OK, we all love our dogs but what do you know about them. In tis article we present a collection of interesting facts about dogs, some you may know and some you may not. Learn a little bit more about mans best friend
Dog facts
If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 60,000 dogs in 6 years!
Bloodhounds are used as sniffer dogs in various countries because they have such an acute sense of smell.
Bingo is the name of the dog on the side of the Cracker Jack box.
Dogs can hear higher pitches than humans when it comes to sound, dogs can hear very clearly at 8000Hz, humans about 2000Hz
During WW1, dogs were used to send messages to the front line
Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years.
Dogs can be trained to detect epileptic seizures.
Chocolate should never be given to dogs, since it is poisonous and can prove to be fatal.
At the end of the Beatles' song “A Day in the Life”, a high-pitched dog whistle was recorded by Paul McCartney for the benefit of his sheepdog.
The average city dog lives 3 years longer than a country dog.
About 58% of people put their pets in family and holiday portraits.
The St. Bernard is the world's heaviest breed of dog, weighing up to 120kg when fully-grown.
Dogs are able to donate blood to other dogs
Dogs have 1700 taste buds, which is a lot less than the 7000 humans have
Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in your pet dog. So be careful.
The world’s smallest dog was a Yorkshire Terrier, which weighed four ounces.
Dogs have a total of thirteen different blood types
The tallest dog on record is a Great Dane who stood 44 inches tall
The most expensive dog in the world cost its owner $1.5 million.
Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese.
In 2002, more people in the U.S. were killed by dogs than by sharks during the past 100 years.
An American Animal Hospital Association poll discovered that 33% of dog owners admitted to speaking to their dogs over the phone and leaving answering machine messages for them.
A German Shepherd guide dog led her blind companion through the entire 2100-mile Appalachian Trail.
Dogs have no sense of “time”.
The Russians trained dogs during WWII to run suicide missions with mines strapped to their backs.
Dogs are able to learn and understand up to 200 words
Franklin Roosevelt spent $15,000 for a destroyer to pick up his Scottie in the Aleutian Islands.
We are not sure about how many dogs are in the world but it is thought that there are more than half a billion in total.
Basset Hounds are not able to swim.
The Basenji is the only dog in the world which doesn’t bark.
Dogs do not have an appendix.
The shortest being a Chihuahua measuring just 3.8 inches in height. Its name is taken from the state of Chihuahua in Mexico.
Dogs have sweat glands in between their paws
Dogs have a total of 42 teeth when they are fully-grown.
President Lyndon Johnson had two beagles named Him and Her.
The Labrador Retriever is the #1 favorite breed in the U.S., Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Every dog on earth likely descended from a species known as the Tomarctus – a creature that roamed the earth over 15 million years ago.
Teddy Roosevelt's dog which was called Pete, ripped a French Ambassador's pants off at the White House.
70% of people sign their pet's name on greeting and holiday cards.
Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes with age. This is the same as human babies.
A dog's nose prints are as unique as a human's fingerprints and can be used to accurately identify them.
A dog's mouth exerts 150-200 pounds of pressure per square inch. Some dog breeds can exert up to 450 pounds per square inch.
Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs.
Dogs do have better low-light vision than humans because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas.
In 1957, Laika became the first living being in space via an earth satellite.
JFK's terrier, Charlie, fathered 4 puppies with Laika's daughter.
There are 703 breeds of purebred dogs.
An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner's will. Lucky dogs.
George Washington had 36 foxhounds.
Dogs have three different eyelids. They have an upper lid, a lower lid and a third lid
There are only 350 Cisky Terriers in the world.
The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world. Statistics show that more than 60% of US households have a pet dog
An African wolf dog known as the Basenji is the only dog in the world that cannot bark.
87% of dog owners say their dog curls up beside them or at their feet while they watch TV
The Bible mentions dogs a total of 37 times.
The Great Dane is the national dog of Germany – I bet you thought it was Denmark.
About 15 people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites.
A dog's' only sweat glands are between their paw pads.
In the 17th century, rain in Germany would cause stray cats and dogs to be washed up in the streets or drowned. Thus, the term ‘it’s raining cats and dogs’ was coined.
Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, with speeds of around 45 miles per hour.
The Lundehune breed has 6 toes and can close its ears.
Only dogs and humans have prostates.
The oldest known dog breed is most likely the Saluki – originally trained by Egyptians to help them track game.
France has the 2nd highest dog population.
A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15-year old human.
No two dog noses are the same
Newfoundlands are great swimmers because of their webbed feet.
The world's smallest dog breed in the world is the Chihuahua.
The largest breed of dog in the world is the Irish Wolfhound.
It is a myth that dogs are actually color blind. They can see in color, just not as good as humans can. It is the equivalent to our vision at dusk.
Gidget is the name of the Taco Bell dog.
The world’s oldest dog lived to the grand old age of 29 years and 5 months.
Queen Elizabeth II has been the owner of more than 30 Corgis
In Roman times, mastiffs donned light armor and were sent after mounted knights.
The Chow Chow and the Shar Pei are the only two dog breeds which have black tongues