Did you know that our senses include the perception of the magnetic field? While we have almost lost this ability already, dogs still have it and use it every day. Do you know for what?
Maybe you have noticed that your dog partner sometimes takes quite a while before he finds the right spot to do his needs. And that's just the effect of a magnetic field. Since dogs take up such a position doing so, that their body is directed into a certain direction towards the Earth’s magnetic field.
Sounds unbelievable, right? However, a recent Czech-German scientific study proved, that dogs are sensitive to small changes in the Earth's magnetic field, which in turn affects the way they “go to the toilet”. A team of scientists found out after several years of monitoring of dogs, that if the magnetic field is calm, the dogs prefer to align their body on the axis from the North to the South when doing their needs. However, if the magnetic field becomes unstable, dogs have no directional preference.
Scientists from the Czech Agricultural University and the German University of Duisburg-Essen wrote in the context of publication in the scientific journal Frontiers in Zoology online, that measuring of the direction of the axis of the body was carried out in 70 dogs of 37 breeds during defecation (1 893 observations) and urination (5 582 observations) over a two-year period. Collected data was sorted according to geomagnetic conditions in the individual periods of data collection. Directional preferences of the dogs in various conditions of the magnetic field were then analysed and tested using a circular statistics.
Based on this research, the scientists came to the conclusion that the behaviour of dogs is predictable based on fluctuations in the magnetic field. However, they are not sure why dogs are adapting to it while carrying out their needs. Whether they do it consciously (i.e. if they see or feel the direction of the compass in any way) or subconsciously (whether the direction is controlled on an autonomic level - they only feel better or worse when facing a certain way). The analysis of the collected data only shows that dogs prefer the North-South direction and at the same time they avoid the East-West direction.
This magnetic positioning has been observed also in other mammals besides dogs, for example, in cattle or deer. Foxes plan the hunting trajectory precisely based on the magnetic field. In turn, wolves have extremely large territories. This suggests that they have excellent orientation skills, in which the scientists also see also a link with the perception of the magnetic field.
In any case, based on this discovery, the scientists established, that new horizons have opened up in magneto-biological research.
What do you think about it? Have you noticed that your dog always turns in the same direction when doing his needs? Try to notice it and share your experience!
Cats are no longer the outside countryside homeless animals that come closer to a house just for a while when they are in the mood for it. Rather the opposite, they have started living in city flats and have adjusted to our lifestyle. However, it’s...
Rabbits are popular pets especially for city flats. It’s because they don’t require a lot of space and don’t need to go outside very often (no garden needed). However, it doesn’t mean taking care of them is easy and no time or efforts are needed. We...
It sounds lovely: a dog gets a command, it does it and gets a treat or a reward for that. It won’t end with one moment in the perfect case and it will become the basic idea of a whole training for a dog that will become an obedient pet using positive...
Every dog owner knows that feeling when (s)he has to leave house to work or (s)he can’t take his/her pet with him/her for any reason and (s)he doesn’t know what’s going to happen. Can a dog handle the situation or will it bark and go on the rampage?...
Fear is natural for people and everyone has their own fears. While someone is scared of spiders, heights or confined spaces, others are scared of dogs. This fear is common in children who haven’t explored the world so well yet and who don’t know the...
Guinea pigs are popular pets especially in families with kids. They are small animals that can bring a lot of joy. If you consider buying a guinea pig, there are some aspects you shouldn’t neglect before making the decision. We talked about what to...
Have you heard about sport called Disc Dog? It basically consists of throwing a disc to your dog that fetches it. Disc Dog can be done as a recreational or a professional sport. For professional competitors, there are several disciplines for which...
Siberian Cat is quite a new breed that was only recognized by the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) in 1992. It emerged from crossbreeding domestic cats and breeds brought from the Near East and it found its home in Russia and Ukraine where it...
Most of us have this long thought-to-be-true idea that one dog year equals to seven human years. So, if you have a two-year-old puppy at home, it is already 14 years old when compared to humans. Therefore, if you have a ten-year-old dog at home, it is...
Breast milk is, in the beginning of life, the best thing a pup can get from its mother. It is full of the nutrients it needs to grow and develop properly. However, as the offsprings grow, milk needs to be supplemented with other food, so they are...
Cat lovers and breeders know very well that one cat is often not enough, and that there is sometimes a need to get another cat companion. However, this decision will affect the whole household and, above all, it is necessary to prepare the cat you...
Many of us are under the influence of the need to fulfill a dream of getting an unconventional pet, which the minipig certainly is. This trend has been present in the Czech Republic for about ten years. But don’t be fooled by those cute snouts, taking...
