If you have a dog, then I don't need to tell you that they are fascinating animals! Dogs have special, interesting features that make them quite unique...
especially when compared to humans! The first time you begin to notice some of these features, you might be some-what alarmed.
However, there is no need to panic or call the veterinarian, your dog is perfectly normal.
Unlike humans (at least any human's I know) all dogs have what is called a third eyelid.
They have the normal upper and lower eyelids and then one extra.
This third eyelid is also called the nictitating membrane (did you get that!?).
Unlike the upper and lower lids, the third eyelid sweeps across the eye in a diagonal fashion (from the inside bottom to the outside top).
The job of the third eyelid is to eliminate any debris from the surface of your dog's eye.
It also helps to lubricate the eye and produce tears (before you ask, NO, dogs don't cry like humans!).
If you have yet to actually see your dog's third eyelid, wait until your pooch is resting and just about to doze off.
That is the best time to see it in action; however I must warn you, it isn't the most beautiful thing in the world to look at! Many young dogs have a few extra teeth.
Again, no need to alert the press or call the veterinarian! Just like humans, dogs have two lots of teeth.
Of course, there are the puppy teeth, which eventually fall out, and the permanent teeth.
It is not uncommon for a dog's permanent teeth to begin arriving before the baby teeth have had a chance to say goodbye.
If this happens, your pooch will have several teeth that appear very close together.
Unless you are worried about what your pup will look like in photographs, there really is no need for concern.
The majority of the time, the puppy teeth will eventually fall out all by themselves.
If for some strange reason they don't, have your vet take a look at them the next time you take your pooch in for a visit.
He will advise you on what needs to be done, if anything! Most people are surprised when they learn that dogs have bellybuttons.
Honestly, I don't know why this fact is so surprising, how else would the mama dog's umbilical cord attach to her puppies? A dog's bellybutton is located right in the center of her body at the bottom of the rib cage.
If you can't find it, just look for a small scar or very small, bulging area.
Most of the time, a dog's bellybutton is hardly noticeable (this makes many female pups happy when it comes time for bikini season).
Though not particularly unusual, many people are surprised when they see nipples on a dog.
All dogs have two sets of nipples, one set running down the left side of their body and one set on the right.
The nipples will run from the dog's chest to their belly.
Obviously, female dogs have a lot of nipples so that they can feed many puppies at one time.
Usually, the more litters that the dog has had, the more pronounced the nipples will be.
Though pronounced nipples on a female dog may not be the most attractive scenario, it is not unusual or unheard of.
Just be ready for a bumpy ride when you pet a nippley pooch.
In male dogs and neutered females, the nipples remain quite small.
So there, now you know all you need to know about doggie nipples! When looking at your dog's paws you may have noticed extra claws on the inside of each doggie ankle.
Those claws are actually called dewclaws and they assisted dogs back in the day when our four legged companions could actually climb trees.
Well, sadly, the pups of today can no longer scale oak trees; therefore, they really don't use their dewclaws for much of anything.
It wouldn't be surprising if evolution once again took over and removed dewclaws from the pooches of the future, but until then it is important to keep your dog's dewclaws neat and trimmed so that they don't snag and tear.
Torn dog nails usually bleed a lot; therefore, regular trimmings are a must.
Last but not least, the black tongue! If your dog has a black tongue, yes, he or she is unusual, however, perfectly normal.
It is completely natural for certain breeds to have black tongues.
The Chow Chow, for example, has either an all black tongue or a tongue with a few black spots.
The black color is simply an all natural skin pigmentation that your dog just happened to be born with.
Dogs, just like other animals, have many interesting and unique features.
No matter whether your dog has a black or pink tongue, pronounced nipples, or even a few extra teeth, there is no denying that he is still your loyal companion and best furry friend!