Let's be honest, dogs are amazing. But how exactly do we qualify that unequivocal fact? Turns out, there's a ton of research that's been done on dogs, and specifically, how dogs interact with their humans. From their wolf roots to their effect on the human brain, here's a list 10 fun facts that you can point out to anyone who ever argues that cats are better.
1. It only takes 15-30 minutes with a sweet doggo to make you feel more calm and relaxed.
Taking time to play with a pup is known to boost your dopamine levels and serotonin, which are both associated with feelings of pleasure and tranquility.
2. Curling into a ball is both cute and practical.
If you see your dog curled up in a ball, you can thank their ancestors. This position is part of an ancient instinct to both stay warm as well as protect vital organs.
3. Have a long day at work planned? Leave a piece of you with your pup.
Your dog can smell you on your clothing using their super sniffers. To help them out with separation anxiety, experts recommend you leave them with a piece of your clothing to comfort them while you're gone for the day.
4. They have super strong sniffers.
Speaking of super sniffers! To quantify it, dogs' sense of smell is about 10,000 times stronger than ours is.
5. Vote for Duke!
If a big 'ol fluff can run for office, so can you! Duke, who's either a really big white dog or a rather small polar bear, was elected as the mayor of Cormorant, Minnesota.
6. They feel the green monster, too.
A study from the University of California has determined that dogs can, in fact, get jealous if they see their human expressing affection toward another human or animal.
7. Myth: Dogs can only see in black and white.
Wrong! In fact, dogs can see blue and yellow shades, as well.
8. Your buddy can tell you how you're feeling.
Service or companion dogs are there for a reason. A service dog can help those with seizure warning, smell your insulin levels, calm down kids with ADHD, and help humans with rheumatoid arthritis. They're basically magic.
9. They're great with directions.
For a great example, look at Orient. This German Shepherd led his human, Bill Irwin, through the 2,100 Appalachian trail. Irwin and Orient were the first team to take a blind man through the entire journey.
10. Dogs make better humans.
Patience, commitment, responsibility, empathy, selflessness: These are all things that dogs can teach us. We spend a lot of time thinking about how we can train dogs, but they do a fair amount of training, too. And they make us better for it.
