Happy February! For this month’s blog post we decided to do a little sleuthing to uncover the truth behind 5 common dog myths. Have you always heard that you can calculate how old your dog is in human years by multiplying their age by 7? Or, that if a dog is wagging their tail that can only mean they’re happy? If you have, you’re not alone! Read on to learn something new and discover the truth behind these 5 commonly mistaken dog myths:
1. Myth: Dogs age every 7 years for one human year.
Truth: Dogs actually mature at a much faster rate than this, especially when they are puppies. A dog’s aging patterns also vary based on their breed, size, and weight.
2. Myth: Dogs can’t see color.
Truth: While it is true that dogs cannot see in the full color spectrum that humans do, they are able to see colors on the blue and yellow color spectrums but not the red and green ones. Therefore, as opposed to seeing in no color at all, dogs see most similarly to a human with red-green color blindness.
3. Myth: A dry nose means a dog is sick.
Truth: The moistness of a dog’s nose actually provides no indication of their health. The most accurate way to tell if your dog is sick or running a fever is to simply take their temperature (100-105.2 degrees Fahrenheit is the healthy range for a dog). Two more common reasons that your dog’s nose could be dry are allergies and/or sunburn.
4. Myth: A wagging tail means a dog is happy.
Truth: YES, it is true that happy dogs wag their tails, but a dog may still wag their tail even if they are feeling fearful, agitated, or aggressive. Therefore, focus on a dog’s entire body language as opposed to just their tail movements to fully evaluate how they are feeling.
5. Myth: Dog mouths are sterile and cleaner than human mouths.
Truth: No, no, and… no! Foremost, dogs’ mouths go a lot of places and not all of these places are clean. Dogs also have an equal number of bacteria in their mouths as humans do, just different strands and varieties. Therefore, proper dental hygiene is just as important for your furry friend as it is for you.
