💥 Dog Myths Busted!

This is probably the most widely repeated dog fact in the world — and it's completely wrong. The "multiply by seven" formula has no scientific basis and has been dismissed by veterinarians for years.

A 2020 study from the University of California San Diego used DNA methylation (epigenetic markers that change predictably with age) to compare the biological ageing of dogs and humans. They found the relationship is not linear at all — dogs age much faster in their early years and then slow down. An 8-week-old puppy is biologically equivalent to a 9-month-old baby, and a 1-year-old dog corresponds roughly to a 30-year-old human, not a 7-year-old child.

The study produced a new formula: human age = 16 × ln(dog age) + 31, where "ln" is the natural logarithm. It's not as catchy as "times seven," but it's far more accurate. Ageing rates also vary significantly by breed and size — small breeds tend to live longer than large breeds, with a Toy Poodle averaging around 14.6 years compared to a Great Dane at just 6–8 years.

This myth dates back to a 1937 claim by Will Judy, publisher of Dog Week magazine, who wrote that dogs likely saw only shades of black and grey. It stuck in popular culture for decades, but research has thoroughly debunked it.

Dogs have dichromatic vision — they have two types of colour-detecting cone cells in their retinas, compared to three in humans. A landmark 1989 study by Jay Neitz at the University of Washington confirmed that dogs can distinguish between blue and yellow, but struggle with red and green, which appear as shades of brownish-grey. Their colour vision is similar to a person with red-green colour blindness.

A 2017 study published in Royal Society Open Science went further, testing dogs with a modified version of the Ishihara test (the numbered dot plates used to diagnose colour blindness in humans). The dogs responded exactly like red-green colour-blind people, confirming dichromatic vision. Interestingly, a 2013 Russian study found that when dogs could choose between colour and brightness cues, they preferred colour — suggesting it matters more to them than we thought.

Generations of dog owners have felt their dog's nose and worried when it's warm or dry. But the temperature and moisture of a dog's nose fluctuates throughout the day for perfectly normal reasons — after sleeping, after exercise, in warm rooms, or simply due to the weather.

A healthy dog's nose can be warm, cool, wet, or dry at different times. The origins of this myth may trace back to the era of canine distemper, when a cracked, dry nose was one visible symptom of the disease. But with widespread vaccination, this association is long outdated.

It's one of the most common things dog owners worry about — their dog stops mid-walk to munch on grass. The widely held belief is that dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit when they feel unwell. But research suggests this is mostly wrong.

Studies show that the vast majority of dogs who eat grass do not vomit afterwards. A widely cited study found that fewer than 25% of dogs vomited after eating grass, and fewer than 10% appeared ill beforehand. The most likely explanation is far simpler: many dogs just like the taste and texture of grass, especially in spring and summer when it's green and fresh. It may also add fibre to their diet or simply be an enjoyable behaviour.

This is one of the most damaging dog myths still in circulation. The idea that you need to establish "dominance" over your dog — by eating first, going through doors first, pinning them down, or using physical corrections — is based on outdated studies of captive wolves from the 1970s that have since been debunked by the very scientists who conducted them.

L. David Mech, the wolf researcher whose early work popularised the "alpha wolf" concept, has spent years trying to correct the record. Wild wolf packs, it turns out, are typically family units — two parents and their offspring — not groups of strangers fighting for dominance. Dogs, who diverged from wolves thousands of years ago, don't form packs in the same way at all.

Modern dog behaviour science is clear: dogs are not trying to dominate you. They're trying to work out what gets them good things (food, play, attention) and what doesn't. Training methods based on dominance theory can create fear, anxiety, and aggression — the very problems they claim to solve.

A wagging tail often does mean a happy dog — but not always. Tail wagging is a form of communication, and like any language, the meaning depends on the context.

Research has shown that the speed, height, and even direction of the wag all carry different information. A broad, relaxed wag at mid-height usually does indicate friendliness and excitement. But a tail held high and wagging stiffly can signal arousal or potential aggression. A slow wag with the tail held low often indicates insecurity or nervousness. And a tail tucked between the legs with a small, rapid wag is a sign of fear or submission.

Fascinatingly, studies have found that the direction of the wag matters too. Dogs tend to wag more to the right when experiencing positive emotions (seeing their owner) and more to the left when experiencing negative emotions (seeing an unfamiliar dominant dog). Other dogs can apparently read these directional cues.

Think about what your dog licks, sniffs, and eats on a daily walk, and this myth falls apart pretty quickly. While dog saliva does have a slightly alkaline pH that can discourage some bacteria, dogs' mouths harbour over 600 species of bacteria — many of which are different from human oral bacteria but certainly not "cleaner."

Vets report that one of the most common causes of skin infections in dogs is actually excessive licking of wounds or itchy spots. Far from being healing, the constant moisture and bacteria introduced by licking often makes things worse.

Periodontal disease affects up to 80% of dogs by the age of 3, making dental health one of the most overlooked aspects of dog care. Bad breath in dogs isn't just unpleasant — it's often the first sign of dental disease that can lead to tooth loss, abscesses, and even damage to the heart, liver, and kidneys.

You come home to a chewed shoe and your dog slinks away with wide eyes, lowered head, and tucked tail. Classic guilt, right? Not quite. What you're seeing is appeasement behaviour — your dog is responding to your body language, tone of voice, and emotional state, not reflecting on their earlier actions.

A well-known 2009 study by Alexandra Horowitz at Barnard College tested this directly. Dogs showed "guilty" body language when their owners scolded them, regardless of whether the dog had actually misbehaved. In fact, the "guilty look" was most pronounced in dogs who had done nothing wrong but were told off anyway. The dogs were simply reacting to the owner's displeasure.

Dogs live largely in the present and don't connect a telling-off with something they did hours ago. Punishing them after the fact achieves nothing except making them anxious around you.

Breeds like Poodles, Labradoodles, and Bichon Frisés are heavily marketed as "hypoallergenic" — safe for people with allergies. Unfortunately, no dog breed is truly hypoallergenic.

The main dog allergen, a protein called Can f 1, is found in saliva, urine, and skin cells (dander) — not just in fur. A 2011 study published in the American Journal of Rhinology and Allergy found no significant difference in allergen levels between homes with so-called hypoallergenic breeds and those with non-hypoallergenic breeds. A follow-up 2012 study found that low-shedding Poodles actually had some of the highest levels of Can f 1 in their coat samples.

While low-shedding breeds may spread less dander around the home (since hair carries dander), the allergen is still produced and still present. Individual dogs within any breed can also vary in how much allergen they produce.

This one has been an idiom in English since at least the 16th century, and while it makes for a nice proverb about human stubbornness, it's simply not true of dogs. Dogs can and do learn throughout their entire lives.

Older dogs may take slightly longer to pick up new skills due to natural cognitive changes, and they may need shorter, more frequent training sessions. But they bring advantages too: better focus, less distraction, and a lifetime of experience reading human cues. Many rescue dogs adopted as adults learn new routines, commands, and household rules very quickly.

That said, if a senior dog suddenly starts forgetting previously learned commands or becoming confused, this could be a sign of Canine Cognitive Dysfunction (CCD) — a condition similar to dementia in humans. Speak to your vet if you notice changes.

This persistent old wives' tale suggests that female dogs should be allowed to have one litter of puppies "for their health" or "to calm them down" before being neutered. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim.

Dogs don't experience broodiness or a maternal "need" to have puppies. Allowing an unplanned litter creates more dogs in a world where UK rescues are already overwhelmed. Spaying before or between seasons can actually protect against potentially fatal conditions like pyometra (womb infection) and reduce the risk of mammary tumours.

The optimal timing for spaying can vary by breed, size, and sex, so discuss it with your vet. But the idea that they "need" a litter first? Pure myth.

This myth circulates widely online, often in "natural remedies" articles. Not only is there no evidence that garlic repels fleas or ticks, but garlic is actually toxic to dogs. It belongs to the Allium family (alongside onions, leeks, and chives) and can cause haemolytic anaemia — a serious condition where the body destroys its own red blood cells.

Not every dog who eats garlic will become ill, and the toxic dose depends on the amount consumed relative to body weight. But the risk is real and the treatment — which can require hospitalisation and blood transfusions — is serious and expensive.

The perception that rescue dogs are all "damaged goods" with behavioural issues puts many potential adopters off. In reality, dogs end up in shelters for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with the dog: owners moving house, relationship breakdowns, financial difficulties, owners passing away, or simply an unplanned litter. Many rescue dogs are perfectly well-adjusted family pets.

Dogs raised from puppies in a home can develop behavioural issues just as easily as rescued dogs. Behaviour is shaped by genetics, early socialisation, and ongoing environment — not by whether a dog came from a breeder or a shelter. Many adult rescue dogs actually settle into new homes more easily than puppies because they're already past the chewing, toilet training, and adolescent phases.

The cynical view that dogs are merely food-motivated machines with no genuine emotional attachment to their owners has been firmly refuted by science. Multiple studies have shown that dogs release oxytocin — the same "love hormone" involved in human bonding — when interacting with their owners.

Brain imaging studies have found that similar regions of dogs' brains light up when experiencing emotions parallel to human feelings. Dogs form secure attachments to their owners that mirror the bond between young children and their parents, seeking comfort from their person when stressed and showing distress during separation.

A 2015 study published in Science found that mutual gazing between dogs and their owners increased oxytocin levels in both species — the same hormonal mechanism that bonds human mothers and infants. Dogs are one of very few species that actively seek eye contact with humans.

The idea that a dog's saliva has healing properties is ancient — in some cultures, dogs were encouraged to lick human wounds. While dog saliva does contain some proteins that may have minor antibacterial properties, the reality is that a dog's mouth also contains hundreds of species of bacteria, many of which can cause infection.

Veterinarians consistently report that one of the most common causes of wound infections and skin problems in dogs is excessive licking. The repeated moisture, friction, and introduction of oral bacteria delays healing and can turn a minor wound into a serious infection. This is exactly why vets use Elizabethan collars (the "cone of shame") — to stop dogs licking surgical sites.