Canine house owners know what it’s prefer to be always bombarded with recommendation, ideas, and tales from fellow pet mother and father.
A few of these items of knowledge are useful, whereas others have been handed down by means of generations however have little reality to them.
Over time, I’ve heard numerous myths about canine—some that even I believed till I dug deeper.
Understanding what’s true and what’s merely misinformation could make all of the distinction in how we take care of our canine.
On this article, I’ll debunk 10 widespread myths about canine that it is best to cease believing proper now.
1. A Wagging Tail All the time Means a Completely happy Canine
One of the widespread myths is {that a} canine’s wagging tail all the time means they’re glad. Whereas a wagging tail can point out pleasure or happiness, it’s not all the time the case.
Canine use their tails to speak quite a lot of feelings, together with anxiousness, worry, and even aggression.
The place and pace of the wag additionally matter—a low, gradual wag might imply the canine is uncertain or uncomfortable, whereas a excessive, quick wag may sign pleasure.
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2. Canine Solely See in Black and White
Many individuals consider that canine can solely see in shades of black and white, however this can be a fantasy.
Whereas canine don’t see colour in the identical approach people do, they will understand sure colours.
Their imaginative and prescient is just like somebody who’s colorblind—they see the world primarily in shades of blue and yellow.
I used to suppose my canine noticed all the things in grayscale, however after studying extra about canine imaginative and prescient, I spotted that their world isn’t as uninteresting as we as soon as thought.
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3. You Can’t Educate an Previous Canine New Methods
The saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” has been round for ages, nevertheless it’s fully unfaithful.
Canine of any age can be taught new behaviors and instructions. The truth is, older canine can typically be simpler to coach than puppies as a result of they’ve higher focus and are much less distracted by all the things round them.
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4. One Canine 12 months Equals Seven Human Years
The “one dog year equals seven human years” method is overly simplistic and doesn’t precisely replicate the best way canine age.
Canine mature a lot quicker throughout their first few years of life, and the growing older course of varies relying on their breed and measurement.
Bigger canine are likely to age quicker than smaller canine, that means a Nice Dane will attain senior standing a lot prior to a Chihuahua.
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5. Canine Shouldn’t Sleep in Your Mattress
There’s lengthy been a debate about whether or not canine ought to sleep of their proprietor’s mattress. Some consider that permitting a canine to sleep with you’ll make them overly dependent or result in behavioral issues.
Nonetheless, research have proven that letting your canine sleep in your mattress can really strengthen the bond between you and supply consolation to each the canine and the proprietor.
For years, I resisted letting my canine sleep within the mattress, pondering it could create unhealthy habits. However as soon as I allowed it, I discovered that we each slept higher, and it didn’t have an effect on her independence within the least.
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6. Canine Will Let You Know When They’re in Ache
We like to suppose that our canine will all the time inform us once they’re in ache, however the actuality is that canine are masters at hiding discomfort.
Within the wild, displaying indicators of weak point might make them weak, and this intuition nonetheless exists in domesticated canine.
Refined indicators like limping, decreased urge for food, or adjustments in conduct stands out as the solely clues that one thing is mistaken.
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7. Canine Solely Want Train If They’re Younger or Lively
It’s simple to imagine that older canine don’t want as a lot train as youthful, extra energetic pups, however this can be a fantasy.
All canine, no matter age, want common bodily exercise to take care of their well being and well-being. After all, the depth and period of train might range relying in your canine’s age, breed, and bodily situation, however each canine wants some type of every day exercise.
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8. Canine Really feel Responsible When They’ve Completed One thing Incorrect
Many canine house owners consider their canine feels responsible once they come dwelling to search out chewed-up sneakers or a torn-up sofa.
We frequently interpret their “guilty look”—ears again, lowered head, and pet eyes—as an act of contrition. Nonetheless, research present that canine don’t really really feel guilt the best way we do.
What we interpret as guilt is probably going only a response to our indignant tone or physique language.
I used to suppose my canine felt unhealthy once I scolded her for digging within the yard, however in actuality, she was simply responding to my disapproving voice.
Canine stay within the second, and whereas they will definitely be taught from our reactions, they don’t dwell on previous errors the best way people do.
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9. Canine Eat Grass As a result of They’re Sick
It’s a typical perception that canine solely eat grass once they’re feeling sick or have an upset abdomen.
Whereas it’s true that some canine might eat grass after which vomit, most canine eat grass just because they prefer it. Grass can provide some roughage and should even style good to them.
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10. A Dry Nostril Means Your Canine Is Sick
A standard false impression is {that a} dry nostril is a certain signal that your canine is unwell. Whereas a dry nostril can generally point out dehydration or fever, it’s not all the time the case. Canine’ noses might be moist or dry at completely different instances all through the day relying on the atmosphere, exercise stage, and even the time of day.
I’ve observed my canine’s nostril fluctuate between moist and dry, generally throughout the identical hour, and he or she’s been completely wholesome.
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Ultimate Ideas
As a lot as we love our canine, we owe it to them to separate truth from fiction in the case of their care.
These myths, whereas widespread, can generally lead us to make selections that aren’t in the most effective curiosity of our pets.
By debunking these widespread misconceptions, you’ll be able to turn out to be extra knowledgeable and supply the very best care in your canine.
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Amanda created and owns The Discerning Cat. A lifelong cat lover she is the proud guardian of two Siberian cats, Alexei and Vladimir. She is enthusiastic about understanding cats and completely different cat breeds.
