Boom in dog popularity means many questions
THE home confinement associated with the COVID lockdown has led to a surge in dog ownership. People who had secretly yearned to own a dog, but had been unable to do so because they were out at work all day, have finally been able to indulge in their dream.
Puppy prices have sky rocketed, with pedigree pups that cost €400 a year ago now reaching prices of €2000 or more.
One of the side effects of this wave of new dog owners has been an increased interest in learning about looking after dogs. I’ve been involved in the launch of a new pet information website, www.petfixclub.com. We’ve noticed increased interest in our “new puppy” sections, and one of the helpful features of the website is an “Ask A Vet” tool, where I field questions about pets from website visitors. I’ve found that most of the queries seem to come from new pet owners, who are on a steep learning curve about the intricacies of caring for their new charges. From wondering about what to feed their pets, to asking about solving behavioural challenges (such as pups barking at 4am), there’s a long list of issues that go hand in hand (or should I say paw in paw) with sharing your life with a dog.
A friend of mine who works in search engine optimisation tells me that there has been a surge of interest in searches about dog-related matters.
In particular, people want to know more about why dogs do certain behaviours.
Here are some of the top questions that are being asked.
Why do dogs sleep so much?
This is a great question, and many non-dog owners may be surprised at it. If you own a dog you will know that most dogs spend most of the day snoozing.
They love their exercise, and can be very active, but once that’s finished, after a bite to eat, it’s back to bed. Dogs sleep far more than humans: it’s estimated that the average mutt sleeps for 9-14 hours a day. This is a combination of naps throughout the day, as well as a long, deep sleep at night. The precise amount does vary, especially between ages, breeds, activity levels, health, and even sleeping locations. Puppies and elderly dogs can sleep for as much as 18 to 20 hours a day.
So why do dogs sleep so much? They have evolved to be very energetic when they are active (e.g. outside, hunting prey, running for several hours), and then afterwards, they need time to allow them to recover. Humans tend to have lower levels of activity, and we stay awake for longer.
Why do dogs like squeaky toys? Again, most non-dog-owners are surprised at the level of intense interest that dogs show in that simple novelty, the squeaky toy. My own dog Kiko is an example: her ears prick up at the first squeak, and she will then follow the toy in your hand with a steady gaze until you let her play with it. She will then mercilessly chase and chew the toy, with focussed determination, until she has managed to stop the squeak.
Some dogs don’t even stop there: I had a query from someone this week who was worried because their dog had extracted and then swallowed the squeaker from a toy. They had to observe the dog’s poops for the following few days until this was successfully passed from the other end.
So what is it about the squeak that dogs love so much? The answer is simple: dogs (and especially terriers like Kiko) have evolved as hunters. Over millenia, they have earned their keep (and their dinners) by chasing and killing small prey, such as rats, mice and rabbits. So modern day dogs have inherited a fascination with the type of sound that resembles the noise that small prey make. Added to this, dogs have an intensely sensitive sense of hearing: the gentle squeak that we hear must sound far louder to them. Next query: why do dogs tilt
their heads? This is another one that links to dogs’ hunting heritage. To be successful hunters, dogs need to be able to pinpoint exactly where their prey is hiding. They do this visually, but they use other sense too: they sniff the air, and they listen carefully. If they listen with their head straight on, then listen again with their head tilted slightly, this allows dogs to do a better job of working out a precise location. The technical term for this is “triangulation”: to use a scientific definition, “triangulation is the process by which the location of a sound can be determined by measuring the distance or direction of the received signal from three different points”.
Dogs, of course, don’t know this, but they do know, instinctively and by experience, that by listening, tilting their head, listening again, tilting their head again, then listening again, that they are able to work out precisely where they need to pounce to get their dinner. Final query: why do dogs chase their tails? This, again, relates to the urge that dogs have to chase and grab, combined with the fact that they love to play. And play is a type of practice for hunting: by playing, dogs learn how to move quickly and smoothly, so that they can hunt effectively. So when they see their tail moving, they enjoy pouncing on it as if it was a small furry animal. For them, it must feel like fun, but it also trains their coordination.
Dogs are great companions for humans, and the more we understand them, the better our lives will be together with them. So please, keep asking questions!