It’s time for a new blog post and a new story in the newsletter. Today, we’re going to do something a little bit fun: a series of true or false questions dedicated to the animal we know and love. So, without further ado, let’s strap in and get started!

#1: Dogs are colorblind

A: True. Dogs are red-green colorblind, much likes some people. That said, they also have a fewer number of cones in their cornea, so their entire color-seeing spectrum is more limited. Limited to what you ask? Scientists believe they see the world in blues and yellows. Check out our article on the topic to learn more.

#2: The smaller the dog, the shorter-lived they are

A: False. Smaller dogs tend to live longer lives than their larger counterparts. Any breed that goes through a quick and extensive growth spurt places strain on the body, and larger breeds tend to age more quickly after this point too. To put it in perspective, miniatures live to about 16, while very large breeds don’t get past 10 on average.

#3: Dogs can’t eat chocolate

A: True. This old saying is, in fact, true. Chocolate is highly toxic to dogs – and other animals too, including cats, birds, reptiles and rodents. The purer and darker the chocolate, the more dangerous it is. Your average milk slab with lots of added sugar probably won’t be too dangerous, but an organic 70% dark blend could be very bad indeed.

#4: Dogs are born blind and deaf

A: True. Dogs can’t see until they’re about two weeks old and rely on their sense of smell to work out where mom is.

#5: Dogs sleep less than cats

A: False. You might have thought this was a dead-cert to be true, but research suggests that dogs and cats sleep between 16-20 hours on average a day. The difference? Dogs go to sleep at night, with a few naps during the day thrown in for good measure. By contrast, cats are night owls and like to skulk the house when everyone else is asleep. They can get away with this thanks to their incredible vision. So, on the surface, it appears cats are always asleep because they’re catching forty winks when you’re awake. But the reality is a little different.

#6: Dogs sweat through their paws

A: True. Dogs don’t have traditional sweat glands and need to pant to keep cool. Their paws do release a little bit of sweat as well – but not a lot. We wrote about this in our companion article on the topic.

#6: Dogs can smell our feelings

A: True. Scientists believe that dogs have such incredible noses they can actually detect stress emanating from our bodies. That’s why, when you’re feeling low, your dog might come to your rescue. Dogs can even detect cancer when properly trained – pretty incredible, right?

#7: A Greyhound is faster than a Cheetah

A: True and false. Over a short distance, a Cheetah is the faster of the two animals. But stretch that distance by several miles? The Greyhound comes out the clear winner – capable of keeping up a rapid 35mph for 7 whole miles.