Dogs and puppies are considered descendants of wolves and there are numerous other interesting health facts about canines. Canines are different from cats or humans, so you need to know a few things to understand your pet better.
Dog Anatomy
All dog breeds have the same anatomy, having 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.
Other curious facts are that only dogs and humans have a prostate, while canines don’t have an appendix.
Heart Beat and Body Temperature
The heart beat of an adult dog is approximately 120 beats per minute, while the puppy’s heart can beat even faster.
The body temperature of a dog is 101.2 degrees.
Canine Lifespan
On average, dogs live around 15 years. The record is believed to be close to 30 years.
The first 2 years are considered to be the equivalent of 10 human years. Each year after that, counts as 4 human years.
Smaller Breeds Mature Faster
Smaller dog breeds are known to reach maturity at the age of 6 months, while larger dogs may become mature only at 12 or 18 months.
Female dogs are in heat twice per year and they only mate during these 2 heat periods.
Puppies Sleep Up to 90% of the Day
Puppies require a lot of sleep during the first 6 weeks, as they need to develop. Actually, puppies sleep around 80 or 90% of the time. As they grow older, the sleeping hours will decrease.
Obesity Is the Most Common Health Issue in Canines
Dogs may suffer from various infections and diseases, but the most common health issue is obesity. This may be due to an excess of food or inactivity. Obesity will lead to several other health problems such as a heart condition, arthritis or diabetes.
Dogs Are Colorblind
Puppies don’t see during the first few days of their lives, opening their eyes completely only when they are 12 days old. They will have completely developed vision after 1 month.
You should know that dogs perceive colors in a different manner. As a matter of fact, dogs are considered colorblind, as they don’t see as many colors as humans. However, dogs have a better low light vision than humans.
Dogs don’t rely on colors to identify objects. They identify objects judging by their smell, movement, lightness and contour.
Dog Sense of Smell
To compensate for the weaker vision, dogs have a more developed sense of smell, evaluated as being approximately 100,000 times stronger than the human sense of smell.
Dogs Sweat through Paws
Dogs don’t sweat like humans through the skin, but through their paws and by releasing heat through their tongue. Dogs cannot regulate their body temperature as quickly as humans, especially when it is extremely hot outside. For this reason, you will need to protect you pet from heat and never leave your pet out in the sun without offering shade or leave him in a car without air conditioning during summer.