Dogs Can’t Look Up? – Myths About Dogs you Should Stop Believing

Thank you, Shaun of the Dead, for planting a very weird question in our brains – can dogs look up? Until the movie was released and we all heard Big Al say it, we did not think much of it, did we? For all dog owners, it was obvious that dogs could look up. Isn’t that how they see us because they are shorter?

Was that a false claim then? The answer’s not that straight-forward. That is why we decided to end the confusion once and for all.

Dogs Can’t Look Up – True or False

Dogs owners would immediately say that this is false. Of course, dogs can look up! They always do, especially when they want treats from their owners. Their eyes also move quite easily and they are known to look up for various reasons. 

But, evidence suggests that even though they are able to look up, they can’t look all the way up. And, this is the root cause of all confusion. 

The thing is that dogs have limited motion. So, even though they can move their eyes and head upwards, the motion is restricted. They may not be able to see something that’s 90 degrees above them. Besides this small stipulation, it’s all good.

Another thing we would like to point out here is that their perception of “up” is not as clear as it is for us. Dogs are quite sharp and sensitive to sound because of their hearing prowess but how they perceive the sound is different. They may hear the noise from above but not understand that it is coming from above them. The expectation for dogs to react to things just like humans do has also lead to the weird assumption that dogs can’t look up.

Other Myths You Should Know

Now that we have busted a common myth, we felt we should talk about a few more to clear the air:

• A wet nose means the dog is healthy – While a dry and flaky nose indicates the need for some moisturization and may be an illness or two, this cannot be used as a standard to determine whether a dog is healthy. It is unreliable. Most illnesses have no effect whatsoever on the schnoz. 
• A dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s – Just like a human’s mouth, a dog’s mouth has an enormous amount of bacteria. Please don’t use this myth as an excuse to let your dog lick you incessantly. 
• Dog owners are all good people – While loving animals or just dogs can be seen as a positive sign, we don’t recommend it as a test to judge someone’s character. Hitler was a dog lover. 

FAQs

Here are answers to some questions we get asked all the time:

What Does It Mean When Dogs Look Up?

It mostly means that they want to gaze at you. It may also mean that they heard a noise and are confused about where it came from. 

Do Dogs Only See Black And White?

Studies have revealed that dogs cannot see the green to red spectrum. They are known to see yellow, blue, and grey. So, their world is less complicated color-wise.

Why is My Dog Looking Up and Licking?

If your dog is doing this once in a while, it’s all fine. If he/she does it consistently, it could be a sign of a compulsive disorder. Dogs develop repetitive behaviors when they are stressed, bored, or need attention. 

Which Dog Breeds are Prone to Anxiety? 

Toy breeds, border collie, greyhounds, German shepherd, Labrador retriever, cocker spaniel, and havanese are some of the dog breeds that are prone to anxiety. Having said that, you should note that this is not a hard and fast rule. Any dog can develop anxiety based on experiences and stress.

Can Dogs Feel When You Kiss Them?

Puppies may not understand what a kiss means but old dogs learn to associate it with happiness or positive behavior. So, yes, adult dogs are happy when you kiss them because they see it as a good sign.

Conclusion

There are many myths about dogs that people blindly believe. Please don’t be one of them! Dogs looking up is quite normal, as you now learned. Other myths are just as ridiculous or unfounded. If you have any doubts, kindly speak to your vet or a canine specialist.

You may also write to us if you have any queries and we will be happy to help you out.