10 Most Googled Dog Questions: Answered
We’re always trying to look after our furry family members, which is why we are constantly on the web asking questions. We want to better understand what they do and why they do it. This year, you looked to Google for answers. Here are the top 10 most frequently asked questions about your dog:
10. WHY DO DOGS BURY BONES?
What is it that makes dogs want to instantly run out back and bury the $10 bone we just bought them from Petco? Come on! They’re not playing hide and seek with themselves or going on a treasure hunt. According to The Daily Puppy, this act of hiding bones in couches, yards or crates is a survival instinct. This instinct, adopted from their ancestors, allowed them to sustain themselves when prey was scarce.
9. HOW TO INTRODUCE DOGS?
The ASPCA breaks down a thorough step-by-step process to introducing your new dogs, but here is a summary:
- Leave your current dog at home when you go get new dog.
- Introduce them in a neutral territory – like a neighborhood walk.
- Don’t force interaction, give them time to get comfortable.
- Make sure you create a positive energy with a light-hearted tone of voice and encouraging words.
- Be conscious of their body language to read how they’re feeling about each other.
- Once they’re comfortable with each other and the shock has settled you can take them home.
- Be patient – the dogs will develop a relationship, but it can’t be rushed.
8. HOW TO STOP DOGS FROM DIGGING?
First, understand that there is a lot of advice on how to do this that’s unsafe for your pet (aka putting chili peppers in your garden). Second, your dog isn’t digging to see you throw a fit or to irritate you – they’re doing it for fun, an escape, comfort, protection or attention. According to the Humane Society, try offering your dog new entertainment in the form of walking them daily to tire them out, play fetch with them or take a training class together. What we consider most effective is getting your dog a Kong®-type toy filled with treats.
7. WHY ARE DOGS NOSES WET?
According to Dog Health, there is no one reason why dogs’ noses are wet. The most debated answers are A) Housekeeping: Dogs are constantly licking their noses to clean themselves from all the trouble they’re sticking their nose into. B) Cooling Off: Dogs dissipate body heat from their mouths via panting and their wet noses. Dogs have special mucus glands inside their nostrils to produce fluid that helps the cooling process move faster. Lastly, C) Scent Detection: It’s suggested that dogs’ noses are wet because it helps absorb water droplets that carry scent.
6. HOW TO CLEAN DOGS EARS?
Here are 6 ways to clean your dog’s precious ears according to Pet Guide:
- Don’t use Q-Tips! Like with people, this only packs more ear-garbage into the canal. Also, NEVER use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide – it’s irritating. If your dog yelps stop immediately because it’s likely due to an infection.
- Use lots of liquids. For example, fill your dog’s ear with cleaning solution until it overflows a little, then proceed to rub it in by massaging the dog’s folded over ear. Embrace the squishy sound and do it for 30 seconds.
- Post rubbing, take a tissue and wipe away ear residue. If you get a ton of ear gunk, then repeat step two.
- If your dog isn’t having it and won’t sit still, use a cotton ball to clean out the gunk. Do this by soaking it ear cleaning solution then tuck it into your dogs ear (don’t cram it in). Now repeat step 2 with the cotton ball for same results.
- The ear cleaning solution left over on your pup won’t do any harm.
- Make sure you give your dog lots of praise and encouragement because there is nothing fun about this for them.
5. WHY DO DOGS CHASE THEIR TAILS?
WebMD offers comfort to doggie parents by comparing a dog chasing their tail to a baby grabbing their toes. They’re simply exploring their bodies – nothing to worry about. If your dog is obsessive and does it all the time, then try distracting them. According to WedMD, if your dog would rather chase their tail than go outside and play you might want to consult your vet about training or medication.
4. WHY DO DOGS HAVE WHISKERS?
While cats need their whiskers to survive, dogs don’t – so why do they have them? Here is why a dog needs their whiskers- even if it’s not a survival tool. First, they use their whiskers to sense the air around them to determine which direction a scent is coming from. They also serve as a kind of night vision, acting as a radar in the dark to let them know where they are. Whiskers even help with balance, but trimming them shouldn’t have a large affect on this. Finally, the whiskers on their eyes are equivalent to human’s eyelashes.
3. WHY DO DOGS HOWL?
According to Pets4Homes, there is a wide variety of reasons why dogs howl. Howling, of course, if one of dogs many ways of communicating with people and each other. Dogs will howl when they are sick or injured to make their situation apparent – before moving forward make sure this isn’t the case with your pup. If your dog is howling because they’re lonely or anxious you might have a problem on your hands. Which, also applies to situations when your dog is howling for attention. Lastly, dogs will howl if they hear certain sounds that make them want to chime in! It’s always hilarious when dogs start singing along with the radio or with Uncle whoever.
2. DO DOGS DREAM?
If you’ve had your dog for a while then it’s likely you’ve seen them twitch and turn in their sleep, much like humans do when we’re dreaming. Pedigree reports that research shows that dogs do, in fact, experience dreams. Dog have similar sleeping patterns and brainwave activity as people. According to Pedigree, small dogs dream more than larger dogs. For example: a Toy Poodle dreams once every 10 minutes whereas a Golden Retriever only dreams once every 90 minutes. It’s likely dogs dream in a similar way to humans – but then again we can only speculate what exactly they dream about.
1. WHY DO DOGS EAT GRASS?
Google’s most asked question about dogs: Why do dogs eat grass? According toWebMD, there are tons of reasons why your dog could be eating grass. There is debate about dogs eating grass when they don’t feel well to make themselves vomit, but only 10% of dogs who were studied eating grass were actually sick beforehand. WebMD reports that dogs might eat grass to improve digestion, treat intestinal worms, or fulfill an unmet nutritional need (like fiber). Then of course there is boredom. Try getting your dog more exercise or switching up their food. The overall consensus though is that eating grass isn’t harmful – but make sure you don’t have any dangerous chemicals on your yard.
###
This post by Mac Leander originally appeared on Weekend Collective.