PETS

Some Quick Facts About Dogs You Probably Didn’t Know

How much do you really know about your furry friend?

You know NOTHING about me. (Photo by Bev Potter)

Dogs aren’t really that complicated. They need food and shelter (num-nums and a blankie), encouragement (“Ooh, big stretch!”), and love, just like all other mammals (and maybe reptiles, if you listen to people on TikTok).

But they don’t come with an owner’s manual.

People think they know everything about their dogs, but do they really? You can own dogs your entire life and never know some of the following tidbits that surprised me.

Dogs have a poor sense of taste

And I don’t mean they wear stripes and plaids together, or they’re trotting around playing Backstreet Boys at top volume when they’re clearly over a certain age.

According to the American Kennel Club, dogs have fewer taste buds than we do: approximately 1,700 versus our 9,000.

That’s a big difference. Dogs also have taste buds in the back of their throat (weirdos), and they have taste buds that are specifically aimed at tasting water. These are (much like when I’m trying to think of an actor’s name) on the tips of their tongues.