The Facts about Five Dog Myths

Dogs are very intelligent, but their sense of time is not so good. If dogs are destructive when left alone, it is because they are frustrated. They cannot plan too far into the future.  They really don't think ahead to  the time when you will be coming home and plan to do something that will be upsetting to you. They tend to live in the moment. Dogs are social creatures and some are particularly stressed when left at home. Many will find his owner’s clothing or bed because the owner’s scent is strongest there. Chewing is a typical stress reliever for dogs. So, no, it’s not to punish you, it’s just a natural expression of stress.

Once again, dogs don't have a good sense of time.Dogs don’t associate the act of chewing or house soiling with the punishment if there is too great of a time span. They need to see a reaction to their behavior in a matter of seconds. What they probably have learned, is that being in the same space with you and the offending item is going to bring punishment or that your homecoming often brings punishment.

Not necessarily. A conscientious breeder of purebreds will have their dogs tested for hereditary diseases and only breed those that pass. Inbreeding is not common as some people think. Mixed breeds often are the product of accidental breeding and the dogs were never tested for any hereditary problems. Breeders of mixed breeds seldom have their dogs tested before breeding. While there is a thing called hybrid vigor where the offspring are more robust than the parents, it doesn't always manifest and if it does, it will fade with subsequent generations

Well, yes and no. Certainly good training and good socialization will do wonders for any dog, but dogs inherit traits from their parents. Some of those traits are personality and temperament traits. There has been a nature vs. nurture debate going on for years. My personal opinion is that it is a combination of both. If you have a protective or dominate breed of dog, you will need to put in extra training and socialization to overcome the nature of that dog.

Nope. Researchers have found that dogs can see colors but not the full range that people can see. Their spectrum is more bluish, greenish and yellowish. They can’t see reds or oranges. So those favorite red and orange toys actually are harder for your dog to see. Some retriever training bumpers are white which show up well against a dark ground.