Dogs have been accompanying humans for thousands of years, playing various roles throughout human history, whether as a shepherd, a caretaker or simply a faithful companion . But, as always happens when there is contact, certain myths and misconceptions arise , which are usually due to ignorance . How much do we know or have we learned about dogs throughout this long relationship?

Not everything traditionally said about dogs is true. There are many myths surrounding the world of dogs: that they see in black and white, that 1 human year is equivalent to 7 dog years, that they eat grass to purge themselves, and so on. Does any of this sound familiar to you? How many things like that have you heard about dogs and thought they were true? How much truth is there in all of this? Frenchiemania to the rescue! Today we are going to tell you which myths about dogs you should start to change.

Myths and misconceptions surrounding dogs

1. For 1 human year is 7 dog years

False! It is true that dogs become adults and age faster than humans , but it is a very difficult calculation to manage . Not all dogs develop the same or live the same number of years, exactly like humans. In fact, despite what it may seem, small dog breeds live many more years than large dog breeds . The best thing is to accept that we are different and stop calculating so much.

2. A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s

False! This is what people who love to receive kisses and licks from their dogs preach . The truth is that your beloved animal’s mouth can be full of bacteria , as much or more than yours! In fact, we are going to ask a question: What is so nice about your dog licking your face knowing that he uses his tongue to wash certain “intimate parts” of his body ? It is best not to play with luck, since, depending on what he licked before, it can cause you a serious problem. However, you already know that it is important to keep your dog’s mouth clean so that he has healthy teeth with dental hygiene products for dogs .

3. You can completely prevent fleas on your dog with garlic

False! Garlic does not completely prevent fleas , but also because it can be very harmful to your dog (in case you don’t know the foods they should not eat ). So, my dear friend, it is better that you take your dog to the vet to get a flea repellent or get him checked out before giving him something that can make things much more complicated. And always have a dog dewormer on hand to avoid fleas, ticks or other parasites. Save the garlic cloves to cook something delicious to eat.

4. Dogs only see in black and white

False! Don’t feel sorry for your pet for missing out on a world of colour . It’s a popular belief that is quite deep-rooted, but the truth is that dogs can see colours , although not in the same way that we can. Dogs can distinguish completely different colours like blue and yellow, but not similar ones like red and pink. In fact, if for us the most important sense is sight, for dogs it is smell. Vision is less important for them, but they enjoy good eyesight in general.

5. Puppies are healthier than pedigree dogs

False! This is a mistake, as there is nothing to indicate which animal may be healthier than another . Don’t you know of any well-bred dog that lives longer or is in better health than a mutt? What is true is that certain breeds with pedigree are more vulnerable than others without pedigree, as they tend to have genetic diseases , although this does not mean that a dog without a pedigree cannot become ill.

6. Females must have a litter before being spayed

False! Female dogs do not need to have puppies before being spayed. It does not improve their health and they will not feel “ fulfilled as mothers even once ”. What is true is that spaying them as soon as possible prevents serious problems . In this regard, almost 6 out of 10 unspayed female dogs can suffer psychological pregnancies . Psychological pregnancy in dogs is not a disease, but rather a hormonal imbalance that many females go through after going into heat.

7. Dogs eat grass to purge themselves

False! Dogs can eat grass or “pica” for many different reasons. There are dogs that eat grass or lawn every day and that does not mean that they are sick or feel bad every day . In reality, dogs eat grass for several reasons and one of the main ones is because it is part of their diet . Without a doubt, it is advisable that in very exaggerated cases, a veterinarian be consulted to rule out feeding or behavioural problems.

8. Dog saliva is healing

False! Licking may be pleasant or comforting for dogs, but that doesn’t mean they do it because their saliva is healing . Many problems can be hidden behind this behavior. Licking a wound can cause problems with healing and even lead to infection . There are many cases where the wound gets worse from too much licking and a bandage is needed to stop them from licking it.

9. A dry nose means the dog is sick

False! How many of us, if we see our pet looking down and not hungry, look at its nose to see if it is wet or dry ? You will probably say “I do.” Well, dear friend, let us tell you that the popular belief that says that when your dog’s nose is dry it means it has a fever is a lie. The truth is that a wet nose is not a good indicator of illness in a dog .

Your dog may have a dry nose and still be healthy, or a wet nose and still be sick. If you have any doubts that your dog may be sick, it’s best to take him to the vet .

10. Only the male lifts his leg to urinate

False! Female dogs (especially dominant ones) will lift their paw to urinate on other dogs or objects. This can happen even if they are spayed , so don’t be surprised if your dog starts lifting his paw when he goes to pee, it’s natural and doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with him.

11. If the dog wags its tail, it means it is happy

False! Now that there are many more studies on canine behavior , it is known that a dog’s tail is one of the most important means of communication that a dog has to be able to socialize with other dogs . A wagging tail means that the dog is happy or sometimes it can be a sign of fear, anxiety or another potential precursor to aggression.

12. Dogs love to be hugged

False! Dogs actually hate being hugged . What you see as a loving gesture is an intrusion into their personal space . It also makes them feel restrained and blocked, with no way to escape, which makes them feel stressed and uncomfortable . What starts out as a very human thing can end up with a bark or even a bite, depending on your relationship with the dog.

13. Dogs don’t sweat

False! Most of us think that dogs don’t sweat , but they do . Apart from expelling heat through their mouth , dogs sweat partly through the pads of their paws . You can check this out for yourself the next time you see your dog feeling hot. This is why many dog ​​paws smell salty or have a very strong odor.

14. Dogs don’t understand humans

False! Although a dog is not able to form sentences, they are capable of recognizing about 165 words and associating sounds with things . For example, the sound of plastic and food or that if our tone of voice is deeper it means we are angry and they understand that they have done something wrong.

15. All white dogs are deaf

False! This is not true, as a white dog does not necessarily mean that it is deaf. What happens is that among the various causes that can cause deafness (such as serious infections, or simply advanced age) there is one that is hereditary . White dogs with blue eyes are more prone to hereditary deafness, but in reality, although it is less likely, it can happen to any dog, regardless of its colour.

16. The dog jumps on me because he is dominant

False! Despite popular belief, dogs do not spend their time trying to control humans . If a dog jumps on you, it is simply because he has not learned that this is not acceptable behavior. Therefore, try to educate him and teach him what is right and what is wrong .

17. Dogs don’t need to be bathed often

False! Not as much as we do, that’s true, but they have to do it. In fact, bathing a dog every day would be bad for its skin . Dogs should not be bathed very often, but regularly . Each dog will have a different need for bathing, affecting the frequency: it depends on its coat, its environment, its lifestyle and so on.

18. Big dogs are more aggressive than small ones

False! Generally speaking, canine aggression is more about nurture than nature. Any dog ​​can be aggressive in response to its environment. The reason many people assume that large breeds of dogs are more aggressive than small breeds is strictly due to their size . Compared to small breeds, large dogs are taller (especially when standing on their hind legs), their snouts and teeth are larger, their barks sound more fearsome, and their bodies are more powerful.

The reason we hear that big dogs are more aggressive is because they do more damage when they bite , not because they bite more often than their smaller counterparts. It’s similar to a plane crash—it doesn’t happen that often, but it gets media attention when it does.

19. Dogs hate cats

False! Or perhaps we should say it depends . Yes, here we have to leave the answer in suspense since the reality will depend on each dog and each cat . Those of us who have lived with both animals know that dogs and cats do not hate each other by instinct , that is totally false. But there are dogs that do not accept a cat nearby as the myths about dogs say and, it also happens, cats that just seeing a dog start attacking.

Dogs and cats that live together from birth generally have a good relationship, although we must not forget that each animal has its own character.

Myths busted! Get to know your pet better
It is not only the tail that must be taken into account to sense the dog’s mood, but also the hair, ears, eyes and mouth, as well as its body language.

There are so many things said about dogs that are not true! Your turn! What do you think about the myths and misconceptions about dogs ? Do you have anything to add? Let us know by leaving a comment below. We will be happy to answer it and clarify any doubts or questions. If you found this article useful, do not hesitate to share it on your social networks.