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The Scoop: All Dog Coat Types Come From Just Three Genes
Doggie coats range from sleek and straight to coarse and wiry with a lil bit of everything in between. However, a recent study reveals that nearly all types of dog coats come from just three genes!
Combinations and variations of RSPO2, FGF5, and KRT71 create the different types and some breeds, like Bo, the Portuguese water dog, have alterations of all three.
Have You Ever Been Attacked By a Bird?
Look out below! This mockingbird is on the attack at the University of Florida and, according to a recent study, she remembers the person in the pic as someone who came too close to her nest a few days before. The study, which had test subjects touching and getting up-close-and-personal to the mockingbird nest, proved that the birds can recall faces since they only attacked the people who actually touched the nest and ignored other passersby!
What Do You Know About Catnip?
Whether your kitty loves it, likes it or would leave it in a heartbeat, catnip is synonymous with many cat toys. They come stuffed or sprayed with the essence of this fragrant plant but do you know anything about it . .
Spot the Differences Between Leopards, Jaguars, and Cheetahs
A jaguar by any other name would still look as sweet . . .
World's Meanest Dog May Not Be the Breed You Think It Is!
When we think about stereotypically "mean dogs," I'm pretty sure we can all name those most maligned. But statistically, the world's meanest breed isn't a Pit Bull, Bulldog, or even a Doberman — it's an English Cocker Spaniel!
A recent study by the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Barcelona shows more reported cases of aggression by the English Cocker Spaniel than any other breed, followed by Rottweilers, Boxers, Yorkshire Terriers, and German Shepherds.
Ask PetSugar: Why Do My Pet's Eyes Look Awful in Photos?
Admittedly, I sometimes use editing software to touch up North's pupils but, when a pal asked about the phenomenon of red, yellow, blue, or green eyes in animal photos, I found myself rambling on like a quasiscientist. Just call me Dr. PetSugar .
The Scoop: Hamsters Generate Electricity by Running a Wheel
While some hamsters show no interest in their wheels in the first place, others use a love of running to fuel something totally cool. Scientists at Georgia Tech harnessed hamster power by outfitting the small mammals with yellow jackets with electricity-generating threads sewn in. The size of these zinc oxide nanowire threads?
The Scoop: How Dogs (and Wolves) Pick Potty Places
If you've got a male dog, I'm betting you notice his gravitation to certain spots to do his business – North has his favorite hydrant and lamp posts in our neighborhood. I knew about the reasoning behind marking, but a new study takes that one step further. It explains that dogs aren't just choosing the same spots, they pick prominent urban landscape features that "maximize visual impact and odor distribution."Not to get too graphic here, but this study is the first to examine the poop side, looking at fecal marking of wild wolves to see how choices can tell others about territory control, mating status, and more.
Which Way Does Your Dog's Tail Wag? (It Means Something.)
Most people associate wagging tails with happy dogs, but I'm betting not many pay attention to which direction that tail moves. Now, obviously while wagging, it goes back and forth but according to this study, the "striking asymmetries in the control of tail movements" can tell how the right and left halves of the brain control different emotions.
Next time you see this, check which direction the bias is – the wagging should be more pronounced in one direction like bouncing an eraser-topped pencil on a table.
Do Beloved Dogs Raise Oxytocin As Much As Loved People?
Could playing with the dog make you as happy as spending time with a baby or loved one? It seems possible according to a new study of 55 dog owners and their pets. The test examined oxytocin (aka, the "love drug"), the chemical found to lessen stress and depression in humans when related to babies and romantic partners, to see if social contact between two different species could boost levels as well.
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