The 7 Biggest Misconceptions About Dogs

The dog is man's best friend, they say. And best friends understand each other blindly – of course. With humans and dogs, however, it is somewhat different, because the two speak completely different languages. Dog owners usually manage quite well nonetheless to interpret the signals of their four-legged friend. Yet it is sometimes shocking how little many a supposed dog expert knows about the four-legged friends with the cold nose. We clear up the 7 biggest misconceptions about dogs!

1.) Dogs that bark do not bite

All bark and no bite? Not at all! The claim that barking dogs are harmless is indeed widespread, but nonetheless largely made up. After all, barking is often the last warning a dog gives before an attack – or indeed the attack signal with which a dog pack communicates among itself. Barking can certainly also express joy, but that is rarely clearly identifiable, especially with an unfamiliar dog.

If you know your dog well, you can of course tell from the tone, the body posture and much more whether your four-legged friend is barking out of joy or aggression – but if it is an unfamiliar dog, you had better not rely on such diagnoses. The rule here is: if the dog barks, keep your distance until it has calmed down.

2.) Growling dogs are aggressive

"Careful, it's growling, it wants to bite!" – Well, admittedly: that is not entirely unlikely. In any case, growling in dogs is clearly a defensive sign. Aggression, however, need not be connected with it at all. Insecure dogs in particular often growl to express their unease about a supposedly threatening situation.

Growling means: go away, leave me alone. If the dog continues to be pressured, it may well happen that it no longer knows what else to do and snaps. Fundamentally, however, growling initially has an exclusively defensive character and nothing aggressive about it. If the other party reacts appropriately to the signal, growling normally results in no further escalation whatsoever.

3.) Fighting dogs are dangerous

Again and again, reports of dangerous fighting dogs go through the press. In many federal states there has long been a muzzle and lead requirement for breeds classified as fighting dogs, the dog tax is set considerably higher, and temperament tests for the animals as well as aptitude tests for the owners are repeatedly and heatedly debated.

In fact, even within the federal territory views vary as to which dog breeds are fighting dogs at all and which are not. While with some breeds, such as the pit bull or the Staffordshire terrier, there is broad agreement, in some federal states breeds such as the Doberman also count as dangerous, while in other federal states they receive no mention whatsoever.

Regardless of which dog breeds are now classified as fighting dogs and which are not, one thing can be stated clearly: fighting dogs by no means bite more often than "normal" dog breeds. On the contrary: in current bite statistics, German shepherds, closely followed by oh-so-cute Jack Russell terriers, are right at the front – fighting dogs often only appear in the lower ranks of this statistic. One reason here is, of course, that fighting dogs occur less frequently – another is that (when kept properly) they are by no means more aggressive than other dogs.

There are only two serious risks that actually emanate from fighting dogs. One is that, through breeding, their biting musculature is significantly more pronounced and that they can therefore, when they bite, cause considerably greater damage than, for example, a Chihuahua. The other is that irresponsible people use their physical characteristics to deliberately make them aggressive and to polish up their own ego with their growling dog on the lead.

4.) If a dog wags its tail, it is harmless

"Look, it's wagging its tail! It's friendly!" is what you often hear. Dogs do indeed wag their tails in joyful excitement. Nevertheless, this should not be interpreted as a sign of harmlessness, because tail wagging is also used on other occasions.

For example, dogs also wag their tails to spread scents from the anal gland or to demonstrate submission. Tail wagging can mean joy, tension, insecurity or also showing off. Therefore never fixate on the wagging alone, but rather try to observe your dog's entire body posture and facial expression – that way you arrive at a more realistic assessment of its state of mind!

5.) Mongrels are healthier than pedigree dogs

When thinking of pedigree dogs, many people immediately think of torture breeding and unhealthy breeding criteria. Mongrels, popular opinion says, are generally much healthier. It is not quite so simple, however.

Of course there are breeds in which questionable breeding criteria have led to health risk factors – just think of the pug, which, wheezing and panting, can barely get any air through its short nose, or the bulldog, whose puppies often have to be brought into the world by caesarean section because of the thick head. The German animal welfare act, however, does not align with these breeding criteria – recognised breeding associations therefore have long placed value again on their members breeding dogs according to health-wise unobjectionable criteria. Many breeds are being bred back to their less extreme original forms: the pug, for example, is thus getting a small nose back. For this to be possible without the breed-typical character being lost, a careful selection of the breeding animals is necessary.

Ultimately, the animals of a recognised breeder must therefore also undergo many health checks before they are approved for breeding. This guarantees that they also bring healthy young animals into the world. However, this also raises the costs for the breeding operation, which in turn are reflected in the prices for the puppies. A puppy from a responsible breeder will never be cheap.

Anyone who wants the pedigree dog at a discount price, however, will resort to cheap animals without a thorough check of breeding suitability – and in many cases will receive a health-burdened animal. In Eastern Europe in particular, a pedigree dog market is booming that breeds the most diverse dog breeds under miserable conditions in order to achieve maximum profit with cute (but sadly often sick) little dogs.

What is important for a dog's health is therefore not whether it is a mongrel or has a particular breed, but rather whether it comes from responsible breeding or from often tormenting mass breeding.

6.) If a dog messes in the home, you have to push its nose into it

Especially in the puppy stage, when a dog is not yet house-trained, but occasionally also later on, it sometimes happens that you as the owner are "surprised" with puddles and little piles in the home. That this is not a joyful surprise goes without saying. Therefore there is of course agreement that this behaviour cannot be tolerated and must be trained away as quickly as possible.

One of the (sadly still well-known) means of breaking a dog of the habit of depositing faeces or urine in the home is to push the four-legged friend's nose into its leavings. Unfortunately, the opposite is the case: this method of upbringing is not only ineffective, but can moreover cause enormous damage to the relationship of trust.

For your dog absolutely does not know what you intend with this reprimand – it finds no connection whatsoever between its actions and yours. Instead, it only notices the (for it groundless) aggressive act of tugging and pushing in. The consequence: it does not stop urinating or defecating in the home, but merely becomes afraid of you.

In addition, you should bear in mind that a young puppy messes in the home out of ignorance – punishment is inappropriate here. The same applies to adult dogs: if an adult dog messes in the home, there is usually a good reason – after all, it too wants a clean home just as you do. Perhaps it is incontinent or ill, perhaps it has experienced a bad situation of fear or was alone too long. But ultimately the reason does not matter: a punishment that the animal cannot even understand is in any case not an appropriate solution to the problem.

7.) No one will harm it, it still has puppy licence

There is no need to worry about small puppies even in the wildest canine mêlée; after all, the little balls of fluff still have puppy licence – or so many a dog owner thinks. With this unfortunately mistaken assumption, however, you can put your puppy in serious danger.

Puppy licence does indeed exist – but it only applies to young dogs of one's own pack. It is a protective mechanism to safeguard one's own genes, or rather one's own family. Unfamiliar puppies that the dog meets on a walk, however, are excluded from puppy licence. If tensions between an adult dog and your puppy are developing, you should therefore get your little one out of the danger zone as calmly as possible (for example by simply walking on, so that it can follow you), instead of relying on the consideration of the older one.

Nevertheless: contact with other dogs is enormously important, especially in the puppy stage, for a successful socialisation of your dog. And as long as you attend the encounter with a watchful eye, fortunately absolutely nothing stands in the way of play with fellow dogs.

An endless list

Misconceptions about dogs are widespread – you have surely already heard or passed on one or another yourself. The list could probably be continued almost endlessly. We hope to have cleared up a few misconceptions here, and we wish you much joy with, and a good understanding of, your four-legged family member!