5 dog myths debunked by scientists

Dogs have lived with us for tens of thousands of years. And all the more surprising how many myths exist around these animals. However, fortunately, science does not stand still, and over the past couple of decades we have learned more about dogs than in previous millennia. So, what myths about dogs have been debunked by scientists?

There are certainly more than five of these myths, but we will start with the top five.

1. There are hypoallergenic dog breeds. However, this is a myth, and dangerous for the health of the person who believes in it. There are no officially recognized lists of dogs that do not cause allergies.

Sometimes you may read in the media that rough-haired dogs (which do not naturally shed) or hairless ones do not cause allergies. And if the allergy is exclusively to wool, then such dogs can really become an outlet for an allergic person. But allergies happen not only to wool, but also to dog secretions (including saliva), particles of the epidermis in the dust, and the like. And in this case, it does not matter what type of coat your dog has.

So if you’re allergic, don’t read the lists of hypoallergenic breeds. It is much wiser to seek the advice of a specialist to determine what exactly you are allergic to.

2. One year of a dog’s life is equal to seven years of a human’s life.

It is still unclear where this myth came from. But around the 50s of the 20th century, information appeared that, since the average life expectancy of a person is about 70 years, and dogs – about 10 years, it is logical to equate one year of a dog’s life to seven years of a human.

But scientists immediately questioned such a formula. So, A. Lebo came to the conclusion that in the first year of life a dog, as it were, “lives” 15–20 human years, in the second year it reaches a “human age” of 24 years, and then 1 year can be equated to 4 human years.

But now scientists have adopted a different approach as the norm. Which takes into account the size and breed of the dog. After all, the average life expectancy, depending on these components, can be different: both 9 years and 16. And 7 years of a dog is not equal to 7 years of a miniature pinscher.

Therefore, scientists divided dogs into 4 groups according to size:

•       Small (up to 10 kg).
•       Medium (10 – 25 kg).
•       Large (25 – 45 kg).
•       Giant (more than 45 kg).

Representatives of each group grow up at their own pace, so their relationship with the age of a person is different.

3. Adult dogs are not trained.

Of course, this is not true. Dogs learn all their lives, and even in extreme old age, it is necessary to deal with a pet in order to prevent the development of senile dementia or to make life easier for a four-legged friend if dementia does happen. Yes, dogs of different ages learn differently, but to say that it makes no sense to train an adult dog is fundamentally wrong.

4. A dog wags its tail when it’s happy.

This is a dangerous myth that can cost dearly to those who believe in it. We have already discussed this issue in detail in a separate article. Here we only recall that tail wagging is not a sign of joy, but of excitement. Which can indicate a variety of emotions. Including the readiness to show aggression.

5. A dog needs to give birth for health.

Another dangerous delusion, which we also discussed earlier in a separate article. Pregnancy and childbirth are a huge burden on a dog’s body. Plus, the risks of complications are added at any stage. And the puppies still need to be fed. As a result, the dog’s body is depleted, and diseases can appear that would not normally appear. And no one has canceled the problem of the existence of a huge number of useless dogs.