Last Updated on March 6, 2024
It has repeatedly been said that a dog is a man’s best friend. But there may be a lot you still don’t know about this adorable, well-loved animal. Here are some fun facts to help you get to know more about your furry friend.
Dogs Are Pretty Smart
Canines can identify 250+ words. They can also count from one to five, and can solve basic Math equations. The world’s smartest dog, Chaser the Border Collie, can recognize over a thousand words. But on average, dogs know 165 words or so.
A Variety of Dogs
To date, there are over 150 dog breeds. They are categorized into eight groups: the sporting dogs, hound dogs, working dogs, terrier dogs, toy dogs, non-sporting dogs, herding dogs, and miscellaneous dogs.
Doggie Stars
The role of Toto in The Wizard of Oz was played by Terry, a female Cairn Terrier. The model in the Taco Bell logo was Gidget, a female Chihuahua.
Think Like a Two-Year Old
On average, the intelligence of a dog is like that of a two-year old. If you think about it, that’s pretty smart. Dogs can do basic counting and comprehend a language. Of course, like any two-year-old, dogs enjoy playing, running around, and making a mess, especially when eating.
Service Dogs on Command
As part of their rigid and unique training, service dogs are taught to do their business on command.
Dalmatian’s Hearing Problem
About 30 percent of Dalmatians around the world are deaf in at least one ear. The hearing condition is a result of a genetic predisposition found in their breed.
Stray Dog in Space
In 1957, Laika, a Russian stray dog, became the very first mammal to orbit the earth.
Dreaming Doggies
Dogs that twitch while sleeping at night are said to be dreaming. Dogs and humans have similar type of slow wave sleep as well as rapid eye movement. In the REM stage, dogs can actually dream.
Family Planning?
If a female dog isn’t neutered or spayed, she and her mate, along with their offspring, can produce over 67,000 canines in just six years.
The Faves
The top favorite dog breeds in America are: golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, beagles, German shepherds, and dachshunds. On the other hand, the top dog breeds that bark are mostly terriers, specifically: Cairn terriers, miniature schnauzers, fox terriers, Yorkshire terriers, and West Highland white terriers.
Nap Time!
On average and during their body growth phase, puppies sleep for 18 to 20 hours a day. Tired pups are also notoriously cranky, much like toddlers. A nap can calm down a fussy puppy.
Dog Urine Kills Grass
The nitrogen in a canine’s urine kills grass. It causes the lawn to burn, particularly if it’s fertilized. Also, dog urine says a lot about the animal. It acts as a messenger for other dogs. Just by the scent of the urine alone, dogs can identify the canine’s age, sex, and mood.
Night Visions
The eyes of canines have a unique membrane referred as the tapetum lucidum. This is what enables dogs to see in the dark.
Sixth Sense
Based on several studies, 67 percent of dog owners report that their furry friend acts differently right before a storm. Also, 43 percent say their dog behaved oddly just when something bad is about to happen. Some reports even claim that dogs can sense health conditions, particularly cancer.
Photo by Igor Ovsyannykov
A Long Life
On average, a dog lives between 10 and 14 years. Also, smaller breeds tend to live longer than larger ones.
Special Smelling Powers
It’s a known fact that dogs have superior smelling powers compared to humans. In fact, canines can smell about a thousand times better than people.
Snuggle Buddy
A recent survey shows that 45 percent of dog owners say their dogs sleep with them on their bed.
Paws Sweat
A canine’s sweat glands are located between the paws. When they sweat, their feet will smell like corn chips, which is completely normal.
Like a Fingerprint
If humans have fingerprints as their unique identifier, dogs have their noses. The nose print of each dog is unique. In fact, the ridges and creases on their nose are incredibly distinct that they can be identified using their nose print.
Smell over Taste
Canines have less taste buds than humans. They only have 1700+ on their tongues whereas humans have 9000+. However, their sense of smell makes up for their “lacking” taste buds. Dogs’ noses have around 200 million scent receptors. Humans only have 5 million. So, when a dog is given a bowl of food, he can usually determine its taste based on its smell.
Hump Day is More than Just for Reproduction
Dogs hump for various reasons and the most common is arousal. But they also hump when they’re excited to play. At times, humping is also a sign of frustration.
Now, here are some beautiful dog quotes to make your day a lot brighter!
40 Beautiful Dog Quotes
“The only creatures that are evolved enough to convey pure love are dogs and infants.” – Johnny Depp
“A person can learn a lot from a dog, even a loopy one like ours. Marley taught me about living each day with unbridled exuberance and joy, about seizing the moment and following your heart. He taught me to appreciate the simple things-a walk in the woods, a fresh snowfall, a nap in a shaft of winter sunlight. And as he grew old and achy, he taught me about optimism in the face of adversity. Mostly, he taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty.” – John Grogan
“Petting, scratching, and cuddling a dog could be as soothing to the mind and heart as deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer.” – Dean Koontz
“If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience.” – Woodrow Wilson
“The average dog is a nicer person than the average person.” – Andy Rooney
“I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me, they are the role model for being alive. ” – Gilda Radner
“I believe in integrity. Dogs have it. Humans are sometimes lacking it.” – Cesar Millan
“The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made His greatest gifts the commonest.” – Martin Luther
“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger A. Caras
“Dogs are minor angels, and I don’t mean that facetiously. They love unconditionally, forgive immediately, are the truest of friends, willing to do anything that makes us happy.” – Jonathan Carroll
“The more boys I meet the more I love my dog.” – Carrie Underwood
“Dogs feel very strongly that they should always go with you in the car, in case the need should arise for them to bark violently at nothing right in your ear.” – Dave Barry
“The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.” – Charles de Gaulle
“People love dogs. You can never go wrong adding a dog to the story.” – Jim Butcher
“If you don’t own a dog, at least one, there is not necessarily anything wrong with you, but there may be something wrong with your life.” – Roger A. Caras
“The dog’s agenda is simple, fathomable, overt: I want. “I want to go out, come in, eat something, lie here, play with that, kiss you. There are no ulterior motives with a dog, no mind games, no second-guessing, no complicated negotiations or bargains, and no guilt trips or grudges if a request is denied.” – Caroline Knapp
“To his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.” – Aldous Huxley
“I like dogs. You always know what a dog is thinking. It has four moods: happy, sad, cross and concentrating. Also, dogs are faithful and they do not tell lies because they cannot talk.” – Mark Haddon
“Whoever said you can’t buy Happiness forgot little puppies.” – Gene Hill
“There is one other reason for dressing well, namely that dogs respect it, and will not attack you in good clothes.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Discipline isn’t about showing a dog who’s boss; it’s about taking responsibility for a living creature you have brought into your world.” – Cesar Milan
“Everything I know, I learned from dogs.” – Nora Roberts
“The greatest pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him, and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself, too.” – Samuel Butler
“In times of joy, all of us wished we possessed a tail we could wag.” – W.H. Auden
“I’ve seen a look in dogs’ eyes, a quickly vanishing look of amazed contempt, and I am convinced that basically dogs think humans are nuts.” – John Steinbeck
“You can usually tell that a man is good if he has a dog who loves him.” – W. Bruce Cameron
“The conclusion I have reached is that, above all, dogs are witnesses. They are allowed access to our most private moments. They are there when we think we are alone. Think of what they could tell us. They sit on the laps of presidents. They see acts of love and violence, quarrels and feuds, and the secret play of children. If they could tell us everything they have seen, all of the gaps of our lives would stitch themselves together.” – Carolyn Parkhurst
“I have found that when you are deeply troubled, there are things you get from the silent devoted companionship of a dog that you can get from no other source.” – Doris Day
“After years of having a dog, you know him. You know the meaning of his snuffs and grunts and barks. Every twitch of the ears is a question or statement, every wag of the tail is an exclamation.” – Robert McCammon
“We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet; and amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog has made an alliance with us.” – Max DePree
“Never mind, said Hachiko each day. Here I wait, for my friend who’s late. I will stay, just to walk beside you for one more day.” – Jess C. Scott
“The greatest fear dogs know is the fear that you will not come back when you go out the door without them.” – Stanley Coren
“Dogs’ lives are too short. Their only fault, really.” – Agnes Sligh Turnbull
“Dogs are our link to paradise. They don’t know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring–it was peace.” – Milan Kundera
“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man.” – Mark Twain
“Dogs never bite me. Just humans.” – Marilyn Monroe
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.” – Will Rogers
“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” – Josh Billings
“All his life he tried to be a good person. Many times, however, he failed. For after all, he was only human. He wasn’t a dog.” – Charles M. Schulz
“A bone to the dog is not charity. Charity is the bone shared with the dog, when you are just as hungry as the dog.” – Jack London