Myths About Dogs: What's True And What's False?
Certain myths about dogs are still held to be true by many people around the world, and some of these myths have endured for a very long time. What's true and what's false?
There are countless ideas and opinions regarding dog care, education, and training. Many of these turn out to be mere myths, passed down orally from one dog owner to another. By following these fake principles you only compromise your relationship with your dog.
Take note of these myths and avoid them as much as possible to better take care of your furry friend.
True Or False? The Widespread Myths About Dogs
1. Happy Dogs Wag Their Tails
This statement contains a grain of truth, but keep in mind that aggressive dogs often wag their tails too. There are certain body movements and signs that help dogs communicate their intentions.
A tail-wagging from side to side can mean either excitement or delight. A dog that swings its tail slowly and moves its entire hindquarters or crouches to the ground is one with friendly intentions.
Tails wagged and carried high, tails wagged or wagged over the back may be associated with aggressive outbursts.
2. An Old Dog Can't Be Taught New Tricks
False! With perseverance, patience, and a lot of tact, any dog at any stage of life can be trained and educated.
Even if the senior is no longer as playful as a puppy, he can still be trained some simple commands and tricks, taught house rules, where and when to relieve himself, how to walk on a leash, or how to socialize with people or other dogs.
Dogs of all ages love to work with their owner, especially if they are treated with calm, petting, and some delicious food.
3. Dogs And Cats Can't Live In The Same House, They Hate Each Other From Birth
False! There are many dogs and cats that live together without problems. Besides, no species is born hating another species.
The dog chases the cat because the cat runs away, out of the same instinct that makes it chase a ball, and the cat runs away from the dog because it sees the difference in strength and doesn't want to risk a confrontation.
4. Barking Dogs Don't Bite
False! Sometimes things are quite the opposite. Barking can be a warning from the dog to scare you off if he feels threatened.
5. Dogs Like Tasty Food
Dogs have very few taste buds, and they feed primarily on smells.
6. Dogs Can't Distinguish Colors
False! Dogs can see many colors, but not as many as a human can. They distinguish colors in a completely different way from humans, with vets comparing this to the way a color-blind person perceives colors.
7. Dogs Should Chew Bones
A common mistake is to give your dog bones, and even worse if the bone replaces a meal. Even though dogs' teeth are stronger than humans', they still melt over time and can even break if the food is very solid.
If you do choose to give your puppy chew bones, however, be careful never to give them to him cooked. Because of the heat, the chemical and physical properties of the bone change, so they become impossible to digest effectively. Boiled bone chips remain in the dog's digestive system and can cause organ damage.
Another solution is to give your puppy rubber toys or artificial bones, specially designed for them, to chew on.
8. You Shouldn't Disturb A Dog When He Eats
If it's not your dog, then don't! But if it's yours, then you need to teach it to accept you around when it eats.
9. Brushing Is Good For The Dog's Coat
Partially true. Brushing keeps the coat clean and stimulates blood circulation, but overdoing it (brushing too hard, too often) can severely damage the structure of the skin and hair.
10. If Your Dog's Nose Is Cold And Wet, It Means He's Healthy
Not necessarily true. A dog can have a cold nose, for example, because of the cold air outside.
11. Dogs Are Sick If Their Noses Are Hot And Dry
The temperature of a dog's nose is not an indication of health or illness. The claim that wet noses indicate good health and hot or dry noses indicate fever or illness is nothing more than a myth.
The only correct and accurate way to take a dog's body temperature is with a thermometer, and a normal temperature is between 38-39 degrees Celsius.
12. Dogs Eat Grass When They Are Sick
Not necessarily! Some dogs eat grass if they have a stomach problem to vomit. Other dogs eat grass for other purposes, either to get their owners' attention, because it has become a habit or to get rid of an unpleasant smell in their mouth.
13. Dogs Eat Rocks, Lick Walls, And Consume Other Animals' Feces Due To Nutritional Imbalances
No one knows exactly why dogs eat "stuff" they shouldn't normally eat. Veterinarians believe that some dogs who eat such "things" are trying to get attention or are acting out of boredom.
It is very important that our animals have a balanced diet that meets their nutritional and dietary needs and they will need plenty of opportunities to play and exercise to prevent boredom.
14. Puppies Can't Be Trained Until After 6 Months
False! Many adult dog behavior problems start in infancy. If only a little work had been done with them back then, there would be no need to do 10 times as much work now (maybe it's even too late to do anything now).
It is true that while a puppy, the dog has a hard time concentrating on one thing, quickly loses interest, and cannot be corrected, but it can be worked with.
On the other hand, no matter how good the training you do, the dog's character will only become definite after he matures, at which point you may discover behaviors you don't want (he may become aggressive with strangers who enter the yard alone, and you may not want that). This is not, however, a good reason not to train your dog until then.
15. Shelter Dogs Are More Difficult To Train
Nothing could be further from the truth! There are plenty of intelligent, gentle, and affectionate dogs in the shelter or on the street. Each canine has its own temperament and will therefore find it harder or easier to adapt to a family.
Usually, homeless or abandoned dogs are more eager for love than purebreds, more humble, and more grateful for the chance at life.
Whatever their age, they can be taught how to behave in the family or society and trained to do all sorts of things. In addition, they can be the offspring of breeds that have proven over the years to have extraordinary intelligence.
16. Dogs Should Give Birth To A Litter Of Puppies Before Being Neutered
This is also not true! Dogs that have been bred before being neutered are no happier or healthier than others. In fact, neutered bitches have a lower risk of developing mammary cancer or uterine infections.
17. A Neutered Dog Gets Fat And Lazy
Lack of exercise and overeating makes your dog fat and drains energy. A neutered dog is less likely to bite or run away from home, more likely to get along with other dogs, more content with his life, and more defended from some cancers.
18. If He Pees In The House, Stick His Nose In The Urine
Many dogs or cat owners, out of a desire to teach their pets that they are not allowed to pee whenever and wherever they feel the need, are in the habit of shoving dirt up to their noses.
Experts believe this approach is completely wrong. The dog will only understand that he has to fear you. Instead of learning that he can only "go to the toilet" outside, he will avoid doing his business in your presence, often preferring to look for hidden corners in the house.
A much healthier and more rewarding approach is when your pet does exactly as you have trained him. To do this, take him out of the house only on a leash and reward him when appropriate with "something good", a toy, or even some playtime.
19. Does A Pit Bull Lock Their Jaw When Biting?
Canine medicine specialists say there is no such thing. They add that the force of the bite is proportional to the size of the jaws and jaw muscles.
In other words, there is no anatomical mechanism that triggers jaw locking in pit bulls during a bite, only the steel strength of the muscles and the pressure exerted by it at that moment.
20. The Brain Of Dobermans Grows And, At 7 Years Old, Their Skulls Become Too Small, So They Go Crazy (sometimes they kill you in your sleep)
Absolutely false! Probably originally designed to scare some naughty child, the myth has no basis whatsoever.
Although the disease exists, it is much more common in small, small-headed dogs. Even in those cases, dogs don't "go crazy", they don't bite, but they suffer.
21. Burning On The Muzzle Immunizes The Dog Against Chiggers
How untrue! One of the most barbaric myths still believed by some people in the world, especially as a form of disease prevention. The only effect is the pain of the moment, trombiculiasis (also known as chiggers) cannot be eliminated, slowed down, or prevented in any way by this method.
Prevention of the disease is done by annual vaccination of the dog.
22. A Dog's Mouth Is Cleaner Than A Human's
Only partly true. Although dog saliva has antiseptic properties and helps heal wounds by destroying certain bacteria that affect us, it also contains other bacteria, different from our own, that can make people with weakened immune systems sick.
23. Your Dog Should Stay Outside
How untrue! Dogs are social beings, they want to be around their owner and that's it.
It doesn't really matter to them whether they stay outside or inside, as long as they are with you.
Whether you live in a studio apartment or a mansion the size of a stadium, they will still sit at your feet.
These were 23 of the most common myths about dogs. Now that you know what is true and what is false regarding your furry friends, you are now more informed about how to avoid certain widespread mistakes when taking care of them.
