4 Common Dog Myths

Ever since civilisation began, dogs have served as loyal friends and companions to humans but over the years, some common dog myths have arisen. Humans have cultivated a very healthy relationship with dogs but some of these myths have confused some prospective and actual dog owners. Today, we will bust some common dog myths that are actually untrue.

Dogs Are Colorblind

Dogs are not colourblind. They have a healthy visual spectrum that is a bit restricted as compared to humans, but dogs are capable of seeing colours other than black, white and grey. Dog vision is more focused towards shades and saturations of blue, yellow and violet that gives them a better range of vision and greater visibility during the night compared to humans.

One Dog Year Equals to Seven Human Years

This myth is the product of a poor way of comparing the aging rate of dogs as compared to humans. In reality, the ageing of a dog depends on the type of breed and their relative health. According to most research, larger breeds age more quickly relative to smaller breeds and that some health conditions which are prevalent in specific dog breeds also leads to faster ageing. An easier alternative to measuring your dog’s age is to use human years.

Dogs Wag Their Tails When They Are Happy

Although there is some truth to this myth, it is not completely accurate. Dogs are capable of displaying and recognising a huge range of emotions. This leads to the expression of these emotions in various ways. One way for dogs to show emotion is by wagging their tails, but they do not do this just when they are happy. Dogs wag their tails for several reasons, such as being excited, intrigued, and happy, but also when they are agitated, tense, alert or trying to display territorial sentiments.

You Can’t Teach An Old Dog New Tricks

This incorrect association has arisen due to the saying that means people who are set in their habits find it difficult to change. Although this may be true for some humans, the saying does not apply to dogs in the literal sense. Young dogs have more energy and are easier to teach but this doesn’t mean that old dogs simply can’t learn anything. Contrary to this belief, older dogs have actually been observed passing on knowledge to their younger companions while also being able to learn new skills. It may take a bit more time and effort, but senior dogs are still ready to take on new knowledge.

We hope you have learnt something fun and interesting after reading about these 4 common dog myths. Share them with a fellow dog lover and they might learn something new.