Dog Myths

by Deborah Wainwright

If we had a dollar for every dog myth we heard from family and friends, we’d be millionaires! While some dog myths are silly and amusing, others can be quite dangerous for your dog’s health – so it’s important to get our facts straight.

To help you do just that, we’ve put together this list of the 30 dog myths that we all need to stop believing. Scroll down to read it all – and perhaps also keep a count of the ones you used to believe as well! Ready? let’s go!

1. A Dog's Mouth Is Naturally Very Clean

A lot of people tend to think that their dog's mouth is very clean. This myth has been around for a long, long time and is widely believed. So much so, that several people allow their dogs to lick and kiss their infant babies on the mouth as well.

Well, we hate to break it to you, but a dog's mouth is usually teeming with several different types of bacteria and germs. Considering that dogs lick several different surfaces and even sometimes end up eating their own poop, this myth shouldn't have persisted by now.

While most of these germs may not directly harm healthy adults, they could infect those with low immunity such as babies and immuno-compromised people.

2. Some Dog Breeds Are Naturally More Aggressive Than Others

Another big myth that's been doing the rounds for ages. Most people tend to think that dog breeds can be neatly categorized as 'aggressive', 'affectionate' etc. This is not true! If a dog behaves aggressively, then it definitely has to do with the way they have been badly trained (or untrained), rather than the aggression being hereditary.

Similarly, if you train your dog well & know how to handle their behavior, they will not be aggressive. Such myths can be extremely dangerous to the safety of dogs, as we've seen incidents where so-called aggressive dog breeds have been attacked or fatally shot by people who misunderstood them.

In fact, a lot of dogs that behave aggressively do so because they might be feeling scared or threatened in a situation. It could also be a result of anxiety.

3. Dogs Inform Their Owners When They're Sick

Several dog parents tend to believe that their dog is only seriously hurt or unwell only if they're crying out loud in pain or coming up to them to indicate the situation. Nope! This couldn't be farther from the truth.

Most dog species have evolved to instinctively hide their pain to protect themselves from other predators. So it's quite possible that your dog could be seriously injured or sick, without them explicitly bringing it to your attention.

For example, if you see your dog limping or behaving strangely, don't wait for them to make it more obvious. Take them to a vet to have the issue looked at before it gets worse.

4. All Dogs Are Colorblind

There are different variations of this myth - while some people think that all dogs are colorblind, some others believe that dogs can only see the world in black and white.

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