COMMON MYTHS ABOUT DOG

#1 Dogs are Color Blind

The Myth: Dogs only see in black and white.

The Origin: The basis for this myth is not known.

The Truth: Dogs do see in color. However, they see differently than most people do and are less able to distinguish between colors. Veterinary ophthalmologists have determined that dogs see like people who have red/green color blindness. Dogs’ eyes have receptors for blue and green shades, but not for red shades. As a result, it appears that dogs cannot easily distinguish between yellow, green and red, but they can identify different shades of blue, purple and gray. Color is only one of many visual stimuli that dogs detect in their environment. Brightness, contrast, and especially motion, are extremely important to a dog’s interpretation of what it sees.

#2 If a dog’s nose is warm, it means its sick

The Myth: If a dog has a warm, dry nose, it is sick.

The Origin: There is no identifiable origin for this myth. People just seem to think that a dog with a warm and/or dry nose is sick, and that a dog with a cold wet nose is well.

The Truth: If a dog has a dry or warm nose, it means that he has a dry or warm nose. A dry nose or a mildly warm nose has nothing to do with the overall health of a dog.

#3 If a dog is wagging its tail, it is happy

The Myth: A wagging tail means a dog is happy.

The Origin: Most dogs do wag their tails when they are happy. As a result, people associate a wagging tail with a happy dog.

The Truth: In many cases, a dog that is wagging its tail is happy, or at least is expressing excitement or pleasure. Tail-wagging certainly does express a strong state of emotion, much like a smile does in people. However, just like a human smile, a dog’s wagging tail does not necessarily reflect happiness or something positive. Dogs frequently wag their tails when they are agitated, irritated, tense, anxious, annoyed, frightened, angry or aggressive. Interestingly, researchers have found that dogs do not normally wag their tails when they are alone, even if they apparently are happy or are in a pleasant situation. Tail-wagging seems to be a behavior that is reserved for times when the dog is in the company of others.

#4 A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s mouth

The Myth: A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a person’s mouth.

The Origin: Dog saliva was once believed to be antiseptic, and some people still believe it has healing properties. The basis for this belief is not known.

The Truth: A dog’s mouth is not “cleaner” than a person’s mouth. Dog saliva can be toxic to some bacteria, but it carries its own population of bacteria and other infectious organisms. That population is just different from the assortment of bacteria and other “germs” in the human mouth, based largely upon differences in diet. There is a reason for the term, “dog breath.” People with weakened immune systems and young children probably should not have direct contact with dog or cat saliva.

#5 One year of a dog’s life is equal to 7 years of a human’s life

The Myth: Dogs age 7 years for every one human year.

The Origin: The basis for this myth remains a mystery. It probably comes from simple math: an average life span for dogs is 10 to 12 years, and multiplying this by seven equals 70 to 74 years, roughly the average life span for people today.

The Truth: Contrary to popular belief, there is no exact formula to gauge how much a dog develops or ages in comparison to so-called “people years.” Aging is as individual for dogs as it is for people. Taking a dog’s age and multiplying it by 7 is an overly simplistic formula and does not reflect a dog’s actual developmental status. A more accurate rough guide is as follows:

Dog:	Human
1 Year	15 Years
2 Years	24 Years
4 Years	32 Years
7 Years	45 Years
10 Years	56 Years
15 Years	76 Years
20 Years	98 Years

Of course, there is a distinct difference in aging between small dogs and giant breed dogs. Large dogs have a significantly shorter life span than do small dogs. Their development in the early years is about the same as other breeds; however, large and giant breed dogs developmentally are much older than smaller breeds in their later years, starting at about 7 years of age.

#6 You can’t teach an old dog new tricks

The Myth: Old dogs cannot learn new tricks.

The Origin: This myth probably started with someone who wasn’t able to get his older dog to sit, roll over, come or stay. It is one of the most common (albeit false) clichés about domestic dogs.

The Truth: You can teach an old dog new tricks. Dogs can learn new tricks, skills and commands within their physical capabilities until the day they pass away. What’s more, they usually want to learn. Their minds need stimulation, just like ours. With patience, kindness, persistence and consistency, owners can teach their older dogs all sorts of new tricks, such as sit, bark when the doorbell rings, fetch, lie down, roll over, play dead and shake or “high five.” As long as a dog is bright, alert, responsive and healthy, there is no reason that he cannot keep learning new things throughout his life.

#7 Dogs eat grass to throw up

The Myth: Dogs eat grass when they need to vomit.

The Origin: This myth originates from people observing their dogs eating grass and then vomiting.

The Truth: There actually appear to be two distinct types of grass-eating behavior in domestic dogs. Some dogs graze casually, taking only a few nibbles of grass at a time, while others chow down on grass vigorously and with a purpose. Dogs who wolf down their grass tend to vomit it (and other stomach contents) within a matter of minutes. Dogs that graze slowly usually do not throw up. So, eating grass does not necessarily mean that a dog has an upset stomach.

Source: http://www.petwave.com