What Dogs Know
So you think you know your dog very well, do you? You may be surprised to learn what your dog knows about you. Your dog knows you better than you know him and even better than you know yourself.
I recently had surgery, one with a long and difficult recovery. I have been so frustrated with how long that it is taking to get back to my normal routine, back to my life. But, it also gave me the idea to write a post about what dogs know.
But there are three things that I have been able to count on through this whole process. Chico, Pebbles, and Remedy Jane.
The first few weeks, while I was completely laid up, they were right by my side. The only time they left me was to eat or to go potty.
Even though most of us have had this happen to us, whether we were injured, ill, or even very sad, not everyone knows about the reason for it. Yes, I know, it’s because they love us, but that is not the only reason! It is astonishing what dogs know.
What dogs know:
- Your dog knows when you are injured or ill. I put this at the top of my list, because of what I have just recently experienced with my dogs. Actually, dogs can smell it. Every day, each of my dogs, (not at the same time) would smell all over where my incision was. They would take their time doing it. Top, bottom, both sides, all over. A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 stronger than ours. In fact, even experts are astonished at their precise odor discriminations.
- Your dog knows if you like someone or not. When you have negative feelings about someone, they sense your breathing pattern change, your body stiffens. They even smell subtle pheromones that your body emits.
- He knows where you’ve been. Did you know that everywhere you go, you pick up organic compounds from everything that you touch or even walk by? For instance, if you go to the grocery store (or supermarket, if you prefer) they know if you visit the meat counter, the fish counter, they know what food you bought and even the people you stood by at the check out counter. Astonishing!
- He knows when you are coming home or when it’s time to eat. No, he can’t tell time…he knows your schedule and when you are due home every day. Not only that, but he knows the sound of your particular car and he will listen for it. As for knowing when it’s time to eat, again it’s your routine that he knows. Chico has a little “it’s time to eat dance”. See the video below.
- Your dog knows when you are going on a trip. He knows all the signs, the suitcases, or the way you lay your clothes out on the bed when deciding what to take. Chihuahuas will start to shake and/or pant because their anxiety level has gone up.
- Your dog knows that he can usually get what he wants by looking at you lovingly with those puppy dog eyes. How? Researchers say that when you look at your baby, and you lock eyes, your brain releases the hormone, oxytocin. Oh yeah, they know!
There are many more things that they know about you, these are just a few.
