The “smell” center of a dog’s brain is 40 times larger than yours,

 Dogs can smell thousands of times better than humans. Their noses have millions more scent receptors—for example, a human nose averages five million, while a Dachshund’s nose has 125 million—making dogs useful for sniffing out drugs, dead bodies, bed bugs, explosives, and other things dogs can smell that humans can’t.

 Their ears are pretty impressive too

Dogs’ sense of smell might be pretty amazing, but don’t forget about their hearing! Everything from the positioning of their ears to the muscles in them helps dogs pick up a whole host of sounds that humans can’t hear. In fact, the most popular explanation for why dogs tilt their heads is that they’re trying to locate the source of a sound.

 But their sense of taste is much less developed

Dogs have approximately one sixth of the taste buds humans have (1,700 to humans’ approximately 9,000). This is why dogs will scarf rotting food scraps (or grass) as voraciously as they’ll eat a bowl of kibble or a hunk of steak. Their less discriminatory sense of taste also has to do with their evolutionary instincts, carried over from when they would scavenge in the wild.

 No two dog noses are the same

 A dog’s nose is the equivalent of a human fingerprint, with each having a unique pattern of ridges and creases. Also find out the reason dogs’ noses are always wet.

 Dogs dream like people

 If you’ve ever noticed your pooch twitching in her sleep, this probably means she’s dreaming. Researchers found that dogs have similar sleep patterns and brain activity as humans, and that small breeds tend to dream more than large ones. Psychology Today suggests they’re probably imagining familiar activities like playing outside or chasing their tail. Learn more dog facts about dog dreams with these things you can learn just from your pup’s sleeping position.

 Dogs are as smart as a two-year-old child

 According to canine researcher and author Stanley Coren, your toddler and pup are about on par when it comes to brains. He also explained that man’s best friend can count, understand more than 150 words, and even trick people or other dogs to get treats. Intelligence also varies based on breed—Border collies are the smartest dog breed.

 Dogs only mate twice a year

 Unspayed females only go into heat twice a year, so dog breeders need to plan carefully. Find out some more things your veterinarian won’t tell you.

 Tail wagging has its own language

 If your dog excitedly wags its tail, it means it’s happy to see you, right? Not necessarily. According to Discovery.com, dogs wag their tails to the right when they’re happy and to the left when they’re frightened. Wagging low means they’re insecure, and rapid tail wagging accompanied by tense muscles or dilated pupils can signal aggression.

 Puppies are born blind and deaf

 Newborn dogs are still developing, according to Psychology Today, so their ear canals and eyes are still closed. Most puppies open their eyes and respond to noises after about two weeks.

 Dogs have a “sixth sense”

 In a 2010 poll, 67 percent of pet owners reported their pets acting strangely right before a storm, and 43 percent said their pets behaved oddly right before something bad happened. The top clues? Whining, erratic behavior, or trying to hide in a safe place. There are even reports that dogs can sense illnesses, like cancer. Check out more superpowers that all dogs have.

 Dogs only have sweat glands in their paws

 Even though they sweat out through the pads of their paws, their main form of cooling down is panting. So these long-haired dogs are definitely feeling toasty.

 Your dog’s feet might smell like corn

 Some pet owners might notice the faint scent of corn chips or popcorn lingering around their dog. This is called “Frito feet,” and it happens when sweat and bacteria build up in the paws.

 “Dog breath” is actually unhealthy

 You might expect your dog’s mouth to smell like, well, dog. But persistent bad breath can actually be a sign of dental disease or other health problems. If you don’t already, have your dog’s teeth examined by a veterinarian every year. Watch out for other common signs that your dog is sick.

 It’s not abnormal for dogs to eat feces

 It’s no secret: Dogs often eat their own feces (and other fecal matter too). But though it might be gross, the ASPCA says it’s perfectly normal, stemming from their pre-domestication days thousands of years ago. The behavior is more common in puppies, while older dogs usually grow out of it, although some still do it into adulthood.

 Dogs’ pooping has a pattern

 Ever wonder why dogs like to twirl around before they do their business? Well, it’s one of the many dog behaviors that perplex researchers, but the prevailing theory is that it has to do with the Earth’s magnetic field. Dogs like to poop facing north or south, and spinning around helps them correctly orient their internal compass.

 Dogs get jealous

 “You’re not imagining it if you think your dog is acting jealous when you give other dogs attention,” says Nikki Nasser, Resident Pet Expert at Chewy. “It might not be exactly how we experience jealousy, but research has shown that it’s similar to how an infant might get jealous.” That certainly tracks with dogs’ intelligence being on par with that of a toddler. This dog jealousy is something dog groomers experience when they come home to their own dogs—and it’s one of the things pet groomers wish you knew.

 Don’t get so touchy-feely

 Of course, you love your good boy or girl so much. But they actually don’t love it when you give them big bear hugs. “The way people show love is not the same way a dog shows love or wants to receive love,” says Russell Hartstein, CEO of the Los Angeles puppy training company Fun Paw Care. “In fact, it can be very stressful.” He says that dogs can adapt and become comfortable with their loved ones hugging them, but you should still be careful about giving hugs to a dog you don’t know well, and about letting strangers hug yours. You might be surprised to learn some other things you do that your dog actually hates.

 Dogs aren’t actually color-blind

 This is one of the most common dog “facts” that are actually false. Despite a prevailing myth that dogs can only see in black and white, your pooch actually can see a spectrum of color. While they do have trouble distinguishing between different shades of green and red, which will mostly just appear as grays and browns, blue and yellow tones are relatively clear to dogs.

 Dogs hating mailmen is nothing personal

 Dogs are a protective species, and they understandably see a person coming near their house and placing unfamiliar objects in a box as a potential threat. And it’s often made worse, not better, by the fact that the mail carrier comes repeatedly—dogs figure out approximately when the mail carrier arrives and then get riled up and antsy beforehand.

 To save your mail carrier from undue canine aggression, experts recommend being friendly to him, around your dog, so that your dog can see that you trust him. You can also let your mail carrier know what your dog’s name is so that he can properly address your dog.

 Your dog responds to your tone

 Don’t forget that dogs don’t experience the full breadth of emotions humans do, so if you’re trying to train or admonish your dog, taking an angry tone and a very loud voice might just make him skittish. According to Hart stein, “your prosodic of speech, tone, rhythm, [and the] pitch of your voice are far more important” than what you’re actually saying. That’s also a big part of the reason dogs respond positively to that high-pitched cute-pet speak. You should also ignore these common dog training myths.

 A dog’s yawn is not quite the same as a human’s yawn

 When your dog lets out a big yawn, you probably just assume it means what it does when we yawn—that he’s sleepy. And it certainly can be a sign of tiredness, but dogs yawn for other reasons as well. Dogs yawn to calm themselves down, so repeated yawns could be a sign that your pup is feeling anxious or stressed out. It’s similar to the way a cat’s purr can mean lots of different things, so assessing the context of the situation can usually help you figure out what’s going on.

 Dogs don’t actually have it out for cats

 Media portrayals of these furry frenemies would have you believe that chasing cats is hardwired in dogs’ DNA. But it’s not specific to cats; dogs’ evolutionary hunting instincts are the reason they chase after anything small and speedy, whether it’s their favorite ball or little Tiger. And dogs and cats can actually get along great, even in the same household, depending on the animals themselves and whether you introduce them the right way.

 Dogs heat up more quickly than humans

 Dogs’ normal body temperature is slightly higher than that of humans (it hovers at around 101.5 degrees F), which means that hotter temperatures can affect them more. This is why you need to take care while walking your dog on a hot day.

 Also, don’t forget about the pavement if you’re taking your dog for a walk—the ground heats up fast in the sun and can be painful on dogs’ unprotected feet. Not to mention, dogs have that thick layer of fur, so a day that may not seem overwhelmingly hot to you can be a scorcher for your dog. That’s why you need to be especially careful of these warning signs of heatstroke in dogs.

 Sticking out your hand isn’t the best way to introduce yourself to a new dog

 This is another of the fun facts about dogs that aren’t quite true. You probably grew up believing that the old “hold out your hand to an unfamiliar dog and let it smell you” advice was gospel. And it can work, but you have to be careful how you do it.

 Just shoving your hand toward a strange dog’s face can scare or alienate her. You’re better off letting the dog approach you first and then offering your hand to the dog to smell, rather than assuming she wants to and waving your hand under her nose. And approach the dog from the side, rather than from straight on, if you must approach it yourself.

 “Dog years” vary a lot, based on breed

 Nope, every dog year does not automatically equal seven human years, as one of the most well-known fun facts about dogs would have you believe. The saying—which does have some factual merit—came from observations that “average,” medium-sized dogs tended to live around one-seventh as long as their owners.

 However, dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and what’s “average” for a Great Dane is very different from what’s “average” for a Chihuahua. Paying attention to the “life stages” of dogs, and how they correspond to each breed, will give you a much better picture of how “old” your dog actually is than equating one human year to seven dog years.

 Trying to be “dominant” over your dog is not the best approach

 Despite enjoying considerable popularity for many years, the “dominance” theory of dog training is finally seeing the truth come out. “You should never try to dominate your dog,” Hartstein insists. The idea that you need to show your dog “whose alpha,” with methods such as eating before your dog, making sure you’re always in a higher position than them, or punitive behavior, is outdated and ineffective.

 Of course, you need to set a routine and make sure your dog understands rules and boundaries, but avoid traditional advice about displays of dominance.

 Dogs sniff butts to learn about each other

 If the dog facts about dog kisses haven’t convinced you that dogs and humans use different forms of communication, the fact that butt-sniffing is a common dog greeting surely will. A dog’s unique smell is secreted in its glands, and yes, those scent glands are located in their backsides.

A dog’s rear end is home to glands that produce pheromones, which contain information about everything from the dog to its health and diet. Thanks to dogs’ incredible sense of smell, they can learn all sorts of information about one another just from the nuances of the odor. So the butt-sniff is basically a dog’s way of getting a first impression.

 Petting dogs can lower your blood pressure

 You can find all sorts of research and fun facts about dogs and the health benefits of having one. And this factoid is true: Petting a puppy can cause your blood pressure to drop around 10 percent. And according to the American Kennel Club, the blood pressure of the dog being petted drops as well.

 Dogs have three eyelids

 Ready for more weird anatomy-related fun facts about dogs? Dogs have three eyelids in each eye! In addition to a top and bottom lid, they have a “nictitating membrane” in the corner of their eye, primarily for removing dust and mucus from the cornea. And cats actually have it too. You might see it when your pet wakes up suddenly, as the membrane is shut when your pet sleeps.

 Beatles song has a frequency only dogs can hear

 We all know from earlier in this article that dogs can hear many sounds that humans can’t, and The Beatles used that to their advantage in their hit song “A Day in the Life.” In an interview, Paul McCartney claimed that at the end of the song, a frequency was added that only dogs can hear.

Play the song and watch your pup toward the end, then remember that music is just as beneficial to dogs as it is to humans, and can even help with a dog’s anxiety.

 Dogs have a sense of time

 Dogs can tell the difference between one hour and six hours. With enough conditioning and training, your dog will be able to forecast their daily activities such as walks and meals, as long as they occur around the same time each day.

 Three dogs survived the Titanic

 In 1912, three dogs survived the historic sinking of the Titanic. All three—two Pomeranians and a Pekingese—were traveling in first-class, and according to historian J. Joseph Edgette, they most likely survived due to their size and not at the expense of any human passengers.

 The oldest dog lived to be 29

 Recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest dog ever was an Australian Cattle Dog named Bluey. He lived to be 29 years and 5 months old, from the years 1910 to 1939. Bluey lived in Victoria, Australia, with his owner Les Hall and worked among Hall’s sheep and cattle.

 Chocolate can be fatal for dogs

 It’s pretty common knowledge that dogs can’t eat chocolate, but have you ever wondered why? Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine, which dogs are unable to digest. Consumption of chocolate could create a brutally toxic buildup in their system that could ultimately be deadly. So keep your pup out of the pantry! See what other foods you should never feed your pet.

 Dogs sleep curled up because of instinct

 Dogs don’t curl up in a ball when they sleep just for cuteness points. They essentially curl up due to a biological instinct to protect their vital organs and keep themselves warm.

 Dogs can learn more than 1,000 words

 Dogs have an amazing sense of vocabulary, with the ability to learn more than 1,000 words! For example, a Border Collie named Chaser knows both nouns and verbs and can understand them enough to shape an action. Research on the subject is in full swing, with programs dedicated to dog psychology at universities including Duke University, Yale University, and Barnard College.

 The world’s oldest dog breed is a Saluki

 The Saluki served as the hunting hound of kings for thousands of years. They are a slim breed, but incredibly strong with impeccable balance. This breed is very independent but will always remain loyal to their family.

 The best time to bring a puppy home is between 7–8 weeks

 Many veterinarians and breeders agree that between 7–8 weeks is the most ideal time to bring a puppy home for the first time. The largest factor in this decision is the puppy’s socialization period, which usually occurs during weeks 6–12. This period of time is when the puppy is learning the norms of everyday life. It’s best for dogs to enter their new home during this time, so they can adapt to their new environment.

 Your dog stares for a reason

 If you’ve ever wondered why your dog stares at you, you’re not alone, but the answer is a wholesome one. Your dog is only trying to figure out exactly what you want from it in order to make you happy. It’s looking for a connection and a reaction. It’s also possible that your pup just loves you and wants to look at you.