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Dogs exhibit a puzzling phenomenon before they die: they suddenly become lively after being weak and powerless, as if they have returned to the state of their youth, a phenomenon called "rejuvenation".
This brief burst of vitality seems to be their last burst of strength, wanting to leave their owners with some pleasant memories before leaving.
However, there is one phenomenon that puzzles many pet owners: when dogs feel that their lives are coming to an end, why do they choose to run away from home instead of ending their life journey peacefully with those closest to them?
01
When cats and dogs are young, they are like fairies in the yard, jumping and running, bringing infinite joy to people's lives.
But with the passage of time, the cycle of life always brings about changes.
When faced with internal injuries or illnesses, these critters instinctively seek out herbs to treat themselves in a natural way.
They quietly hide out of sight and wait quietly for recovery in this way.
But at the end of their lives, this behavior takes on a different meaning.
Old cats and dogs are no longer for treatment, but to find a suitable place for them to die peacefully.
This behavior is considered part of their instinct, trying to hide their vulnerability and not let their pet owners see their sick side, lest the owner worry too much.
In the last stage of life, the dog's physical strength will gradually be exhausted, and they will lie on their stomachs, barely able to stand or move.
At this time, the role of the pet owner becomes very important.
If you find that your dog can't sleep for a long time, the best thing to do is not to disturb him, but to be quietly by his side so that he feels not alone in his last moments.
And behind this behavior, there may be hidden the instinct of the dog's ancestor wolf.
Wolves are social animals, and they have a survival mechanism in nature: when a member is old, weak, sick, or disabled, and about to die, they instinctively leave the group.
The purpose of this is twofold: on the one hand, to prevent the body of oneself after death from contaminating the environment and causing the spread of bacteria and diseases, and on the other hand, to avoid attracting natural predators and to protect the safety of the community.
As distant relatives of wolves, dogs still retain some wild instincts after a long period of domestication.
The instinct of pain and death makes them choose a lonely place, not only out of consideration for their master, but also as an act of self-preservation.
In the face of death, dogs may choose to visit every place they have experienced with their owners, which is both a review of the good memories of life and a final farewell to the world that is about to leave.
Dogs have always played the role of emotional companions in people's lives, they can keenly sense the emotional changes of their owners, and accompany them in every moment of their joys and sorrows.
This deep emotional connection makes dogs choose to leave their owners at the last moment of their lives, probably because they are unwilling to let their owners witness their deaths and do not want to bring more sadness to their owners.
When dogs are injured or sick, they will instinctively look for a hidden place to recuperate, which is their sense of crisis.
Similarly, when life is nearing its end, they seek a quiet corner to preserve their bodies from being targeted by other predators.
02
Compared to people, the life of a dog can be said to be very short.
While the pet medical system has become more systematic and commercialized over the past three decades, and pet medical services have grown at an impressive rate, the average life expectancy of dogs has surprisingly not increased.
Compared to the growing number of pets, their average lifespan seems to have suffered some kind of adverse effect.
So, what is quietly shaping this phenomenon behind the scenes?
Genetic factors are one of the keys to determining a dog's lifespan, and it symbolizes the life code that cannot be changed.
A dog's genetic makeup, size, and even coat color are all closely related to its lifespan.
For example, large dog breeds typically have a shorter lifespan than small dog breeds. This fact reminds us that when choosing a pet, we must accept all the realities that accompany it, including their natural lifespan.
Parallel to genetic factors is the role of the acquired environment, which many pet owners know little about, and they may over-pamper their pets, resulting in an unbalanced diet, lack of necessary exercise, inadequate epidemic prevention measures, or a lack of health knowledge.
These factors are not to be underestimated, and together they weave a web that affects the health and longevity of dogs.
Another important factor that affects a dog's lifespan is sleep.
Sleep in dogs is divided into "heterogeneous sleep", in which the body is rested but the eyes may still be moving, and "non-heterogeneous sleep", which is a state of deep sleep in which the brain is fully rested.
When dogs feel safe in their environment, they are more likely to fall into non-heterogeneous sleep, resulting in better rest.
As a loyal companion of humans, dogs are largely influenced by their owners Xi their habits.
But its physiological structure and needs are different from those of humans, especially in sleep patterns.
Dogs typically have shorter sleep cycles than humans, which causes them to wake up more frequently during the night.
Although they are able to respond quickly to their owner's midnight calls, this sleep pattern of repeated awakenings may have an impact on their memory organization.
Memory confusion is a possible consequence of sleep disorders, and a good night's sleep can help dogs relieve the stress response caused by fear and anxiety, although it does not alter the subconscious memories that have already formed.
When the owner's life routine is reversed, the dog's biological clock will also be forced to adapt to this unnatural schedule, which may cause a series of health problems.
A dog that is Xi to reversing day and night may have an exacerbated stress response because the pattern disrupts its normal biological rhythm.
Long-term stress can lead to behavioral problems such as being overly aggressive, fighting with other dogs, or disobeying commands.
This is not only because they can't get enough rest to repair damaged nerve tissue, but also because this constant stress can affect their metabolism, reduce the body's need for activating hormones, and increase irritability and stress responses, which are all detrimental factors to your dog's health.
In addition, the stress response is not only the enemy of sleep, it also directly hinders the body's and brain's ability to eliminate fatigue.
When dogs suffer from diseases such as colds, heart disease, stomach ulcers, or diabetes, they are more sensitive to stress, further affecting their sleep quality.
Therefore, maintaining a stable and healthy routine is not only beneficial to yourself, but also an important factor in maintaining the health of your pet.
03
As dogs grow, we can observe that their life cycle accelerates significantly.
Dogs can have full baby teeth in as little as three months, while human children typically take four months or more.
What's even more surprising is that by the age of six months, dogs already have the ability to reproduce, and this age is still in childhood for humans.
This rapid pace of growth and maturation undoubtedly puts a huge strain on the dog's body, causing their aging process to accelerate relative to humans.
Generally speaking, the average lifespan of a small dog is between 10 and 15 years, a medium-sized dog can live up to 10 to 13 years, and a large dog tends to only be with us for 8 to 12 years.
Because large dogs' organs are under more stress, their body structure requires more resources to maintain proper functioning.
In addition, large dogs grow faster than small dogs from a young age, which may lead to faster cell aging and a higher risk of disease.
In addition to physiological factors, the environment and genes are also important factors that affect the lifespan of dogs.
Domestic dogs may have accumulated more genetic health problems due to selective breeding and inbreeding over generations, in contrast, wild canines, such as wolves, typically have more genetic diversity, which is beneficial for their survival and health.
In addition, the lifestyle of a modern domestic dog can also be part of the mystery of lifespan.
Domestic dogs tend to live a life of lack of exercise and excess food compared to wild canines, all of which can lead to shorter lifespans in domestic dogs.
With the advancement of science and the development of pet medical technology, we may be able to buy more time for these loyal companions, because they are irreplaceable treasures in our lives, no matter how long or short their life journey is.