Good to Know

History, behaviour, the human-dog bond and curiosities – fascinating background knowledge about dogs.

Latest articles

Why do old dogs smell? Causes and what you can do

An older dog often smells stronger than before. Usually there is a specific reason that you can recognise and tackle. Find out where the smell comes from, when to see the vet and what helps in everyday life.
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Are dogs still dogs? Domestication and its effects

The relationship between humans and dogs is one of the oldest and most profound bonds in the history of animal-human interaction. For thousands of years, dogs have accompanied us as guardians, helpers and friends...
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Kukur Tihar: The Nepalese Dog Festival

Kukur Tihar is a Nepalese festival celebrated in honour of dogs. It takes place every year in October or November and is an important part of Nepalese culture. During the festival, dogs are honoured with flowers, the colour tika and delicacies.
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My pet – my best friend

Dogs and cats, like all pets, are an important social partner for humans; a positive relationship can also have a beneficial effect on our health. How lovely it is, especially in difficult times, to be greeted joyfully, even if you were only away briefly.
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What is good for my dog now that he has grown old?

There is a well-known saying: everyone wants to grow old, but nobody wants to get older. This applies not only to us humans, but also to our dogs. We give you tips on how your furry friend, too, can grow old comfortably.
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Dog owners live longer

Epidemiologists from Sweden have shown in a large study that dog owners live longer and are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The results clearly demonstrate that living together with a dog is beneficial to one's own health.
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Cats – our companions for a long time

10,000 years of shared history and the mystery of human and cat. Dogs have accompanied us for 30,000 years, yet the relationship with the cat is unique in its own way – a fascinating mixture of closeness and independence.
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New regulations for dogs

What was recently in the media? It concerns a highly official regulation about what animals need, and quite a bit more. It is intended to guarantee dogs sufficient exercise and caring supervision.
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Timeless classics

Like owner, like dog

"Dog owners come to resemble their dogs more and more," popular wisdom claims. And indeed, almost everyone knows a corresponding example from their circle of acquaintances. Usually it is a matter of visual similarities, but it also often happens that dog owners choose an animal...
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Cesar Millan – what's behind the dog whisperer?

In the summer of 2014, Cesar Millan is touring Germany. The American is known not least through his television show as the dog whisperer, under whose hands even difficult problem dogs immediately become as meek as lambs. He uses neither force nor visible aids, but works almost exclusively with body language and energy. The successes are unmistakable, and interest in his method is correspondingly great. […]
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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...
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Accessory dog: the handbag predator

Dog baskets, dog leads, dog bowls, dog toys – but also dog coats, dog jewellery, dog shampoo and dog accessories are available in a huge selection in the relevant shops...
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All articles

Something to Smile About: Are Dogs Always Honest?

It has been written about quite often, and there is plenty of cause for discussion. Anyone who keeps a dog will, of course, insist in response to such a question that their own dog is always honest. But if you take it precisely, that is not true in every case...
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Do dogs wag to the left or the right?

I find it extremely interesting to observe your own dog. You can notice the most wonderful things while doing so. You should really take the time for it, as this opens up entirely new perspectives. Did you know this? When a dog wags to the left, it is tense and has a negative feeling or is afraid...
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Dogs mirror us

What many people do not know, or do not consider enough, is that dogs who are close to us often mirror us. They recognise our moods and even smell whether we are well or unwell. But they also notice when we try to fool them...
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A clever dog – often this is forgotten

When we humans try to judge the mental abilities of dogs or other animals, we quickly fall prey to a huge fallacy. We assess them solely by human standards and ideas. It is often treated as though only forms of human intelligence existed. Every single species, be it dolphins, butterflies or indeed our dogs, has developed its own form of intelligence...
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Helpers on four paws – assistance dogs

A truly helpful institution is the VITA association, which trains assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. The registered association VITA was founded in the year two thousand by the social pedagogue Tatjana Kreidler. It is a non-profit association that provides assistance dogs to physically disabled children and adults...
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Can your dog understand you?

Signals and commands are extremely important in the daily life shared between dog and human. Not only the widely known signals play a role, but the sometimes underestimated cues, too, are very useful in everyday life. Dogs are great specialists at interpreting our body language. However, I also recommend testing once whether your dog follows a signal without seeing its carer directly in front of it...
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Dogs Really Are Clever!

It is beyond dispute that our dogs can think. They grasp connections in a flash, often even faster than their two-legged companions. Dogs have a deep understanding of time and space and are extremely fond of carrying out tasks...
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Can Dogs Laugh?

Anyone who thinks that dogs can't laugh because they have no sense of humour should quickly be taught better. Because this doesn't correspond to the truth. Dogs can in fact be real jokers and funny companions. You just sometimes have to pay attention when dogs start to smile...
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Do dogs have secrets?

A wonderful column dealt with the question of whether dogs can keep secrets. Anyone who thinks dogs can't is mistaken! The clever animals don't like to show their hand...
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When dogs reach their senior years

Our dogs, too, go grey around the muzzle. In advanced age, their jumping power, stamina and eyesight and hearing decline. That is the natural course of time. Anyone who has accompanied their dog over many years from puppy to senior knows...
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May owner and dog be photographed without being asked?

In the age of the smartphone, the shutter button is quick to press. A photo is taken in no time – but are you actually allowed to photograph other people's dogs and their owners just like that?..
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Do our dogs dream? Yes, they do!

Almost every dog owner has seen it at some point: the dog lies fast asleep in its basket, then suddenly the paws twitch, the eyes move beneath the lids, there is a quiet woof or a growl, and some even snap at a phantom in the air...
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