We all know that dogs are clever, loyal creatures who make excellent companions.
But did you know they also have an impressive knack for predicting the future?
From natural disasters to medical conditions, our canine friends have an intuitive sixth sense that often warns against potential dangers and illnesses.
Let’s have a look into 11 awesome things dogs can predict.
Dogs Can Predict When A Storm Is Coming
Have you ever noticed that your pup seems to be behaving differently right before a storm?
Dogs are incredible predictors of weather changes!
Dogs can smell changes in barometric pressure before they happen.
This means that they can tell when a storm is coming up to 48 hours before it hits.
They also use small changes in the environment, like the sound of thunder and the presence of highly charged ions, which are easier to notice before a storm.
So the next time your pup starts getting antsy or vigilant, take their cues and ensure you’re prepared for the upcoming severe weather.
They Can Predict Seizures In Epileptic Patients
The ability to predict seizures in epileptic patients is a remarkable one.
Scientists have been looking for ways to do this for a long time, but recent improvements have given them the ability to accurately track brain signals that indicate a seizure is about to happen.
Through careful monitoring, they can track how the levels of biomarkers made by the brain change and predict seizures before they happen.
That helps people with the disease plan their daily activities around the times when they are most vulnerable, so they can be careful and stay out of dangerous situations.
Clinicians also use predictive measures as part of their full treatment plans for epileptic patients to keep them as safe and healthy as possible.
Dogs Can Smell Cancer In Humans
Dogs’ powerful noses can detect cancer in humans, offering a non-invasive way to identify it.
Studies by researchers have shown that specially trained dogs can smell cancer and tell their owners or doctors about it.
Even more amazing is the idea that dogs can tell the difference between different kinds of cancer and other diseases that aren’t dangerous.
Even though more research needs to be done before canine sniff tests for cancer are common in hospitals, these amazing animals have given us new ways to find and stop one of the most dangerous diseases of our time.
They Can Predict When Someone Is About To Have A Heart Attack
Dogs are known for their exceptional sense of smell, and it turns out that they may be able to use this skill to detect subtle changes in human physiology.
Several studies have found that some dogs can predict when someone is about to have a heart attack, even before any obvious symptoms appear.
This is thought to be because dogs can detect changes in the body’s scent, which can occur as a result of changes in the heart’s electrical activity.
Although the exact mechanism behind this ability is not fully understood, it is believed that dogs may be able to detect the scent of specific chemical compounds that are released when the heart is under stress.
While not all dogs possess this ability, those that do may be trained to act as medical alert dogs, helping to warn their owners and potentially saving lives.
Dogs Can Be Trained To Detect Explosives And Drugs
With their highly attuned sense of smell and loyal, energetic nature, dogs can make excellent partners in law enforcement activities.
In addition to acting as companions on patrol and alerting potentially dangerous suspects, they can also be trained to detect explosives and drugs.
Organizations such as the TSA use dogs specifically for this reason. The unique ability of a dog’s nose to find trace amounts of substances helps keep us safe when traveling.
Research has been conducted which suggests that dogs may even be able to pick up scents of different types of cancer before medical tests can.
That makes canine assistance an invaluable resource in many fields.
They Can Predict When Someone Is Sad Or Happy
Researchers have found that not only do they love and care for us no matter what, but they also have an impressive ability to understand how we feel.
Studies have shown that dogs can tell from small changes in a person’s facial expressions and body language whether they are sad or happy.
This skill lets them act in the right way.
When an owner is happy, their furry friend may jump around and be excited to see them.
When an owner is sad, however, their pup often gives them extra cuddles and reassurance to help them feel better.
Such intuitive instincts demonstrate just how remarkable these four-legged friends can be.
Some Dogs Are Even Able To Predict When Their Owners Are Going To Die
Dogs are man’s best friend, as demonstrated by their remarkable empathy and reliance on their owners.
But some dogs can be even more extraordinary.
A recent study by the Journal General Medicine found that some dogs can predict when their owners will soon die.
Researchers looked at dogs that lived with people who were dying and found that the dogs’ behavior changed days before the person died.
It seems that older animals are especially good at recognizing the signs of death, while younger animals take longer to get used to this change in their environment.
Scientists still don’t know how and why these predictions come true, but there is more and more evidence that dogs may be good predictors of loss in people.
This makes us think again about how amazing it is that people and animals can get along so well.
They Can Predict When Someone Is Pregnant
Dogs have a great sense of smell, which has been known for a long time. Now, science is showing that this sense of smell can be used to tell if a woman is pregnant.
Recent studies show that dogs are very aware of how their owners’ hormones change as soon as they get pregnant.
This means that they can predict pregnancy long before any physical signs start to show.
This has been seen in many different dog breeds.
It has been tested in different situations, and the results have always been the same.
This adds to the evidence that dogs are loyal friends and can also tell when happiness is coming.
They Can Predict When Someone Has Diabetes
Dogs are more than just beloved four-legged companions.
They have the remarkable capability to detect certain medical conditions in humans.
A new study reveals that canines can help those with diabetes1 by sniffing out the disease.
Dogs can tell the difference between the smell of blood glucose levels on unwashed T-shirt samples from people with diabetes and those from people without the disease.
Amazingly, these results stayed the same when diabetic and non-diabetic sweat samples were put next to each other.
This means that dogs can smell signs of diabetes on their own.
That could be a game-changer for early detection of a disorder that affects about 425 million people around the world.
Dogs Can Detect Low Blood Sugar Levels In People With Diabetes
Dogs can be incredibly helpful when it comes to managing diabetes.
In some cases, they can even save a life by detecting low blood sugar levels through the chemicals released from their human skin.
Studies have shown that diabetics can use trained dogs and a scent-training program to help them know when their blood sugar level is too low.
This training helps them not only understand what is going on in the body of the person they live with, but also how to take action, like turning off alarms at night or calling for help.
Amazingly, these dogs that save lives always amaze people with how well they can smell.
They Can Even Be Used To Find Lost People
Dogs have been used to search for missing persons since the late 1800s.
They are incredibly effective at finding people lost in the mountains or scattered across large land areas.
Dog Search and Rescue teams, also known as DSAR, can easily find a scent trail and follow it until they find a missing person by using their very sensitive noses.
Because they are so good at tracking, search dogs can cover a lot of ground quickly, cutting the time it takes to look for someone from hours to just minutes.
As a result, these amazing animals have a big impact on DSAR teams, and their work has saved over 1000 lives.
Before You Go…
Now you know awesome things dogs can predict.
If you want to learn more, read the following articles too!
