There are quite a few so-called facts about dogs that we all believe to be true. While most are harmless, some of these misleading myths can keep you from properly taking care of your dog. This is why we launched an unbiased fact-checking mission to find out the most ridiculous dog myths that people often consider to be true.

You Have to Be an Alpha to Make Your Dog Listen: You have definitely heard this one before. Pet trainers and even famous celebrity pet behaviorists have propagated the idea that you have to establish yourself as the alpha for your dog to listen to you. This was based on the assumption that wild dogs and wolves had pack leaders and thus pets at home need a leader they can follow. However, according to recent studies, it was found that wolves and African wild dogs have a more complex social structure. Instead of being led by a single dog, these packs work as a cohesive unit and have a more loving family-like bond with each other.

A Healthy Dog Has a Wet Nose: While there is plenty of practical pet health advice that can help you diagnose and treat your pet, some are pure myths. Sadly, this one is one of them. There is no telling why this folklore is believed by so many doggie parents or how this myth started in the first place. Depending on several factors, dogs can have both wet and dry nose.

It’s Important to Breed a Dog Before It’s Spayed: If you have ever contemplated spaying your dog or have done it already then you might have heard this one. People confidently pass on this completely false information to others whenever they hear the word “spaying”. There is absolutely no medical proof of any kind that requires a dog to be bred before it’s spayed.

Dogs Kept Indoors Do Not Need Tick and Flea Protection: If you can create an airtight bubble then this might have been true. However, there is no guarantee that your dog will not get infested with fleas and ticks even if it spends most of its time indoors. It just takes just one tick or flea to make its way through your home’s defences. Considering ticks and fleas spread deadly diseases, not administering proper preventive medications can prove to be a big mistake.

Licking Helps Heal Wounds: Dogs lick their wounds. However, that doesn’t mean that you should let them.Contrary to popular belief, licking a wound does not speed up the healing process. Considering dogs have bacteria in their mouths, this can actually end up aggravating the problem.  In fact, vets often recommend fitting special cones around dogs’ necks to prevent them from licking wounds and infection.

Dogs and Cats are Biologically Tuned to Fight Each Other: There is no denying that some dogs and cats do not get along. However, some dogs also do not get along with other dogs. This means a generalized statement that dogs hate cats or vice versa is nothing but false. There are plenty of families that have both dogs and cats without the fighting and chasing.