Interesting, fascinating and weird dog facts, dog trivia and information all here in the one place!

 

A barking dog is often an alarm and its purpose is to let people as well as other dogs know that something is trying to invade its territory. Dog facts: in the wild, barking dogs tells puppies to take cover and hide, and alerts the other dogs in the pack to assemble for action. Dogs also bark when they are bored, anxious or excited.

The first guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired were trained in Germany to provide assistance for those blinded in the war. German Shepherds were used for their protective and strong sense of loyalty to their owner.

If you love dogs, but dislike the sound of barking, a possible solution is a Basenji dog. This dog is a breed of dog that does not bark, but instead makes a yodel-like sound.

Eighty percent of dog owners buy their dog a present for holidays and birthdays. More than half of them sign letters and cards from themselves and their pets.

Dogs with little human contact in their first three months typically don’t make good pets.

The relationship between man and his dog is a special one and it is no wonder that more healthcare practitioners are recommending that their patients adopt a dog to help them through periods of illness. Dog facts: there are many instances on record that describes how the companionship of a loving pet has helped ailing people to get better.
 

Facts about dogs: Dogs just love to chew on bones. It strengthens and cleans their teeth. However, never give your dog cooked bones.

One-dog Policy. Shanghai officials hope to curb the growing popularity of man's best friend in the city. A draft dog law would limit each household to just one canine, citing Shanghai's population of 20 million people and limited living space for the one-dog policy, the official China Daily reported November 2010.

If you’re one of the many dog owners who often get the feeling that your dog can read your mind, that could be exactly what they are doing.  A team of doctors and scientists in Russia, conducted telepathic experiments with dogs, of which half the tests were successful. Most of the experiments involved testing the dog's ability to read unspoken commands. Dog facts: The research team concluded that some ESP factor must be at work.

Dog Facts: Puppies sleep ninety percent of the day for their first few weeks.

A frightened dog will put its tail between his legs because it cuts off the sent glands in its anal region which a very vulnerable part of the anatomy. Since the anal glands carry personal scents that identify the individual dogs, the tail between the legs action is the dog’s equivalent of insecure humans hiding their faces.

To train your dog to you give you his paw, say "give me your paw" (or whatever phrases you prefer), then tap on his front leg or tickle it. When he picks up his paw, take it in your hand and praise him. Do this repeatedly until your dog responds.

Did you know the average dog has 42 permanent teeth in their mouth!

It is a myth that dogs are color blind. Dog fact: dogs can actually see in color but not as vividly as humans. It is similar to our vision at dusk. They do have better low-light vision than humans because of a special light-reflecting layer behind their retinas. 

A German Shepherd guide dog led her blind companion the entire 2100 mile Applachian Trail.

Dogs’ only sweat glands are between their paw pads.

Like human babies, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot in their skull which closes up with age.

President Lyndon Johnson had two Beagles named Him and Her.

When the lead wolf in a pack smells its prey; it freezes and points itself in the direction of the scent. This gives the other members in the pack a chance to pick up the scent. There is a pause before they are all in unison; it is this wolf pause that a pointer dog is imitating.

Dog Facts: The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world.

The average city dog lives 3 years longer than a country dog.

87% of dog owners say their dog curls up beside them or at their feet while they watch TV.

Dogs can be trained to detect epileptic seizures.

Facts about dogs: 15 people die in the U.S. every year from dog bites.

In 2002 alone, more people in the U.S. were killed by dogs than by sharks in the past 100 years.

Newfoundland’s are such great swimmers because of their webbed feet.

Dog Facts: Basset Hounds cannot swim at all.

Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, with speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.

There are many people who don't realise that many common house and garden plants if swallowed can be toxic to dogs.  Some of these plants include Lantana, Rhubarb leaves, Azalea, Daffodil bulbs, Hydrangea, Poinsettia leaves/flowers to mention a few.

Bingo is the name of the dog on the side of the Cracker Jack box.

The bible mentions dogs 14 times.

Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.

In Roman times, Mastiffs donned light armor and were sent after mounted knights.

Canine Facts: An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will.

An American Animal Hospital Association poll found that 33% of dog owners admit to talking to their dogs on the phone and leaving answering machine messages for them while they are away.

Patti Page sang "How much is that Doggie in the Window". Songs about dogs have remained popular. After all, dogs are man's best friend.
 

A dog’s nose print is as unique as a human’s finger print and can be used to accurately identify them.

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58% include their pets in family and holiday portraits.

Soulmates: More than half of us say we share characteristics with our dogs!

A survey conducted by Optimum found 7 out of 10 Australians believe their dogs are more dependable than their partner; while 8 out of 10 said they are more affectionate.

The phrase “raining cats and dogs” originated in 17th century England when it is believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain.

Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years.

The largest breed of dog is the Irish Wolfhound.

The world’s smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua.

The St. Bernard is the heaviest dog breed.

During the Vietnam war 4500 working dogs were sent to aid the troops.

The Chihuahua was named after the state in Mexico where they were discovered.

After birth, puppies’ eyes do not fully open until they’re about 12 days old and their vision is not fully developed until after the first month.

Dogs do not have an appendix.

In some cities dog owner's can be fined for not cleaning up after their dog in public places.

The oldest known breed is likely the Saluki – originally trained by Egyptians to help track game.

There are over 700 breeds of purebred dogs.

The world’s smartest dogs are thought to be the Border Collie, the Poodle, and the Golden Retriever.

A dog’s smell is more than 100,000 times stronger than that of a humans.

Dogs judge objects first by their movement, then by their brightness, and lastly by their shape.

Chocolate can kill dogs or at the very least make them violently ill.

A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15 year old human.

George Washington had thirty six dogs – all foxhounds.

All dogs are identical in anatomy – 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.

Rin Tin Tin was the first Hollywood dog star… and he really signed his movie contracts, all 22 of them with a paw print!

The Wizard of Oz’s Toto was played by a female Cairn Terrier named Terry.

Up until the late 1800’s, Collies were known as Scottish Sheepdogs.

Dogs have twice as many muscles to move their ears as people.

U.S. Customs dogs “Rocky” and “Barco” were so good at patrolling the border that Mexican drug lords put a $300,000 bounty on their heads.

Dogs are all direct descendants of wolves.

Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pomeranian, and a Pekingese.

The Labrador Retriever is the favorite breed in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.

Humans can detect sounds at 20,000 times per second, while dogs can sense frequencies of 30,000 times per second.

Bloodhounds are prized for their ability to single out and identify a number of scents simultaneously.

The Ancient Chinese carried Pekingese puppies in the sleeves of their robes.

70% of people sign their pet’s name on greeting and holiday cards.

Davy Crockett had a dog named Sport.

Dogs live 15 years on average.

Many foot disorders in dogs are simply an issue of long toenails.

More than 5,000,000 puppies are born in the U.S. every year.

More than one in three American families own a dog.

Average body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees.

Dogs are natural pack animals and they are naturally submissive to any dog with a higher pack status – human or canine.

Dogs instinctively require the pack leader’s approval.

The old formula for obtaining the age of your dog was to multiply every year of a dog’s life by 7 human years.  Dog facts: but this method is not accurate.  A dog is fully grown at 12 months, which would be age 18 in human terms.  From this point on, to calculate the true age of your dog, figure that every dog year is the equivalent of five human years. For a 10 year old dog:  Total people years would be 63 years old.