1. Dogs in cartoons tend to be morons, and cats are little evil geniuses.
But a new study has basically proven DOGS are the smarter species. Scientists figured out a way to count how many neurons different animals have in their cerebral cortex the part of the brain associated with complex thoughts. And dogs have over TWICE as many.
It's not just because their brains are bigger. A lot of big-brained animals are dumb. For example, the brain of a bear is 10 times bigger than a cat's brain. But they found they have roughly the same number of neurons.
Raccoon brains are impressive too. They're the size of a cat brain, but have the same number of neurons as a dog. But they're all still pretty stupid compared to us. Dogs and raccoons both have around 500 million neurons. Your cerebral cortex has about 16 billion.
2. 85% of Dog Owners Say Their Dog Helps Them Get Through the Holidays
In a new survey, 85% of dog owners said their dog helps them get through the holidays without going nuts. 40% have taken their dog for a walk to get away from family. And 43% are more excited to see their family dog than they are to see relatives.
The top three ways we include our dogs during the holidays are by giving them special treats getting them their own stocking and including them in a holiday photo shoot. And 80% of dog owners plan to buy their dog a gift this year.
Dogs and Christmas don't always go well together though. 30% said their dog has destroyed a gift or decoration in the past. And 29% said their dog has either knocked over their Christmas tree, or peed on it.