Essential Daily Care Tips for Happy, Healthy Dogs

Normal Body Temperature

When measuring a dog's body temperature, it's typically done by taking the rectal temperature.

For a healthy dog, the normal body temperature ranges from 37.5 to 38.5 degrees Celsius for adult dogs, and from 38.5 to 39 degrees Celsius for puppies. The temperature usually peaks in the evening and is lower in the morning, with a daily fluctuation of about 0.2 to 0.5 degrees Celsius.

Changes in body temperature are a significant indicator of a dog's health. Whether it's a rise or a drop, it suggests that the dog may be experiencing some sort of physical issue.

Compared to fever, hypothermia can be more dangerous, as it often indicates that the dog is already quite weak.

However, there can be numerous reasons for a dog's fever, and it's not uncommon for their temperature to rise temporarily after intense exercise.

Therefore, if a dog arrives at a veterinary clinic after walking or running, it's generally recommended to let the dog rest for a while before measuring its temperature to ensure accuracy.

Number of Teeth

A typical adult dog has 42 teeth, with 6 incisors on the top and bottom, 2 canines on the top and bottom, 8 premolars on the top and bottom, 4 molars on the top, and 6 molars on the bottom.

Most dogs start to grow teeth around 20 days old, and by about 2 months, they have 28 deciduous teeth. They then begin to lose their baby teeth and grow permanent ones, with most dogs having all 42 permanent teeth by around 8 months old, and most are fully grown by about 1 year.

The "double row of teeth" we often hear about is actually a condition during the teething phase when the deciduous teeth haven't fallen out yet and the permanent teeth have already emerged, causing the dog to have two rows of close teeth.

Double rows of teeth aren't just unsightly; they can also affect the dog's daily life. Food particles can easily get trapped between the double rows, leading to tartar buildup and potentially causing periodontal disease, which can impact eating.

So, if a dog owner notices signs of double rows of teeth, they should consider helping the dog's deciduous teeth fall out naturally. This can be achieved by using dental chews or large bones that the dog can't swallow to help wear down the teeth.

If the dog's deciduous teeth cannot be removed with dental aids, it's advisable to seek veterinary assistance to determine the severity of the double rows and whether corrective measures, such as tooth extraction, are necessary.

Sleeping Hours

Have you ever noticed how long your dog sleeps in a day? Sometimes, when you take it out for play, it seems as if it's full of energy 24/7.

But in reality, dogs require more sleep than we might think. Generally, adult dogs need between 10 to 15 hours of sleep, while puppies need even more, around 20 hours.

However, unlike humans, dogs don't need a continuous period of rest. They can achieve rest and rejuvenation through fragmented, light sleep.

Toe Count

Most dogs have five toes on their front paws and four on their back paws.

The front paws have a particularly unique toe known as the "suspensory toe" or "wolf toe,"

The wolf toe is a degenerate remnant and is perfectly normal whether it's present or not. It doesn't aid in the dog's normal walking and has no impact on it.

However, it's important to trim the nails on the wolf toe, as overgrown nails can bend inward and lead to issues like nails piercing the flesh, which can be painful.

Color Perception

By human standards, dogs are considered to have color vision deficiencies.

Below is the color spectrum seen by humans, and below that is the color spectrum seen by dogs:

Aside from black, white, and gray, dogs can also see blue and yellow. Red, orange, and green appear as shades of gray to dogs.

But you might wonder how guide dogs can differentiate between red and green traffic lights?

Actually, they can't distinguish between red and green. Instead, they rely on the different brightness levels of grays to identify traffic lights.