This is a page for doggie tidbits and facts.
Please feel free to email us with any others you would like added or you find of interest.
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The first dog registered with the American kennel Club was an English Setter named Adonis in 1884.
The first nine breeds registered with the AKC were all sporting breeds . They were the Pointer, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, the English Setter, the Gordon Setter, the Irish Setter, the Clumber Spaniel, the Cocker Spaniel, the Irish Water Spaniel, and the Sussex Spaniel. All of these breeds remain in the AKC today. The Cocker Spaniel has been divided into the American Cocker Spaniel and the English Cocker Spaniel.
A Border Collie in Germany named Rico has been shown to know over 200 words, most of them names for his toys. Dogs are usually thought to have about the intelligence of a 2-3 year-old toddler.
The first dog tax or licensing law dates to Schweinfurt, Germany in 1598.
The 1,150 mile Iditarod commemorates the 1925 “Race for Life” which brought vaccines to Nome, Alaska. Twenty volunteer mushers ran sled relays from Anchorage to Nome during a diphtheria epidemic that was killing children.
Balto and Togo, two of the sled dogs during the 1925 sled run to bring vaccine to Nome, were celebrated. There is a statue of Balto in Central Park. Disney made an animated film about Balto.
Sled dogs burn an average of 10,000 calories per day during the Iditarod.
When Mary Queen of Scots was executed in 1587 her small Skye Terrier was found to have been hiding in the folds of her long gown. The little dog had to be taken away because he wouldn’t leave his mistresses’s body.
The average pet owner in the United States will spend $1,425 per dog each year on surgical vet visits, dog food, kennel boarding, routine vet care, grooming care, vitamins, treats and toys.
The least intelligent breeds, at least according to one expert, were the Borzoi, the Chow Chow, the Bulldog, the Basenji and the Afghan Hound. It’s likely that these breeds are quite intelligent. They may not have as much motivation to do well on doggy intelligence tests as some other breeds.
The world’s hairiest dog may be the Old English Sheepdog or the Komondor. These breeds have long hair from stem to stern.
The world’s least hairy dogs may be the Mexican Hairless or Xolo and the American Hairless Terrier.
The Greek writer Homer is considered the first person to write about dogs. Dogs are mentioned frequently in the Odyssey.
The Portuguese Water Dog helped fishermen in his native Portugal. He helped with nets in the water and carried messages between boats. These dogs still have a love for water today. They are bold, active and devoted to their owners.
Siberian Huskies are still used as working sled dogs today. People also use Alaskan Malamutes, crosses between these dogs and others. People have even used Irish Setters to pull sleds!
The smartest dogs are often thought to be Border Collies. They do very well in training. They can figure things out for themselves and also want to please their owners. However, lots of people think they have smarter dogs. Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, Poodles, Doberman Pinschers and German Shepherds are also breeds that repeatedly do well on doggy intelligence tests.
Sighthounds, or gazehounds, are hounds that hunt by sighting their prey. They include the Afghan Hound, the Borzoi, the Greyhound, the Irish Wolfhound, the Italian Greyhound, the Salukia, the Scottish Deerhound and the Whippet.
Scent hounds hunt by scent. They include the Basset Hound, the Beagle, the Bloodhound, the English and American Foxhounds, the Harrier, the Otterhound and others.
The world’s fastest dog is probably the Greyhound. They can reach speeds of 45 miles per hour. However, Whippet fans claim that their dogs are faster over short distances, able to zig and zag better. Saluki afficionados claim that their dogs are better open-field hunters. All three breeds are extremely fast.
Contrary to popular belief, the Poodle did not originate in France. It was originally a German breed used for hunting, water retrieving and even herding. You can see the breed’s similarity to other curly-coated herding breeds such as the Puli. Poodle coats will curl and even cord if allowed to grow out.
At one time the Collie was considered a vicious breed of dog, perhaps because the Scots who kept the dogs were considered a vicious people. It wasn’t until Queen Victoria became a fan of the breed in the 19th century that Collies became popular with the public.
The smallest breed of dog is the tiny Chihuahua. According to the Chihuahua breed standard they should not weigh more than six pounds and they stand six to nine inches tall at the shoulder.
The heaviest dog is usually considered to be the Mastiff or the Saint Bernard. A healthy Mastiff or Saint Bernard -- not an overweight dog -- will typically weigh 180-200 pounds.
Seventy-eight (78) percent of the owned dogs in the United States are spayed or neutered.
There are no completely hypoallergenic dogs. All dogs have at least some hair that can attract dander and allergens. Some dogs and breeds attract less than others.
Puppies are sometimes rejected by their mother if they are born by cesarean and cleaned up before being given back to her.
Ancient Egyptians revered their dogs. When a pet dog would die, the owners shaved off their eyebrows, smeared mud in their hair, and mourned aloud for days.
Dogs have sweat glands in between their paws.
The most intelligent dogs are reportedly the Border Collie and the Poodle, while the least intelligent dogs are the Afghan Hound and the Basenji.
Apple and pear seeds contain arsenic, which may be deadly to dogs.
Some dogs can bite 10 times before a human even has time to react.
Eighteen muscles or more can move a dog's ear.
It costs approximately $10,000 to train a federally certified search and rescue dog.
Alexander the Great is said to have founded and named a city Peritas, in memory of his dog.
The earliest European images of dogs are found in cave paintings dating back 12,000 years ago in Spain.
Touch is the first sense the dog develops, the entire body, including the paws, is covered with touch-sensitive nerve endings.
Eighteen muscles or more can move a dog's ear.
There are an estimated 400 million dogs in the world.
Dog nose prints are as unique as human finger prints and can be used to identify them.
Bloodhound dogs have a keen sense of smell and have been used since the Middle Ages to track criminals.
Dachshunds were bred to fight badgers in their dens.
Plato once said that "a dog has the soul of a philosopher".
Dachshunds were bred to fight badgers in their dens.
The most popular male dog names are Max and Jake and the most popular female dog names are Maggie and Molly.
Kublai Khan owned 5000 mastifs, and that is the record for most dogs ever owned by one person.
Two dogs were executed in Salem during the 1692 Salem witch trials.
The chow chow has a blue/black tongue.
Dogs are mentioned in the Bible and cats are not.
Basset hounds can't swim.
A dog named Laiki was the first animal to go into space.
The besenji cannot bark.
Dogs see in color.
The taco bell dog has a name...Gidget.
The best dog to reportedly attract a date is the Golden Retriever and the worst is the Pit Bull.
The Norwegian lundehund has six toes and the uncanny ability to close it's ears.
A greyhound can run at speeds upwards of 45mph.
Dalmatians are born white with no spots.
Dogs have three eyelids. Two outer lids and one inner lid called the haw.
The Irish Wolf Hound is the tallest of all the breeds.
Puppies are born toothless and deaf.
Siberian Husky is one of the 14 ancient breeds of dog.
An adult dog has 42 teeth.
