Dogs have been our loyal furry companions for thousands of years. They are always happy to see us when we come home from work, and they love to go on walks with us. But did you know that there is more to dogs than just being man’s best friend? Here are 25 fun facts about dogs that you may not have known before.
- Dogs can recognize human emotions by the tone of your voice.
- A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 times stronger than a humans.
- Dogs can be trained to detect explosives, drugs and even cancer cells.
- The world’s oldest breed of dog is the Saluki (also called the Persian Greyhound). It dates back to 329 BC!
- The most popular breed of dog in the United States for 2020 was the Labrador retriever (for the 28th year in a row).
- The smallest breed of dog is the Chihuahua – they typically weigh 3-6 pounds and stand 6-9 inches tall at the shoulders.
- The tallest breed of dog is the Great Dane – they typically weigh 110-200 pounds and stand 30-34 inches tall at the shoulders.
- On average, a female dog will give birth to a litter of 5-6 puppies (but it can be as small as 1 or as large as 15).
- A group of puppies is called a “litter” while an adult group of dogs is called a “pack” or “kennel” depending on their size and temperament!
- Puppies are born deaf and blind but open their eyes after 14 days and start hearing after 21 days!
- Dogs don’t sweat like humans do; they cool themselves off by panting, which allows heat to evaporate from their tongues!
- Dogs can understand up to 250 words and gestures, can count up to four or five and can perform simple mathematical calculations!
- The Basenji is an ancient breed that does not bark; instead it yodels or howls!
- The fastest breed of dog is the Greyhound – it can run up to 45 mph!
- The world record for longest tongue on a dog belongs to Mochi “Mo” Rickert – her tongue measures 7 ½ inches from tip to snout!
- Dogs have three eyelids – two regular ones plus a third one called a nictitating membrane which helps keep their eyes moist and protected!
- Dogs have more than 300 million scent receptors in their noses compared to humans who only have 6 million scent receptors!
- Dogs can also see in ultraviolet light because they have special light receptor cells in their eyes that allow them to detect UV rays!
- Some breeds such as Beagles have extra sensitive noses due to an extra olfactory bulb in their brains which helps them smell better than other breeds!
- Dogs dream just like humans do; during REM sleep their brain waves look similar to ours when we dream too!
- The oldest living dog ever recorded was Bluey who lived for 29 years and 5 months old until his death in 1939!
- Dogs don’t eat grass because they are sick; instead, it could be because they are trying out new flavors or textures or simply because they like it tastes good!
- Dogs curl up when sleeping because it conserves body heat; this instinct comes from wolves who curled up against each other for warmth when sleeping outdoors during cold winter nights!
- Most domesticated dogs descended from wolves over 15,000 years ago; however some breeds such as Dachshunds trace back much further in time (over 30,000 years ago)!
- The oldest known breed still around today is believed to be the Tibetan Mastiff–they were used by nomadic tribes thousands of years ago as guard dogs against predators such as bears and tigers!
We hope these fun facts about our beloved canine companions gave you something new learn about them—who knows? Maybe you even discovered something new about your own pup too!. No matter what kind of pup you own—big or small—it’s clear that these animals make wonderful friends with interesting history behind them all worth exploring further if given enough time!. So next time your pup gets curious about something outside your window—take some time out with him/her—you never know what fascinating things you might discover together!. Happy exploring!.
