The dog is man’s best friend and scientists claim that this alliance has existed for more than 15,000 years. Maybe that’s why we think we know a lot about them, but is it so? Today I’m going to teach you 5 things you didn’t know about dogs .
5. The Border Collie is the smartest dog
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According to a scientific study carried out in 2009 by Stanley Coren, a neuropsychologist and professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia, the intelligence of dogs can be perfectly compared to that of a 2-year-old child, since they are equivalent. In addition, the same study indicates that the Border Colli e breed has the most intelligent specimens of this species, with some that can even understand and interpret up to 200 different words.
The 5 smartest dog breeds are poodles, German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Dobermans. On the other hand, we have hunting dogs like bulldogs and small beagle -type dogs (Snoopy’s breed), which would be the least enlightened, the slowest little boys in the class. Dr. Coren explains that much of this has to do with the fact that in the past, dogs were domesticated and trained especially for hunting and war, but that more towards our days, they were trained for companionship and sociability, which it gives them the possibility to make their brains more sophisticated and developed.
4. They are the most diverse mammals in the world
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It is estimated that today, the world population of this fascinating subspecies of wolves exceeds 400 million and from a teacup-sized Chihuahua to a giant Great Dane or a beautiful Siberian, the variety of dog breeds is so wide and varied like that of no other mammal on Earth. That variety in fur, size, bone structure, and function is truly astounding, inspiring various investigations and theories.
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In 2010, the scientific journal The American Naturalist published a study in which it was argued that within the species there are so many differences between breeds that we could perfectly say, for example, that the skull of a Collie is as different from that of a Pekingese as that of a cat compared to that of a walrus. This great diversity makes dogs very useful in understanding more about how genes work .
3. They can smell and spread our diseases
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There have always been many myths about the abilities of our dear friends around their sense of smell and their ability to somehow realize that something is wrong with us. Today we know that many of those myths are true. If you were sick, had cancer, epilepsy or diabetes, your four-legged friend would be the first to know. Clear as? Although scientists don’t know the exact reason, they surmise that dogs’ sophisticated sense of smell is so highly developed that it can detect even the strange, faint scent given off by decaying cells, as well as changes and fluctuations in blood sugar.
The most incredible case is that of some dogs that have even been able to detect an epileptic seizure 45 minutes before it happens. All this was observed in a study developed by the American Association of Urology, together with a group of doctors and researchers at the Tenon Hospital, Paris. Where it was demonstrated how dogs were able to detect and react differently to cancer patientslung, breast, bladder and prostate, as well as diabetics with spikes in blood sugar and epileptics on the verge of a crisis. In addition to everything, it is also known that many of these diseases can and usually are transmitted to dogs: 6 million cases of cancer are diagnosed in dogs each year and only in the US. Many other diseases and disorders also seem to be shared by the owner and the pet.
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2. They feel envy, although they cannot feel guilt
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Envy and guilt sound like something too dirty if we talk about canines, it sounds too human, however, a study published 5 years ago by the journal Proceedings , of the National Academy of Sciences , pointed out that dogs can feel envy or something very similar. The study consisted of observing the behaviors of dogs while rewarding them for performing a trick well. Thus it was possible to register that the dogsThose who did not receive a reward were upset, agitated, scratched insistently and even seemed to avoid the gaze of those who had received a reward. Also, if they were alone, they did the trick more calmly than if they were in a group. Various theories were put forward in this regard, but the researchers settled for resolving that at least now we know that envy is not just a matter of primates.
But what dogs can’t feel is guilt, and when your furry friend looks at you with those puppy dog eyes as you scold him for tearing up the cushion or dumping the trash can for the fifteenth time in a row, there’s zero guilt, he’s just responding. to your reproach Unlike what happens with “envy”, which is rather related to competition and the natural instinct of the animal, guilt is a purely human invention, which has to do with consciousness, which also makes us seek or misinterpret the gestures of many other animal species, the same thing that creates the false myth of guilt in dogs .
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1. Our friendship is more intense than you think
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At the beginning we mentioned that the man and the dog had a strong friendship that dates back more than 15,000 years, estimated between 14,000 and up to 17,000 years. Throughout history, these beings have been considered sacred by various cultures, appearing in the folklore, legends and mythology of various ancient civilizations. For example, the embalmers of Ancient Egypt represented many of their gods with the head of dogs, in the mythology of Ancient Greece , the gatekeeper (a giant 3-headed dog) figures as the unsurpassed guardian of the underworld, in the folklore of the Empire MayaIt was believed that the dog was the sacred animal in charge of guiding the spirit towards the afterlife and among many others, in Nepal, until today a special day for dogs is celebrated, in which these sacred beings are honored with colored collars and huge plates of food .
Today, many of us consider them as a member of the family and it has been scientifically proven that dogs have real benefits in our lives . For example in health, knowing that those who have dogs at home have better health states, improving heart function, being of great help in socialization problems and of course, making all of us happier people .
Very interesting! Do not you believe it? What do you think about this list? What’s your opinion about it? Do you have dogs at home?