Be Left-Paw or Right-Paw Dominant, Just Like Us
Although dogs adapt to the handling tendencies of their guide, they are born being right-pawed or left-pawed. You can discover this to respect the use of one side of their body, as it could improve their quality of life and increase their well-being. How can you find out?
Observe these actions:
