Buzz
Within your Maltese—or any dog, really—lies a hidden world of peculiarities. Recent research has revealed some truly strange behaviors and abilities of dogs.
Dogs possess unique muscles to influence humans, and they can even sense the Earth's magnetic field to help with their bathroom habits. Some dogs track killer whales, assist hunters, and even come back from extinction as the earliest forms of canines known.
10. The Dog That Shot A Hunter
In 2019, former LSU player Matt Branch and his friends went on a duck hunting trip. They brought along a Labrador named Tito. The ex-LSU lineman left a loaded shotgun in the back of his pickup truck, with the safety engaged, making it secure.
The group moved a few yards away to prepare for their hunt near Eagle Lake in Mississippi. Tito, the dog, jumped into the back of the truck and accidentally stepped on the shotgun’s safety, causing it to discharge.
The shot blasted through the side of the truck, striking 29-year-old Branch in the left thigh. After multiple surgeries, the damage was too great, and doctors had no choice but to amputate his leg.
9. The Oil Rig Rescue
In 2019, oil rig workers were amazed to discover a dog in the water. Their worksite, a Chevron oil rig, was situated 220 kilometers (135 miles) off the coast of Thailand. The lost dog managed to swim toward the rig, where it clung desperately to the bottom. The crew spent 15 minutes using a loop to catch the animal before lifting it to safety.
The dog was given some TLC—dried off, provided with food and water, and adorned with a flower garland. The crew also gave the dog a kennel and named him 'Boonrod.' In Thailand, this name is used for those who survive against the odds and possess good karma.
After Boonrod made it back to land, veterinarians confirmed that he was in good health and placed him with an animal rescue organization. One of the oil rig workers, Vitisak Payalaw, mentioned that he would adopt Boonrod if no one else came forward to provide him a permanent home. It remains unknown how the dog ended up so far from shore, but it's likely he fell off a fishing boat.
8. Dog Owners With Broken Hearts
In 2016, Joanie Simpson from Texas found herself in a tough spot. The 62-year-old's son was facing surgery, her daughter’s husband had lost his job, and a property deal was falling apart. The most heartbreaking, however, was that her beloved Yorkshire terrier was suffering from congestive heart failure. Joanie cared for the Yorkie deeply, but the dog’s condition deteriorated so much that a euthanasia date was set.
When the scheduled day arrived, Meha the dog appeared to be doing better, prompting Joanie to cancel the euthanasia appointment. However, the Yorkie passed away naturally the following day, but in a tragic way that Joanie had to witness herself.
One morning, Joanie woke up feeling as though she was having a heart attack. She was rushed to a hospital in Houston, where emergency responders were ready for her. Yet, it turned out that Joanie hadn't had a heart attack at all. Instead, she had suffered from a real condition known as 'broken heart syndrome.'
This sometimes-fatal condition can mimic a heart attack and is often triggered by intense emotions, like grief. Given how deeply dog owners can mourn the loss of their pets, it’s no surprise that Joanie's case wasn’t the first instance of someone developing this dangerous syndrome after the death of a dog.
7. Loving Dogs Could Be Genetic
In 2019, researchers explored the possibility that a love for dogs might be genetic. Sweden, with its vast twin registry and mandatory dog registrations through the Swedish Board of Agriculture, was an ideal location to conduct this study. Twin studies enable scientists to analyze genetic, behavioral, and environmental data from people who share 50-100% of their DNA.
The 2019 research was comprehensive, involving data from 85,542 adult twins. The team then examined 15 years’ worth of dog ownership records. Out of this, only 8,503 people had a dog as a pet. Surprisingly, computer models revealed that both genetic and environmental factors could predict those most likely to adopt a dog.
Although the specific genes remain unknown, the patterns of dog-loving DNA were slightly more prevalent in women. The study also contributed to previous research on the health benefits of dog ownership, suggesting that positive effects like improved fitness and mood might be partially influenced by genetics.
6. Robotic Mail Dogs
Boston Dynamics, a Google-owned company, is at the forefront of technology, including the field of robotics. Recently, the company unveiled plans to use robotic dogs for package delivery. These machines, unimaginatively called “Spot,” resembled real dogs. They walked on four legs, could climb stairs, and were agile enough to resist a shove.
The company wasn’t clear on how they would handle theft or misuse of these mechanical dogs once they ventured out to deliver mail. Spot had a smaller sibling called “SpotMini,” which resembled a dog-giraffe hybrid. This clever robot mapped its surroundings, enabling it to navigate obstacles.
Boston Dynamics also tested the two robotic dogs as workers in factory production lines. Looking back, this might have been a safer job for them to perform.
5. A Surprising Neolithic Dog
In 1901, researchers uncovered a Neolithic tomb in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, at Cuween Hill. Inside, they discovered around 24 dog skulls. Later analysis revealed that the animals had been buried approximately 4,500 years ago, when the tomb was already 500 years old.
While this discovery was unusual, the real surprise came in 2019 when one of the skulls was reconstructed. Scientists aimed to understand what Scotland's dogs looked like during the Neolithic era. After a 3-D scan captured the skull’s measurements, those details were used to create a realistic head using forensic techniques.
The outcome was a creature that resembled a wolf. Despite being a domesticated dog, its resemblance to the European gray wolf was unexpected. The dog, roughly the size of a collie, also lacked the high forehead seen in modern dogs. This reconstruction not only offered a fascinating look at ancient Scottish dogs but also highlighted their role in ritual burials.
4. Rarest Dog Rediscovered
For many years, the New Guinea highland wild dog was believed to be extinct. Despite this, two photographs taken in 2005 and 2012 hinted that these dogs might still roam the earth.
Then, in 2016, a doglike footprint was discovered in the New Guinea highlands. Researchers set up trail cameras in the area, and within just two days, the cameras captured 140 images of at least 15 different wild dogs.
Even better, the team had direct encounters with the dogs. Males, females, and playful pups confirmed that a thriving population still existed. Most of these dogs had golden fur, pointed ears, and tails that curled upwards.
DNA analysis revealed some fascinating findings. The wild dogs are now recognized as the world’s most ancient and primitive canids, having inhabited the island for around 6,000 years. They are related to both the Australian dingo and the New Guinea singing dog. There are only about 300 singing dogs remaining, and they are the captive-bred descendants of the highland wild dogs.
3. Dogs Use Earth’s Magnetic Field
It’s widely known that birds navigate during migration using the Earth’s magnetic field. However, a 2014 study revealed that dogs also rely on this magnetic field, although for a rather peculiar purpose.
The study, which spanned two years, observed 70 dogs from 37 breeds, documenting their bathroom habits. Researchers watched 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations to investigate whether there was any correlation between canine bathroom behavior and Earth’s magnetic field.
Strangely, the dogs preferred to do their business along a north-south axis, particularly when the Earth's magnetic 'weather' was calm. Even more bizarre, the dogs actively avoided squatting along the east-west axis. Despite thousands of observations, the researchers couldn’t figure out why dogs behave this way.
2. Professional Poop Trackers
In 1997, the Conservation Canine program, or CK9, was established. This program trains dogs to locate the feces of wildlife. Many of the dogs are rescues with an intense obsession with balls. This drive is crucial for selecting new CK9 recruits, as the toy serves both as a training aid and a reward.
CK9 provides a nonintrusive method to collect data on at-risk and endangered animals. Scat contains a wealth of biological information. A single sample can reveal an animal’s gender, pregnancy status, diet, and health, and in some cases, it even allows researchers to identify individuals.
Some dogs are trained to track caribou, cougars, and owls, while rarer species such as the giant armadillo, tiger, and Iberian wolf also have ball-driven dogs tracking them. One of the most impressive feats involves orcas off the coast of Canada, where CK9 dogs have successfully located the quickly sinking orca scats multiple times while standing on the deck of a research boat.
1. Dogs Have Manipulative Eyebrows
Fido ruins the couch. Surrounded by foam remnants, the dog looks up at its owner with a certain expression. The raised eyebrows convey a mix of confusion, remorse, and vulnerability, a silent plea that cuts through our defenses.
In 2019, researchers found that dogs have evolved to manipulate humans through their eyebrows. They mimic human emotions in an attempt to provoke a nurturing reaction. This wasn’t a devious scheme against mankind, but rather a result of natural selection, influenced by the humans who cared for them.
For thousands of years, people have likely shown extra care for the dogs to which they felt emotionally bonded. Over time, this led to the development of special muscles around the eyes. These muscles, which are absent or less developed in wolves, enable dogs to raise their eyebrows in a way that tugs at human hearts.
The Siberian husky is an exception to this eyebrow behavior. As a close relative of the wolf, its 'puppy gaze' eye muscles are similarly underdeveloped.
