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Dogs may be able to fall in love with you -

A 2015 study at Azabu University in Japan found a spike in the level of oxytocin (known as "the love hormone") in both dogs and their owners when they stare at each other.

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Dogs have 18 muscles to move their ears -

These 18 muscles allow dogs to move their ears in intricate ways, which is important for picking up sounds. For reference, humans only have six. 

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Dogs aren't totally colorblind -

Dogs can't see the same colors that we do, but they are not colorblind. In fact, they have two color receptors, while humans have three. This means that they see everything in shades and combinations of blue and yellow.

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Dogs are as smart as a two-year-old child -

A 2009 study discovered that dogs are capable of learning the same amount of words and commands as a human toddler, specifically, a two-year-old child.

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Dogs sweat through their paws only -

Dogs only have sweat glands on their paws, and nowhere else on their bodies.

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Small dogs can hear sounds in higher ranges than big dogs -

According to Science Focus, that's because the smaller a mammal's head is, the higher frequencies it can pick up and compare in each ear.

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No two dog noses are alike -

It's widely believed that each dog's nose print contains specific patterns to identify them, similar to human fingerprints.

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Dogs don't feel guilt -

Don't trust those puppy dog eyes after they've broken something in the house! It's more likely that the behaviors that owners associate with a dog's guilt are their reaction to being scolded.

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Dogs mark their territory with glands in their paws -

With the glands on their paws, they spread their scent and let other dogs know they are around. These pheromones from their paws last longer than the scent of urine or feces. 

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Dogs drink with the back of their tongue -

Unlike humans, dogs don't have cheeks to create suction when they drink. Instead, they move their tongues quickly backward to build up momentum, which forces water up into their mouths.

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Dogs dream -

Dogs dream just like humans. They experience dreams and nightmares where they recall waking moments, often provoking body movements and sounds during sleep. 

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Male dogs lift their legs when they pee as a sign of dominance -

Dogs' urine contains markers that inform other dogs of its presence and sexual availability. Male dogs lift their legs as high as they can so they can send their message better and allow their scent to travel further.

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Dogs sneeze to show other dogs that they're not being aggressive -

Although they sneeze in reaction to dust or other allergens, dogs also use sneezes to communicate. It's also a way to show other dogs that they're not being aggressive or threatening when playing. 

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Dogs are more aggressive when being walked by a man -

According to a study from Applied Animal Behavior Science, dogs being walked by men are four times more likely to attack and bite another dog. The walker's "aggressive tendencies and/or impulsivity" may affect the dog's behavior.

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Dogs can be right-pawed or left-pawed -

Some of them are ambilateral, meaning that they don't favor either side, but some dogs have a dominant paw. 

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Whiskers help dogs see in the dark -

Dogs' whiskers are packed with nerves and send sensory messages to their brains. Whiskers help them move around and orient themselves in tight places, especially when visibility is low.

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Dogs have a great sense of smell -

Researchers have found that a dog's sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times more accurate than a human's. This mainly has to do with the number of scent receptors they have. For every scent receptor a human has, a dog has about 50.

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Dogs don't like hugs -

Sorry to break this to you, but animal psychologists say dogs can be stressed and unhappy when they are hugged. This is because they see humans thrown over them as a sign of dominance. 

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Storms can actually hurt dogs -

The sound frequencies produced during storms can actually be painful to your dogs' ears. Also, the static electricity that accumulates in their fur due to changes in pressure can be unpleasant.

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Dogs have three eyelids -

Two of their eyelids are visible and one is hidden. The third eyelid sits in the inner corner of a dog's eyes, and it has invisible tear glands.

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Dogs feel envy -

Dogs who feel envy tend to look away from the other dog, be less active, or even be aggressive. Some dogs may feel frustrated or sad when they're around other dogs who are getting more attention, food, or toys.

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Dogs can smell your feelings -

Studies have shown that dogs can detect both feelings of stress, fear, and sadness, as well as happier emotions from humans. 

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Dogs instinctively curl up in a ball when they sleep -

Curling up in a ball is a natural sleeping position for dogs that provides warmth, protection, and comfort. If a pup sprawls out to sleep, it means they're simply hot, or they feel very safe in their environment.

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Dogs can help their owners live longer -

This is because interacting with dogs can boost your production of oxytocin, serotonin, and dopamine. Also, having a dog can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, ease depression, and improve fitness. 

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Dogs can sense the Earth’s magnetic field -

Talk about a canine compass! In 2020, Czech researchers studied dogs that could find their way back from a hunting excursion using a shortcut. They found that the dogs were able to do this by aligning themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field, which works as a natural GPS for them.

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A dog's nose is wet to help absorb scent chemicals -

Wet noses help dogs regulate their body temperature and cool them down because they don't have normal sweat glands like us humans. 

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Smaller dogs live longer -

Smaller dogs tend to live longer than bigger adult dogs, and that's because larger dogs age faster. On average, large dogs live to be around seven years old, while smaller dogs often live ten to 14 years.

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DNA tests exist for more than 200 hereditary diseases in dogs -

Don't worry! A particular breed generally carries only one or two of these diseases. This can be taken into consideration when evaluating mating pairs. 

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Dogs are the most diverse mammals on Earth -

From tiny Chihuahuas to the mighty Great Danes, dogs come in a huge variety of sizes, coat types, coat colors, ear types, and behaviors. In fact, it's estimated that the world has over 1,000  dog breeds. 

Sources: (Reader's Digest) (BuzzFeed) (Best Life Online) 

See also: Mistakes dog owners make all the time

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