Weird and Crazy Things About Puppies
Do you have a puppy? Can you relate to these puppy facts? Check out these adorable facts and share your experience with us!
Puppies are Piranhas
Look at those sharp teeth! Is there any reason why the universe equipped cute little puppies with piranha teeth? When I first got my Dog Mimi at 8 weeks, I was completely smitten by her big baby belly, pink paws, and puppy breath. However, a day later, ouch! She was all over me, not with kisses, but with bites. She munches on everything from my hands, TV remotes, wires, to the couch cushion. Boy oh boy was I filled with anxiety whenever things go quiet because when it’s quiet, I know she is up to no good.
Unfortunately, biting and nipping is completely normal. Puppies use their little toofers to explore and socialize. Therefore, It’s important to teach them what’s appropriate to chew on in order to save your precious belongings.
They Like to Steal
Puppies sure are playful! So watch out for your socks and belongings because when they can snatch it, they will. When they can’t snatch it, they’ll do it anyway.
I know this for a fact because countless times, I find my stuff laying around my house, and on a few occasions, my dog would snatch things from my hands and make a run for it. This behavior, however, is all simple fun and games. They like the attention you give, and they sure enjoy a round tug-o-war and a game of catch-me-if-you-can. For some tips on how to train your pup to leave your stuff alone, teach them the leave-it command, click here for more information.
They Sleep A Lot and Twitch in Their Sleep
When the little piranha is wiped out from all the playing and chewing, they’ll finally become angels and give you a well-deserved break by taking a nice long nap. This is the time when you can take a breather and enjoy staring at your new adorable puppy with a moment of zen. After a while of staring at them, you’ll notice little twitches and cooing noises coming from them. You may be wondering if this is normal. I can assure you that this behavior is not a cause for concern. Sleep twitching and sleep talking is nothing out of the ordinary because just like humans, dogs dream as well. Science has discovered that when a dog sleeps, they go through the same sleep cycle similar to humans. They start off their sleep with stages 1, 2, and 3. After the third stage, they enter into the Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM sleep), and this is stage is where dogs dream. For young puppies, we know from research that they spend a long duration of their cycle in REM sleep. To this day, we still don’t have a clue as to why. However, the speculation is that REM sleep is a time for puppies to strengthen their neurodevelopment, and the sleep twitches are actually beneficial to tone their developing muscles.
Another sleep-related fact that boggles a dog owner’s mind is the amount of time their puppies spend on sleep. Once again, this is business as usual. A normal developing puppy usually spends up to 20 hours a day sleeping. It’s expected because their tiny little bodies expend a mass amount of energy on developing their brains and bodies. With such big shoes to fill, it’s no wonder why they are so tired all the time.
Puppies are Vacuum Cleaners
Puppies are notorious for being real-life vacuum cleaners. As soon as they lock their eyes on something interesting, they suck it all up. If our laws apply to our canine companions, they’d be behind bars for committing the petty crime of finders keepers. However, as unfair as it is, puppies pretty much get away with everything for simply being furry and cute. You may be wondering about the motive behind this. Well, it’s quite obvious, isn’t it? They find, and they want it. End of story. The vacuuming behavior can become dangerous if they ingest harmful substances. So, dog parents, be on the lookout for your pup to ensure all toxic substances are safely stored away so that their vacuum cleaner mouths won’t stand a chance!
Bark at the Mirror
Woof woof anyone? I use to do the mirror experiment with my dog. At first, she was frightened at the image reflected by the mirror, but after some time, she started playing with her reflection. Try this! Put a mirror in front of your new puppy, and you too will see some adorable reactions. They might bark at the mirror, investigate the possible intruder, or simply bow and invite their reflections to play! Capture these moments on camera and share them with a dog-loving audience on Pet24Care.
They Love Baby Talks
Puppies are like babies, and babies love baby talk! Science has discovered that dogs actually prefer high-pitch enthusiastic baby talk more than normal talk. In one study, the scientists noticed that when the owner uses baby talk, the dogs tend to spend more time around the owners. Not only that, but the dogs also spent more time making eye contact with the owners. The reason behind this is not rocket science, but it’s the beautiful work of positive association. If you think about it, we most often use baby talk when our dogs behave in positive ways. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that they love baby talks!
Puppy Breath
Puppy breath is a real thing, and I’m all for it. Unfortunately, it does not stick around as it usually disappears by the time their baby toofers are replaced with adult teeth.
The science behind puppy breath is unclear. Some say it’s caused by the stomach gases released from their short developing esophagus, while others say the smell is caused by their milk diet and the digestive enzymes. Who knows? Take a whiff of the puppy breath! I know you’re all for it too. If your puppy is transitioning from the pleasant puppy breath to a nasty fishy odor, you can click here for some tips on canine oral care.
Blind and Deaf
Surprised? Puppies are born both blind and deaf. In the first three weeks into this world, puppies navigated only by their sense of smell. The good news is that healthy puppies are only deaf for about three weeks old. However, when they do develop their hearing, it’s amplified by four times. So, if you have newborn puppies at your house, it’s important to keep their surroundings quiet, so that the little puppers won’t be startled in their new environment.