65 Fun Facts About Dogs – What’s the most popular dog in the world?

There are hundreds of official dog breeds in the world and even more mixes and mutts than we can count. Each dog has his own unique set of characteristics and personality. But one thing is certain – these loveable and wonderful companions are fascinating creatures.

Where does the word ‘dog’ come from?

The English word dog comes from Middle English dogge, from Old English docga, a “powerful dog breed”.

Dogs are widely used in hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, tracking, rescue, assisting police, military, companionship, and aiding handicapped individuals.

Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are domesticated mammals, not natural wild animals. They were originally bred from wolves. … They are sometimes called “canines” from the Latin word for dog – canis. Sometimes people also use “dog” to describe other canids, such as wolves.

Some studies say that the dogs we call our pets evolved from a group of wolves that came into contact with European hunter-gatherers between 18,800 and 32,100 years ago and may have since died out.

What’s the most popular dog in the world?

There are hundreds of different breeds of dogs but apparently the most popular breed of dog in the world by registered ownership is the Labrador.

This is because they have a gentle nature, are obedient, intelligent and have heaps of energy.

Anyone who loves dogs, knows there is a lot of information you need to know in order to keep them healthy and happy. There are a lot of myths and some misinformation too. Here are some interesting facts that just may surprise you.

27 Fun facts about dogs

1. Dog’s noses are wet to help them absorb scent chemicals.

• But how do noses get wet? Noses secrete mucus. The inner lining of the dog’s nose contains special glands that produce mucus to keep the nasal canals moist. A thin layer of mucus clings to the nostrils, enhancing the absorption of scent chemicals and improving the dog’s ability to smell.

2. A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.

• Dogs‘ nose prints are as unique as a human’s fingerprints and can be used to accurately identify them. The Canadian Kennel Club has been accepting dog nose prints as proof of identity since 1938. ‘Just as humans can be identified by their fingerprints, dogs can be identified by their nose prints

3. A dog’s sense of smell is legendary.

• Man’s nose has about 5 million receptors while a Dachshund’s has 125 million. It has been shown that dogs can smell disease like cancer, diabetes and the early signs of an epileptic seizure. A dog’s sense of smell is reduced by up to 40 percent when he’s overheated and panting.

4) Your dog can smell your feelings.

• In fact, your dog’s sense of smell is approximately 100,000 times better than yours. So it shouldn’t be shocking that they can in fact, smell things such as fear. When a human is fearful, they perspire, and a dog is easily able to pick up on this change.

5. A bloodhounds sense of smell is so good that it can be used as evidence in court.

• Bloodhounds have a very, very good sense of smell. Researchers estimate that their sense of smell is at least 1,000 times stronger than a human’s. Police departments around the world have learned to use this special power to their advantage.

6. Human blood pressure goes down when petting a dog. And so does the dog’s

• Several studies have shown that dog owners have lower blood pressure than non-owners — probably because their pets have a calming effect on them and because dog owners tend to get more exercise.

7. Dogs are mentioned in the Bible more than 35 times.

• To confirm and conclude, a greyhound is the only dog mentioned in the Bible by breed (if it’s the King James version you’re reading). The exact place it mentions greyhounds in the Bible is in Proverbs 30:29-31

8. The tallest dog in the world stands at 44 inches tall.

• The world record holder for tallest dog was a Great Dane named Zeus

9. Dogs curl up in a ball when sleeping to protect their organs.

• The curled-up position is one of the most common sleeping positions for dogs. It is mostly adopted by the dogs living in the wild habitat. When dogs curl up in a ball it conserves warmth and protects their vital organs from possible predators. … This position leaves the dogs limbs to move around during sleep.

10. It pays to be a lapdog. Three dogs survived in the sinking of the Titanic.

• At least nine dogs died when the Titanic went down, but the exhibit also highlights three that survived: two Pomeranians and a Pekingese. They made it out alive due to their size — and probably not at the expense of any human passengers.

11. A Greyhound dog could beat a Cheetah in a long distance race.

• A cheetah’s top speed ranges from 65 to 75 miles per hour, with a world record for “fastest land animal” of 61 miles per hour. However, a cheetah is strictly a sprinter. Eventually, a greyhound would overtake a cheetah in a long race.

12. A blind man and his guide dog hiked the Appalachian trail.

• First blind hiker Bill Irwin walks with this dog, Orient, as they end their 2,100-mile journey along the Appalachian Trail in Maine in 1990.

13. 30% of Dalmations are deaf in one ear. All breed of puppies are born deaf.

• Around 30 percent of all Dalmatians are inflicted with deafness as a result of their spotted markings. Breeding dogs with this coat can lead to a lack of mature melanocytes (melanin producing cells) in the inner ear. Without these, dogs can become hard of hearing.

14. Dogs are capable of locating the source of a sound in 6/100ths of a second by using their swiveling ears like radar dishes.

15. Dalmatians are born completely white, and develop their spots as they get older.

16. Basenji dogs don’t bark

• Like most hounds, Basenjis are very vocal. However, unlike most dogs, Basenjis don’t bark. The unique noise they make can be best described as a yodel

17. The Saluki is the oldest dog breed.

• The Saluki, royal dog of Egypt, is perhaps the oldest known breed of domesticated dog, identified by some historians as “a distinct breed and type as long ago as 329 BC when Alexander the Great invaded India.

18. Chow Chows and 7 other breeds have black tongues.

19. You can find over 400 different breeds of dogs in the world and an estimated 400 million dogs in the world

20. Moving objects are better noticed by dogs than stationary ones

21. No dog has ever been knighted.

• In Australia however, nine animals (all dogs except for one donkey), were awarded the Purple Cross.
• This was established in 1993 to recognize the deeds of animals that have shown outstanding bravery and fortitude in the service of humans.

22. Puppies are considered to be adult dogs once they turn one. A one year old dog is as mature, physically, as a 15-year old human.

23. Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest dog to ever live. Bluey lived to be 29 years 5 months old and lived from 1910 to 1939.

24. The most successful mountain rescue dog ever was a St Bernard named Barry, who lived during the early 1800’s and saved 40 lives.

25. When your dog is carefully choosing the perfect place to do his business, it is because they prefer to go poop in alignment with the Earth’s magnetic field.

26. Why do they do that? When dogs kick after going to the bathroom, they are using the scent glands on their paws to further mark their territory.

27. Dogs have 18 different muscles that they use just to move their ears

28. The Lundehune breed has 6 toes and can close its ears.

29. Dogs are not colorblind.

• However, the color range they perceive is limited compared to the spectrum we see. To put it in very basic terms, the canine color field consists mostly of yellows, blues, and violets

30. The African Hunting dog is the most successful hunter in the world.

• Top dogs: With an impressive 80 percent success rate, wild dogs are among Africa’s most effective predators. Lions only prevail around 30 percent of the time. Not exactly man’s best friend: Even with their finely honed hunting skills, African wild dogs count among the world’s most endangered mammals.

31. The Beatles song “A Day In The Life” has a frequency only dogs can hear.

• Did you know? The Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’ has a frequency only dogs can hear! In an interview in 2013, Paul McCartney said that he added a frequency only dogs can hear to the end of the Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’. So watch your dog when you play the song!

32. The Poodle haircut was originally meant to improve the dog’s swimming abilities as a retriever, with the pom-poms left in place to warm their joints

33. Dogs can learn more than 1000 words.

• Chaser is now world famous as the dog who knows more than 1,000 words, the largest known vocabulary of any animal except humans. Besides proper nouns, she knows verbs, adverbs and prepositions. She’s learned that common nouns can identify different things. … As her language learning grew, so did the experiment.

34. Dogs who have been spayed or neutered live longer than intact dogs.

• Neutered male dogs live, on average, 18 percent longer than their unneutered counterparts and spayed female dogs live, on average, 23 percent longer than unspayed females.

35. President Lyndon Johnson’s beagles were named Him and Her.

• Sadly, both Him and Her died at a young age. Her died after swallowing a stone in 1964, and Him was hit and killed by a car when he was chasing a squirrel across the White House property in 1966.

36. Dogs sweat through the pads of their feet.

• Dogs do sweat, mainly through the glands in their paw pads. Shaving a dog to keep him cool can be harmful and lead to heat stroke. Heat stroke can be fatal, so call your vet as soon as possible if you see symptoms.

37. The heaviest breed, the Mastiff

• Neapolitan Mastiffs are fearless and extremely protective companions. They measure approximately 26 to 31 inches at the withers. Usually weighing about 170 pounds, Neapolitan Mastiffs can also reach up to 200 pounds
• Dogs can vary in size from a 36 inch (150+ lb.) Great Dane to a 2 lb. Chihuahua.

38. Newfoundland dogs are the ultimate doggy lifeguards.

• While Golden Retrievers and Labradors are also adept to turn their paws to water assistance training, Newfoundland dogs are the ultimate doggy lifeguards. The fact that they have water resistant coats and webbed feet makes them fantastically strong swimmers and Newfoundlands appear to be hard-wired to save lives.

39. Dogs have three eyelids.

• They also have a part called the tapetum lucidum, allowing night vision.

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

Looking for More? Here’s a BONUS…

These fun facts about dogs will give you 25 more reasons to love your furry friend. Your dog is your best friend but there’s a lot you might not know about him! Whether your dog is young or old.

1. Puppies love games such as hide and seek! Hide, then call your pup’s name so she can try to find you.
2. Yummy! Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. Humans have approximately 9,000 and cats have around 473.
3. Chocolate can be very deadly to dogs due to containing the ingredient, theobromine. Dogs cannot metabolize theobromine and ingesting chocolate could cause a severely toxic buildup in their system which could become fatal.
4. Big happy “helicopter” tail wagging is one sign of a really nice dog
5. Upright, stiff, rapid tail movement is not wagging or “friendly” but indicates a dog who’s rather excited and focused.
6. Pitter patter. A large breed dog’s resting heart beats between 60 and 100 times per minute, and a small dog breed’s heart beats between 100-140. Comparatively, a resting human heart beats 60-100 times per minute.
7. Puppies grow to half their body weight in the first four to five months!
8. Puppies then take a year or more to gain the other half of their body weight.
9. Puppies can sleep 18 to 20 hours a day during that rapid body growth phase.
10. Tired puppies get cranky just like little kids. If you have a fussy puppy, try nap time.
11. Dogs sometimes appear to smile — much like humans — with open mouth grinning. This may indicate a relaxed, submissive state.
12. Perky-eared dogs hear sounds better than floppy-eared dogs.
13. In general, smaller breeds live longer than larger breeds.
14. Stroking dogs and gazing into their eyes releases the “feel good” hormone oxytocin for both people and dogs.
15. More than half of all U.S. presidents have owned dogs
16. Puppies have 28 teeth and adult dogs have 42.
17. A bloodhound named Tigger holds the record for the longest ears, each measuring more than 13 inches.
18. The Alaskan Malamute can withstand temperatures as low as 70 degrees below zero.
19. The Norwegian Lundehund is the only dog with six toes on each foot.
20. A dog’s whiskers are used as sensing devices.
21. National Geographic’s Dr. Brady Barr measured a dog’s average bite force at 320 pounds of pressure per square inch.
22. Dogs can be taught to count and solve simple math problems.
23. With love and a little patience, dogs can learn to walk backwards, salute and bow.
24. A study at UCSD claims that your dog can genuinely get jealous when they see you display affection for another creature.
25. Your Dog’s Whiskers Help Him “See” in The Dark….Okay, it’s not quite night-vision or a super power, but those whiskers pick up on even subtle changes in air currents, providing your pup with information about the size, shape, and speed of things nearby. This allows your dog to better sense approaching dangers or prey — even at night.

BONUS – A recent study shows that dogs are among a small group of animals who show voluntary unselfish kindness towards others without any reward.

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