Movement: How Does Their Structure Support Their Abilities
Biologically speaking, dogs are among some of the most interesting species on earth. In total they have about 320 bones which translates to over 700 different muscles, far more than humans who have 206 bones despite being larger. All these systems work together to protect the physical health of dogs allowing them to efficiently move and capitalize on bodily needs.
Movement: Bone Stucture
Ever wonder why dogs run so fast? Their shoulders are disconnected bones allowing for greater stride length. Instead of bones, shoulders are connected to the rest of their body through several muscles and ligaments. This physical adaptation may result from them having to outrun predators or catch prey in the distant past.
It’s also interesting that a dog does not sweat! They cool their bodies by panting which loses heat through evaporation. This is why canines are susceptible to heat stroke; they can’t release heat through the skin like humans. It’s important to be aware of this in warm climates or during the summer because heat stroke can be fatal.
A canine’s fur is its most protective blanket. It provides warmth for the body via coating in addition to dogs having high metabolic rates. Like humans, the five senses are present in woofs contributing to their physical. and emotional reactions. In terms of movement dogs are more similar to horses when they move, as they have four patterns: walk, trot, canter and gallop.
Dogs have an angular hock, or angle, formed by the hind legs that basically act as the ankle but never touch the floor. Your dog’s paw contains several key adaptations that help in its present environment. The paw is allocated with thick padding to protect their feet and has thick toenails to better grip the ground.
How does shape of nose impact smelling ability
Your dog has two nostrils, the cartilaginous and bony septum. These two systems help dogs separate breathing and smell. Larger nose size, both in length and width are correlated with having more olfactory receptors and in conjunction a greater sense of smell. This contributes to their ability to differentiate between individual scents in the atmosphere. Important for dogs engaged in scent detection. When dogs sniff, the nostrils enlarge, allowing for up to 300 million smell receptors to activate! In contrast, humans have up to five million smell receptors.
Eye Positioning
Dogs can distinguish objects at 20 feet away whereas humans have an average 90 feet range of sight. However, having eyes on the side of their heads allows canines to see 240 degrees wide, compared to humans who only have a view of 180-200 degrees. They also have a large concentration of cones in their retina which is responsible for detecting movement. This is probably why it’s hard to sneak up on your pooch!
Ears
A well known fact about dogs is they also have a keen sense of sound. Their ears are controlled by eighteen muscles, forming a deeper L-shape in the ear than humans. This adaptation is the reason why their hearing is sharper since sound waves travel to the eardrum with a clearer path. There are various styles of dog ears, such as bat, prick, drop and blunt.
Coat length
Coat types for dogs usually come in two forms: single or double. Single coated dogs have only one fur covering their skin, which leads to less shedding. Double coated dogs have two forms of protection, with the topcoat protecting the undercoat. Pull your dog’s hair back to see if it has single or double coats!
Along with coat types, dogs also have four main coat lengths: long, short, hairless and some sort of combination of the three. Although these lengths do not affect the amount of shedding, it does affect the grooming procedure and how noticeable the hair looks. The texture of these coats is what determines how your canine looks. There are many different types of textures such as smooth, curly, coarse, rough and extra curly.
Shape of Paws
Dogs have some of the most amazing body awareness capabilities of any species. This skill has its root in canine paws, literally. Their paws are made of five parts: claws, metacarpal and carpal pads, dewclaw and digital pads. The metacarpal, digital and carpal pads work as force absorption to help canines move efficiently. This allows their bones and joints to be protected while contacting the ground. The pads are also filled with fatty tissue to help them walk smoothly. The inner layer of the padding is filled with sweat glands, to help with cooling, although this impact is moderate at best. The dewclaw helps dogs grip better and dig. The front dewclaws of your dog allow it to run fast. Most breeders have hind dew claws removed for safety purposes. There are mainly three different types of paws: webbed, hare and cat.
Like us, dogs have their own way of living in an efficient manner. Canines’ bodies have evolved over time, allowing them to use their bodies to enjoy life, including their relationship with you! For more information on how dogs interpret the world, check out our article How Dogs Read Us.
