Call us the mythbusters. You won’t believe that you’ve gone your whole life trusting these dog myths! Whether they have been passed down through generations or are just misinformation, dog myths can affect how we care for our pups. Here are the 7 most common misconceptions about our furry friends:
Dogs are Colorblind
According to the American Kennel Club, dogs can see some color. In fact, their vision is more similar to a person with red-green color blindness. Their spectrum is limited compared to human color vision, but it’s certainly more than just black and white!
One Dog Year is 7 Human Years
Dogs obviously age much faster than humans, but this random formula is not precise and can’t be applied to every dog. What truly affects your dog’s age in human years is his size, breed and genetic makeup. Fun fact: this myth has been around since the thirteenth century!
A Dry Nose Means a Dog is Sick
It’s often believed that a healthy dog has a cold, wet nose. However, warm or dry noses are completely normal for dogs and shouldn’t be taken as a sign you should worry about your pet’s health. Dry air, allergies, or even taking a nap can affect the wetness of your dogs’ nose. Nothing to worry about! However, if you notice your pet’s nose is cracking or running, contact your vet.
A Dog’s Mouth is Cleaner than a Human’s
Okay, this one is just a no. Who made this up and why? A dog’s mouth is full of bacteria. Dogs explore their world with their mouths and noses, and because of that, there’s no telling what’s been in your pet’s mouth that very day. Luckily, germs in their mouth are usually specific to dogs so don’t worry about getting sick due to the occasional lick.
A Wagging Tail Means a Dog is Happy
A lot of the time when your dog wags its tail it means they are happy and excited to see you. But, a wagging tail can represent much more. It can also be a sign of anxiety, frustration, or nervousness. Look at a dog’s overall body language before approaching them to determine how they are feeling.
You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks
Not true! Don’t give up on your older dog! While there is some truth to dogs needing to be socialized from an early age to help prevent behavior problems as they age, it doesn’t mean your older dog can’t still learn. Dogs don’t need to be young to learn new tricks.
Dogs Eat Grass When They are Sick
It’s true that dogs sometimes eat grass when they are nauseous, but there are many other more common reasons that dogs do this. Dogs will eat grass because of boredom, displacement behaviors, opportunity, and simply because they think it’s fun. And as long as there are no chemicals in the grass, it’s not harmful to their health either!