1.Just like us, dogs dream, and they possibly dream about doing dog-like things.
Animal Planet
Just like humans, a dog's sleep cycle has an REM phase, where most of our dreaming occurs.
Stanley Coren, author and professor of psychology, told Livescience, "What we've basically found is that dogs dream doggy things. So, pointers will point at dream birds, and Dobermans will chase dream burglars." ADORABLE.
2.Dogs can literally smell out certain human diseases.
NBC
The human nose has about 5 to 6 million olfactory receptors, compared to 220 million for a pooch.
A 2009 study, in which dogs tried to detect cancer by smelling breath samples of patients, had a success rate of around 90%. That's incredible to think about.
3.Here's what dog vision is like, compared to ours.
It was once believed that dogs could only see in black and white. But a recent studyshowed that while humans have three sets of color receptors or "cones" in their eyes, dogs only have two. This hampers their ability to distinguish between certain colors.
4.But also, dogs can see in the dark far better than humans.
While dogs have fewer cones in their eyes, they have more light-sensitive cells or "rods" towards the centre of the retina. A larger pupil also lets in more light.
Don't go by this GIF though. It must have been hella dark.
5.The Labrador is the most popular breed of dog, in terms of ownership.
According to the American Kennel Club, the Lab has been USA's most popular canine for a staggering 26 consecutive years. German Shepherds and Golden Retrievers come in and 2nd and 3rd, respectively.
6.A dog's noseprint is as unique as a human's fingerprint.
Kellyvandellen / Getty Images
It is widely believed that no two dogs have the same nose print, and the Canadian Kennel Club has been accepting nose prints as proof of identity since 1938 (for dogs only).
7.Dogs like rolling around in smelly things, because, to them, that shit smells ~divine~.
Not only do dogs have way more olfactory receptors than us, but they're probably designed differently as well.
This means they perceive smells differently, and might explain why it's a delight for your dog to roll around in his own doodoo, but not acceptable for you to do the same.
8.When dogs curl up in a ball to sleep, it's due to their instinct to protect themselves from predators.
Lisa Turay / Getty Images
Clinician Margaret Gruen says that a dog will curl up while sleeping if they're cold, but it may have something to do with instinct as well. "It also protects their most vulnerable organs in the abdomen from would-be predators,” she adds.
This means that if your dog is sprawled out on your floor, he's either feeling super hot, or super safe.
9.The Saluki, the oldest dog breed still existent today, has been hanging around humans since 329 B.C.
Foaloce / Getty Images
Some historians identify the Saluki as a distinct breed of dog as early as 329 B.C. in Egypt. For some perspective, that was around the same time when Alexander the Great invaded India.
That would make the Saluki breed well over 2,000 years old.
10.Some dogs, like the Newfoundland breed, have webbed feet.
Bill Chizek / Getty Images
Breeds that tend to do a lot of work in water, like the Newfoundland and the Portuguese Water Dog, have specially modified webbed feet to help them swim better
