If you live with a dog, then you likely know a lot about what makes them tick. But since dogs are complex creatures, there are things that even a seasoned dog-lover might not know. Below are ten unique facts about canines that may or may not be familiar.

Dogs Curl Up Out of Instinct

If you have a dog, you’ll likely notice that they often curl into a ball when they sleep. The reason for this is instinct: throughout evolution, dogs have learnt to curl up to keep warm and protect vital organs while they’re deep in slumber.

A Dog’s Whiskers Help It See in the Dark

Yes, apparently whiskers serve more than one function! Dog whiskers pick up vibrations and changes in air currents that provide information about the shape, size, and speed of things within the vicinity.

Their Poop is Cosmic

If you’ve ever wondered why a dog does a good deal of sniffing and turning before doing its dirty business, it’s because canines are known to poop in alignment with Earth’s magnetic field.

Dogs are as Smart as a 2-Year-Old

Dogs and two-year-olds have something in common: they both know roughly the same number of words and gestures (250 of them, in fact)!

A One-Year-Old Dog is as Mature as a 15-Year-Old Human

It’s no secret that dogs mature faster than humans. While dogs age differently depending on their breed, larger dogs mature faster than smaller ones. If you are a new dog owner and need guidance about how to help your dog grow old gracefully, a vet from the likes of easyvet.com can help.

Their Sense of Smell is 1,000 to 10-Million Times Better Than Ours

We all know a dog’s sense of smell usurps a human’s by a landslide. But did you know that it’s 1,000 to 10 million times better? Depending on the breed, a dog can have between 125 to 300 million sweat glands, whereas humans have only 5 million.

Their Hearing is 4 Times Better than Ours

A dog’s hearing is also superior to ours. While puppies are born deaf, as adults, they can detect frequencies of 67 to 45,000 hertz. Humans have a range of 64 to 23,000 hertz.

Dogs Sweat Through Their Paws

Unlike humans, dogs sweat through their paws and not their bodies. That’s because all their sweat glands are in the paw pads, which is why it helps to wet their feet on a hot day. These glands are also what give your pooch’s paws that corn chip smell!

A Dog’s Jaw Can Exert 320 Pounds of Pressure

Dogs are famous for their strong jaws. Tests conducted on German Shepherds, American Pit Bulls, and Rottweilers revealed that their jaws can exert a whopping 320 pounds of pressure — compared to only 120 pounds by humans. However, those stats are put to shame by other animals such as white sharks (at 600 pounds) and crocodiles (at an astounding 2,500 pounds)!

Dogs Can Sense Time

If you often see your dog waiting in the window at certain times of day, it’s because they can sense time. They have an innate clock that gives them a sense of routine, such as when it’s chow time, when it’s time to go for a walk, and when you’re likely to come home from work.