Amanda Teixeira
Even real dog connoisseurs often still believe in these myths, although they have long since been refuted. Here are the things you should never believe about dogs, even though many believe them to be true.
Protection of puppies, pork, a bad conscience – all these topics are hotly debated among dog owners. Unfortunately, supposed facts still persist. That’s why we clarify the biggest myths about dogs.
All dogs have puppy protection
It is often said that an adult dog will tolerate and be less hostile to any puppy. However, this is wrong, the puppy protection does not exist in dogs.
A very limited protection of puppies could be demonstrated in wolves. Puppies from your own pack that are younger than eight weeks enjoy increased tolerance from older animals. That means the adult wolves are more likely to let them get away with wild behavior and biting. Important: This limited pup protection does not exist for foreign wolf puppies.
This can be applied to dogs. So be careful: bitches in particular often react hostilely to strange puppies. As the owner, you are responsible for protecting a puppy from strange, older conspecifics.
Dogs take care of everything themselves
When two dogs who can’t stand each other meet, they don’t just have to go through this awkward confrontation. It is your responsibility as the owner to protect your dog from a serious altercation. Because a violent conflict between dogs can certainly lead to dangerous bite injuries.
It is best to avoid such uncomfortable situations. Pay attention to the dog’s body language when walking your dog. If he lets you know that he doesn’t want contact, you should avoid the other dog. Cross the street or go down a different path. Your dog doesn’t have to want all contact with other dogs, so don’t force it.
A dog on the couch has no respect
Many believe that if a dog is allowed on the couch, it loses respect for its owner. That’s wrong. Whether your dog respects you depends on entirely different factors. If you give him security, train him consistently and lovingly at the same time, this is a good basis for your dog to take you seriously and trust you.
Of course you can decide for yourself whether your dog is allowed on the sofa or not. Ideally, your dog will know that he needs your permission to hop on the couch.
Dogs have a conscience
A study by Alexandra Horowitz of Barnard College showed that dogs probably don’t have a guilty conscience. The animals sense the annoyance of the owner and accordingly behave submissively when they have done something wrong. We often misinterpret this behavior as a guilty conscience.
According to researchers, dogs are not capable of feeling guilt. But the animals know a lot of other emotions.
Old dogs don’t learn anything anymore
Dogs are lifelong learners. Although they learn particularly quickly when they are puppies, you can still teach an old dog new tricks. However, since the elderly animals need a little more time, you should be more patient when training.
Dogs should never eat pork
Your dog can eat pork, but never raw. This is due to the so-called Aujeszky virus: It triggers an always fatal infection that is accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. Pork should therefore always be fully cooked through before offering it to the dog. The heat renders the virus harmless.
Tail wagging always means joy
If the dog wags its tail, it primarily means one thing: excitement. Whether this is positive or negative depends on the weaving direction. An Italian study showed that tail wagging more to the left indicates negative feelings. If the dog wags more to the right, it is really happy.
There are some myths that continue to circulate even among experienced dog owners. It is important that you know which facts about dogs are really true and which ones you shouldn’t believe.