Category: dogs

Posted on

This Is Why Your Dog Randomly Puts Their Paw on You

It’s cute when dogs randomly put their paws on you — and apparently, it’s not as random as it might seem.

Dog behaviorist Rebecca Forrest wrote about the topic at The Dog Clinic. She says that dogs are actually trying to communicate with you when they lay their paws on you. They can’t speak, so a little paw language will have to do!

The message could be one of several things. First, it could be a simple request for attention.

Photo Credit: iStock

Putting a paw on you is a relatively polite, subtle way to say: “Hi, remember me? I’m here.” It’s way less annoying than barking or whining, that’s for sure! Dogs were bred to interact with humans, so they inherently love human attention.

They may just paw at you because they know it’ll get them some pets and affection back. Or, they might put their paw on you to reciprocate the love once you’re already petting them.

Similarly, your dog might be trying to signal to you that he’s feeling stressed and needs some reassurance. If there are other signs of stress, such as yawning or flat ears, this may be the case. Rather than comfort your dog, try distracting him instead.

Photo Credit: iStock

There could also be a more specific need, such as food. Is it your dog’s regular meal time when he paws you? If so, he may be giving you a little reminder.

Either way, the pawing is definitely not intended to dominate, provoke, or irritate — so go easy on your dog if he paws at you a little too often! If it gets to be too much, the best tactic is to ignore him.

The post This Is Why Your Dog Randomly Puts Their Paw on You appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

This Is Why Dogs Kick Their Feet After They Poop

If you’ve ever had a dog, there’s a good chance you know what I’m talking about: your dog sniffs around, sniffs some more, turns in circles, then finally finds the perfect (and apparently only) spot in the yard to do their business.

Afterward, they move a few inches and then kick their feet backward, sort of covering the mess with dirt and flying grass.

But why?

Even though dogs have been domesticated for a very, very long time, they still retain some behaviors from the days before they were man’s best friend – they were once wild animals after all. It is innate instinct that drives around 10% of dogs to kick at the ground after going to the bathroom.

Dogs are territorial as a species, and are always sensitive to other dogs encroaching on their territory (it’s also why they bark out the window when another dog takes a stroll past, or – GASP – wanders onto “their” lawn).

Pooping sends a message to other dogs that the property has been claimed, and by kicking up dirt afterward, they stir up the scent that, along with pheromones released from glands on their feet, creates a strong and distinct smell. A “this is mine” sort of smell.

Other dogs then take the kicked-up grass as a clue that they’re treading on stinky, owned ground.

The pheromones actually smell stronger than the pee or poo, and can alert dogs to other things, like food trails or potential danger.

Experts warn against interrupting your dog during the ritual, claiming that doing so can make your dog feel vulnerable and confused.

So, just stay out of the way (and hope your lawn-obsessed neighbor isn’t watching your dog toss around their new grass seed. Oops.) and let nature take its course.

There’s no way to stop (or speed up) evolution, you know, so just give you pooch a pat and thank them for their vigilance.

The post This Is Why Dogs Kick Their Feet After They Poop appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

Dogs Diving Underwater for Toys Is All You Need to See Today

Seth Casteel is best known for his photos of dogs diving underwater for toys. And why not? These pics are wonderful!

If you’ve ever played around with your pooch in a pool or in the ocean, you know you’ve seen these goofy faces before.

Enjoy and be sure to check out Casteel’s books and calendars that are for sale HERE.

1. Going deep!

2. Love that hairstyle.

View this post on Instagram

Ragnar!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

3. Extreme close-up.

4. A great swimmer.

5. Hi there!

6. Must. Get. The. Ball.

View this post on Instagram

Breezer!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

7. Chomper!

8. The Loch Ness Puppy.

9. Get after it!

View this post on Instagram

Buster!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

10. Sea creature of the deep. Okay, not really, just a good pup.

View this post on Instagram

Daisy!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

Those are great! Be sure to follow Casteel on Instagram and Facebook so you can keep up with his work!

The post Dogs Diving Underwater for Toys Is All You Need to See Today appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

Dogs Diving Underwater for Toys Is All You Need to See Today

Seth Casteel is best known for his photos of dogs diving underwater for toys. And why not? These pics are wonderful!

If you’ve ever played around with your pooch in a pool or in the ocean, you know you’ve seen these goofy faces before.

Enjoy and be sure to check out Casteel’s books and calendars that are for sale HERE.

1. Going deep!

2. Love that hairstyle.

View this post on Instagram

Ragnar!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

3. Extreme close-up.

4. A great swimmer.

5. Hi there!

6. Must. Get. The. Ball.

View this post on Instagram

Breezer!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

7. Chomper!

8. The Loch Ness Puppy.

9. Get after it!

View this post on Instagram

Buster!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

10. Sea creature of the deep. Okay, not really, just a good pup.

View this post on Instagram

Daisy!

A post shared by Underwater Dogs – Seth Casteel (@sethcasteel) on

Those are great! Be sure to follow Casteel on Instagram and Facebook so you can keep up with his work!

The post Dogs Diving Underwater for Toys Is All You Need to See Today appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

These Crocheted Hats for Your Pet Are Just What You Need This Winter

It’s shaping up to be a long, cold winter, and, in addition to keeping yourself warm, you gotta keep those pooches and kitties nice and toasty, too!

So consider picking up a crocheted hat for your pet this year.

Here are some of the best selections from Etsy. The links to the hats are in the photo credit if you want to purchase any of these beauties.

1. Reindeer games.

Photo Credit: Etsy

2. A notorious Viking.

Photo Credit: Etsy

3. This pug is a little confused.

Photo Credit: Etsy

4. This little piggy.

Photo Credit: Etsy

5. Very classy and elegant.

Photo Credit: Etsy

6. I love this one.

Photo Credit: Etsy

7. Long locks.

Photo Credit: Etsy

8. The turkey look.

Photo Credit: Etsy

9. Googly eyes.

Photo Credit: Etsy

10. The queen of outer space.

Photo Credit: Etsy

Check out more hats for your pets HERE. Stay warm this winter!

The post These Crocheted Hats for Your Pet Are Just What You Need This Winter appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

This Dog Is in Charge of Finding Koalas That Have Survived Australia’s Bushfires

It’s devastating to watch scenes of scorched, singed, and confused koala bears as the bushfires continue to rage throughout Australia. The fires have destroyed land and homes in New South Wales and Queensland but have also tragically taken a huge toll on the koala population in the country.

Because koala habitat is being destroyed in such huge acreage in the blazes, teams are venturing into the burned areas to try to find and rescue koala bears.

One of the most important team members in these searches is a dog – who we can genuinely call a hero – named Bear.

Posted by Queensland Koala Crusaders on Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Bear is a koala detection dog who has been dispatched to Queensland to help find unfortunate little creatures that have been affected by the fires.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare said on its Facebook page,

“Our koala detection dog Bear is bringing a glimmer of hope for koalas suffering from Australia’s deadly bushfires—but these animals need more heroes to save them from this ongoing disaster. Our koala detection dog Bear is an integral part of these rescue efforts. He was recently deployed to southeast Queensland and one of the hardest-hit areas of New South Wales where the bushfires decimated local koala populations. Bear is one of the few detection dogs who can locate live koalas through the scent of their fur.”

Bear is now 6 years old, and he’s obviously found his calling in life.

You can help out by donating to this nonprofit fundraiser HERE.

Sadly, it seems that, in New South Wales at least, some koala populations are being pushed to the brink of extinction due to the fires.

The post This Dog Is in Charge of Finding Koalas That Have Survived Australia’s Bushfires appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

These Good Dogs All Use Wheelchairs to Run and Play!

Maybe you’d be tempted to feel bad for these exceptional pooches, but don’t worry about them. Yes, they have to use wheelchairs for one reason or another, but they’re living their best lives, and they’re clearly very happy to have a new lease on life.

Enjoy these beautiful pics and videos of these pups zipping around.

1. I’m a huge fan of Moby!

2. Look at them go!

3. All those fall colors.

4. Awwwww. My heart is melting.

5. Atlas is doing great!

6. Let’s go for a stroll.

7. He even has a cool license plate.

8. A dynamic duo!

9. Don’t slow me down!

10. Gone, but not forgotten.

Wonderful, aren’t they? I think so.

If you have any pets that use devices like these, share some photos and stories with us in the comments!

The post These Good Dogs All Use Wheelchairs to Run and Play! appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

There’s Now a Real Formula to Calculate ‘Dog Years’

If you’ve ever had a dog, you know that your pup has two “ages” — their actual age, and their age in so-called “dog years.” To calculate dog years, you simply multiply the dog’s age by seven. But is there any actual scientific evidence behind this formula?

The short answer is no — but scientists have come with a more accurate way to calculate it.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, examined dog DNA to see how quickly dogs age. They looked at 104 Labrador retrievers from 1 month to 16 years old, comparing their rates of DNA methylation – which usually speeds up as living beings age – to those of humans.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

The researchers found that the rates of methylation were similar between dogs and humans; however, adolescent and mature dogs experienced more accelerated aging.

Based on this data, they came up with a new formula for calculating dog years.

Take the natural logarithm of a dog’s age, multiply it by 16, and then add 31.

By this measure, a 2-year-old dog would be 42 human years old – way older than 14!

However, methylation slows later in life, so the dog’s age in human years doesn’t increase as quickly. A 5-year-old dog would only be 57 years old, while a 6-year-old dog would be 60. A 10-year-old dog would equate to a 70-year-old human.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

This formula might not be completely accurate for every dog breed, as different dogs age at different rates, while the formula was determined based on data from Labs. Still, it’s a very interesting and informative contrast to the old unscientific 7-year rule!

The post There’s Now a Real Formula to Calculate ‘Dog Years’ appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

Over 100,000 Dogs Are Killed Each Year Riding in Truck Beds

Country songs are known for their sense of Americana—distant train whistles, love for family, broken hearts and a dog in the back of a pick-up.

Romantic imagery for sure, but unfortunately, our bubble has to burst.

The pick-up is not the best place for the dogs to ride.

Photo Credit: Pexels

Since the cabs of pick-up trucks might only be a front bench seat, dogs are often shown the bed of the truck for a trip.

But though it seems convenient, American Humane strongly cautions against letting dogs hang out in the back of pickups, stating that an estimated 100,000 dogs die in accidents yearly riding in truck beds.

100,000 dogs! That’s so many!

One obvious reason is that dogs jump, especially if they are curious or scared. Even if they are trained or have calm personalities, if there’s an accident, they can fall or jump out of the bed and get seriously injured or cause other collisions.

Photo Credit: Flickr

The bed of a truck can be much colder or hotter than the cab, where the temperature is controlled. Since there’s no protection back there, wind can also blow debris around getting into dogs’ ears, noses, eyes and mouths. In the heat of summer, metal beds can burn paws.

Even leashing or crating the dog while they are in the bed can causes more problems than protection. Dogs can be strangled if they are thrown from a truck while leashed. If a dog is confined in a crate, it could prevent them from escaping in case of an accident.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

Some dogs love being back there. Other dogs may get anxious at the noises and confusion of the road.

It turns out, there are really a lot of reasons to keep them out of the bed of the truck. And your dog is your best friend, right? So keep them safe – and in the truck next to you.

The post Over 100,000 Dogs Are Killed Each Year Riding in Truck Beds appeared first on UberFacts.

Posted on

These Huge Dogs Clearly Think They’re Still Little Puppies

I love big dogs. They’re cuddly, snuggly, and they make great companions.

Buuuuut, sometimes, these gentle giants don’t understand how massive they are and for some reason, they think they’re lap dogs.

And that’s definitely the case with these giant puppers.

1. No, you really aren’t.

I’m a lap dog! from aww

2. Big dog in the house.

She insists on being a lap dog from aww

3. Might be a polar bear.

He may look like a bear but he identifies as a lap dog from aww

4. Missing out.

5. That dog is HUGE.

My dog thinks he’s a lap dog when my grandma stops by from aww

6. He’ll never understand…

My friends retriever will never understand he’s too big to be a lap dog. from aww

7. He has no idea.

My gf volunteers at a rescue, this guy thinks he’s a lap dog from aww

8. Your legs will fall asleep.

9. It’s working out…for him…

He decided that he identifies as a lap dog. from aww

10. Awwwwww, look at that.

Two years to the day from aww

11. Don’t tell him that.

This is Otis. He thinks he’s a lap dog. I don’t have the heart to tell him otherwise from aww

12. A gentle giant.

This puppy still thinks he’s a lap dog. Otis the 90 lb 7 month old Newf pup! from aww

13. A human chair.

14. A massive guy.

170 pound lap dog from aww

15. Not a baby anymore.

She isn’t a baby anymore, but she’s still my lap dog…I’m 6 1/2 feet tall from aww

Do you have a huge dog that thinks they’re a little, itty bitty thing?

If so, share some pics in the comments!

The post These Huge Dogs Clearly Think They’re Still Little Puppies appeared first on UberFacts.