Dogs 101

Things you (probably) didn’t know about dogs

Remember Butkus, the large dog who starred as Rocky’s pet in the movie of the same name? Butkus was Stallone’s pet in real life, too. But before Stallone hit the big time, he could not afford to keep Butkus, and sold him for $50. After the success of the movie, Stallone wanted to buy his dog back, but the new owner refused. The actor ended up having to pay $3,000 to get his beloved pooch back.

Google is an awesome place to work. Employees get treated with free gourmet coffee, hairstyling and massages – and they can bring their dogs to the office! At Animaltalk’s office, we also sometimes have employees’ pets come by for a visit – we are pretty awesome, too!

Does your dog like to cover you in slobber from his kisses? From a behavioural point of view, there can be many reasons why he does this; but look out for a pattern. Does it happen after you return from the gym or when you’re feeling particularly hot? Some dogs like the salty taste of sweat, so it might just be that your dog thinks you are delicious.

A wet nose means a happy and healthy dog; that’s what we’ve been taught over the years. But what’s the purpose of that wet nose? Dogs strongly rely on their sense of smell, and the moisture on the nose absorbs scents around them. When a dog licks his nose, he gets an even better idea of what’s going on around him, because this action helps him to ‘taste’ the scent as well.

Did you know that guide dogs are trained to do their toilet business on command? This way, the owner stays in control of the process – if they are aware of where and when the dog does his business, it makes it easier for them to clean up after him.