20 Facts About Dogs That Will Blow You Away

Dogs are man's best friend (sorry cats)! These amazing, fluffy, wet-nosed creatures make up part of the canine family (Canis lupus familiaris). I love dogs, and I bet you do, too; otherwise, you wouldn't be reading this right now. The truth is, we don't know everything about dogs. There's still a lot to learn about them.

And today, I'm going to share some interesting facts about dogs that will make you woo! So read below for 20 fun facts about dogs you won't miss!

1. Dogs may sense Earth's magnetic field

When a dog defecates, it adjusts its body to align with the Earth's magnetic field (north-south direction). Likewise, when a dog urinates, it points its body away from the sun to protect its testicles from direct sunlight. Dogs aren't the only animals that can sense magnetic fields. Bats use them for navigation. But many animals have adapted in different ways. Crabs, fish, and sea turtles mostly have aligned themselves with the Earth's magnetic field in order to use their senses to detect where the sun is moving in relation to the environment.

2. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell

Did you know a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 times better than ours? It's true! In fact, dogs can smell the equivalent of a teaspoon of sugar in an Olympic swimming pool. They can also sniff out cancer, detect if someone has diabetes (or epilepsy), and even sniff out certain types of explosives. They really are amazing animals, aren't they?

3. Dog urine is corrosive

If you've ever stepped in dog pee, you know it's downright irritating. Not only does it smell, but the chemicals from the urine can actually eat away at small amounts of concrete and stone, like stucco. Although this may just sound like something that happens somewhere in uncommon places to an uncommon number of people, an Australian study found that most homeowners are not aware that their houseplants could be damaged by dog pee. This goes to show how damaging dog urine in the outdoors can be without it being a noticeable problem to the majority of people affected by it.

4. Dogs are a direct descendent of the gray wolf, Canis lupus

Your dog has an ancestor that was not a dog. Actually, the ancestor of the dog was a weasel-like animal that lived 40 million years ago. Wolves, raccoons, and bears also evolved from this animal. It's also true that domestication is far more complicated than people think.

Even though every dog looks pretty unique, it turns out that each dog's DNA is 99 percent identical to that of a gray wolf. That makes sense because dogs aren't actually the direct descendants of gray wolves; they're descended from gray wolves and then bred by humans.

5. The first feeling that dogs know how to experience is stroking

It has been scientifically proven that dogs feel emotions. Stroking is an awesome thing. We may need confirmation about the feeling that dogs experience. The stroking will make your dog happy, and he will run after you for more when you stop and enjoy the moments with happiness. Why does not try it?

6. Dogs have around 18 muscles in EACH ear

A dog's ears are controlled by 18 muscles and the two ears can perform different movements independently. The functionality of a dog's ear is highly dependent upon the position in which they stand or move to, which is because they're attached to individual bones. This is why dogs are believed to have more acute hearing than a human.

7. Wet noses are one of the dog's scents receptors

Dogs' noses are amazing things. While for us humans, a nose is mainly about breathing and smelling bad smells, for dogs, it's also a tool for absorbing scents.

A recently published study showed that dogs' wet noses could help them sniff out disease. A wet nose is beneficial to dogs because it helps them maintain homeostasis, find food, and smell their surroundings.

8. Marking its territory

Don't think that they are civic-minded and burying their own poop. The reason why dogs do this is to use the scent glands on their paws to occupy the land and alert others that this is 'their space.'

9. Small dogs have a better sense of hearing than big ones

Did you know that small dogs hear more sounds than larger dogs? As you might expect, larger dogs don't hear as well or hear certain sound frequencies as well. For example, a German Shepherd has smaller ear canals than a Chihuahua, making the smaller dog more sensitive to sounds. Smaller dogs make up for their lack of size with an oversized olfactory system! This is why your 4-pound dog seems to detect every little thing that goes on.

10. Dog's Version of the Fingerprint

Have you ever seen a dog and thought that his nose looked very familiar? Have you often noticed that all dogs have those triangle-shaped lines on their nose? These are actually the fingerprints of a dog, and there is a very practical use for them.

11. Dogs have 13 blood types

More than a dozen blood types have been identified in dogs. Eight types are recognized as international standards, and sera produced by canine alloimmunization exist for six of those types: 1.1, 1.2, 3, 4, 5, and 7. Naturally occurring antibodies are found against DEA 3, 5, and 7.

12. Beagles are the noisiest dogs

Have you ever lived with beagles? They're one of the noisiest dog breeds, but that's what I love about them. They have bark for every occasion. One minute they'll be telling you off, and the other, they'll be talking to you as if you were an old friend. So even though beagles are renowned for their noise, this can work in your favor if you're looking for a watchdog for your home.

13. Three Dogs Survived the Titanic

It was a tragic, historic day. The mighty ship known as Titanic sank on its maiden voyage in the North Atlantic Ocean on April 15, 1912, and took 1,503 lives with it. Three small dogs, two Pomeranians, and a Pekingese survived the Titanic disaster cradled in their owners' arms as they climbed into lifeboats.

14. Basenji, the nickname the 'barkless dog'

The Basenji is known as the "barkless dog" because of its unusual larynx, which makes it virtually impossible for them to bark. However, these dogs communicate in other ways—namely, by yodeling. "These sounds are affectionately referred to as the 'basenji yodel."

15. Dalmatians are pure white at birth

Dalmatians are pure white at birth and, like every other dog breed, come in different colors as they mature. The Dalmatian will have up to 120 spots on its body.

16. Long-nosed dogs are more likely to live in the heat than short-nosed breeds

Although the relationship between dog nose length and temperature control had been believed to be only a legend for quite some time, new research has discovered that dogs with longer snouts actually have a better ability to keep their body temperature under control. This is why short-nosed dogs such as Pugs and Bulldogs are liable to suffer heat stroke on hot days.

RELATED: Long-nosed vs. Short-nosed dog breeds — Which one is better?

17. Dogs are actually color-blind but not totally color blind

The question of whether a dog is color blind has been hotly debated for years. There have been many theories and ideas…some of which have been accepted as fact while others have proven to be false.

Dogs are actually somewhat color blind — they only have two types of cones instead of the three we have, which means they see the world in black, white, and shades of grey (instead of the full spectrum)!

18. Bluey lived 29 years, 5 months and is the oldest dog ever verified

The longest-lived dog in the Guinness Book of World Records is an Australian Cattle dog named Bluey, who lived a total of 29 years and 5 months (equivalent to 206 years in human age).

19. Guinness World Record for the smallest dog is a Chihuahua named Milly

Miracle Milly (born December 2011), according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the world's smallest dog by height. She weighs approximately 1 pound (half a kilogram). On 21 February 2013, her height was measured and found to be 9.65 cm (3.8 in).

20. The maximum sentence for beating your dog is longer than the max sentence for beating your wife

In South Carolina, the maximum sentence for beating a dog is longer than the maximum sentence for beating a wife. While southern belle roots make me believe that this seems totally appropriate and just, it's still shocking and appalling that we give higher sentences for animal cruelty than there are for husband abuse.