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Dogs and humans have lived side by side for about 15,000 years, so it would seem that we know each other very well. However, there are things that only cynologists usually know about dogs. We suggest you familiarize yourself with some little-known facts about the psychology of a person’s best friends.

1. Obedient dogs live longer.

The study, published in the journal American Naturalist, compared energy consumption, growth rate, and 56 dog breeds’ lifespan. Scientists found that brave, aggressive breeds died young. However, they grew faster than obedient, more trainable dogs.

2. Dogs have no guilt.

Your pet’s “puppy eyes” are simply a response to a reproach, regardless of whether the dog is actually to blame or not. It has been experimentally confirmed that this penetrating look does not, in fact, reflect any introspection.

3. Dogs feel jealous.

According to a study published in the National Academy of Sciences journal Proceedings, when some dogs are rewarded, others without a reward freak out, scratch themselves and prefer not to look at the rewarded dogs. A similar situation occurs if some dogs receive sausage as an incentive, while others only receive bread.

4. Not all dogs are equally intelligent.

Dogs can be as smart as a 2-year-old child, according to a study presented at a meeting of the American Psychological Association. Collies can understand up to 200 words, lead the ranking of intellectual dogs, and poodles, German shepherds, golden retrievers, and Dobermans round out the five smartest breeds. By the way, older hunting breeds such as hounds and bulldogs are at the bottom of the list, as nature has developed more of their muscles than their brains.

5. Dogs will help you communicate.

According to a survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association, 39% of American families have at least one dog, and 80% of dog owners spend more than two hours a day with their pets. A study published in the Journal of the British Psychological Society shows that when a person walks the dog, his social interactions with other people will be three times more. Moreover, the dogs evoked positive social contact, even when the animal looked angry, or the owner was untidy.