10 Lies You've Been Told About Your Dog You Need To Know

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10 Lies You've Been Told About Your Dog You Need To Know

Having a dog around just makes any day better. They are just the best little buddies anyone could ask for. But what do you really know about them? You probably think you know quite a lot, but turns out, a many facts you thought you knew are not actually true!

These 10 lies are about to be exposed! Get ready to learn the truth about your canine companions.

1. Dogs are color-blind

This is not entirely true. While dogs can't see ALL the colors we can, they aren't seeing the world in black and white. They aren't able to see greens, oranges or reds, but they can see blues and yellows  no problem!

2. Wagging tail means a happy dog

Turns out it isn't as simple as waggy tail = happy dog. Their tail is their way to communicate so it could actually mean a lot of different things. You have to take the wag in context with their entire posture. For example a dog who has their tail held low and wagging slowly could mean they are frightened about going to run.

3. Bigger dogs live longer

Unfortunately this is not true. Smaller dogs typically live significantly longer than larger dogs.

4. Dogs eat grass when they don't feel well

Sometimes they might not be feeling well so they will eat grass to help them purge whatever is hurting their tummies, but there are a lot of other reasons they might be doing it. They could be craving nutrients they are lacking in their diet, they could be trying to taste who else has been on their territory or they could even just like the taste. Some people love salad, why shouldn't dogs?

5. You can't teach an old dog new tricks

Of course you can! It just takes a little bit of patience but your dog can learn something new at any age. Remember when you tried to teach Grandma about Facebook? It took a few tries but now she (almost) totally gets it. Be patient and consistent and your dog will figure it out.

6. Dog breath is supposed to be bad

I mean, it doesn't need to minty fresh, but if it is really potent than it is probably an indication of something more, whether a dental issue or infection.

7. A dog is only healthy when they have a cold wet nose

Really the temperature of their nose doesn't necessarily represent their health. It has to do more with the environment and their genetic makeup. The best way to tell if your dog is sick is to keep an eye on their eating and drinking habits. If something changes drastically then you should get medical attention for them.

8. You should wake your dog up when they have nightmares

Dogs experience the same REM sleep that we do. That is a brain is storing memories in it's deepest sleep. Dogs who whimper and whine while they are sleeping are dreaming, but we don't really know what they are dreaming about. It could actually be more stressful to wake the dog than it is to let it sleep because it actually needs to REM sleep hours just as much as you do.

9. Dogs can't see TVs

People think that dogs can't see the TV but they definitely can. I know my dog watches TV all the time. It helps now that TVs have a faster frame rate so it doesn't look as strange as it used to.

10. All dogs love hugs

This one is the most painful of all. Of course we all want to snuggle our little buddies but not all dogs love it as much as we do. To us, it feels like an act of love, but to dogs it is an act of dominance which might make them feel anxious. Luckily, this isn't true or all dogs. Many dogs don't have a problem with hugs, but just keep an eye on their posture and body language when you go to give them a hug to make sure they are okay.

Share with the dog lovers in your life!