Top 10 Dog Facts

Did you know that a dog's temperature ranges from 101 to 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit? Or that 62% of households in the U.S. have dogs? Or that the Newfoundland breed has a water resistant coat and webbed feet?!

There is so much we don't know about our dogs, and we are learning interesting things about them every day. Here's a list of our top ten dog facts that are sure to teach you something new about your fascinating furry friends!

1. There were three dogs that survived the historical sinking of the Titanic. The puppy passengers were from 1st class cabins, and included 2 Pomeranians and 1 Pekingese. 

2. There's a rumor that Paul McCartney recorded an ultrasonic whistle at the end of the Beatles song "A day in the life". This was only audible to dogs, and was a shout out to Paul's Shetland Sheepdog. 

3. Dalmatians are not born with the classic black spots that they are so well known for. As puppies, Dalmatians are pure white. They develop their spots as they grow older.

4. Dogs have the same type of rapid eye movement (REM) as humans. During this REM stage dogs can dream, just like us! Signs that your pet is dreaming include twitching and paw movements.

5. Dogs can see in the dark, due to a special membrane in their eyes called the tapetum lucidum.

6. According to a survey done, 72% of dog owners think that their dogs can sense when stormy weather is on its way. 

7. Do you share your side of the bed with your pup? Well, you're not alone! 45% of dogs sleep in their owners bed.

8. A dog's sense of smell is 10,000 - 100,000 times more acute than humans. Maybe that's why they're first to the table when dinner is ready. 

9. After going to the bathroom, dogs kick dirt up because they are using scent glands on their paws to further mark their territory.

10. There's a reason dogs curl up in a ball when they sleep. Due to an age-old instinct, they curl up to keep themselves warm and to protect their abdomen and vital organs from predators. Plus, its adorable!

For the full list, check out 25 Cool Dog Facts. Do you know any surprising facts about man's best friend? Comment and share with us!

Source: Petfinder

Does your dog recognize you in pictures?

Has your dog ever reacted after you've shown them a picture of someone they know? Do dogs actually have the ability to recognize people in photographs?

There are two parts to this question: Can your dog tell the difference between different people and animals and can they recognize that information in a stationary, two-dimensional image such as a photo?

According to veterinarians, the answer to both of those questions, is yes -- under the right circumstances. Dogs can distinguish between different people based on appearance at that time. In other words, if you're sporting a drastically different hair style or are wearing a uniform instead of your everyday clothing, your dog may not be able to identify you in a picture.

Research does show that dogs can identify a familiar person in a photograph. In a study published in the Journal of Vision, 12 beagles and 12 cats were given individual handlers who worked with them two hours a day for six months. Afterwards, they were given a visual test to recognize the face of their handler versus a non-handler. The result? The dogs chose the face of their handlers 88% of the time, while the cats chose their handlers 55% of the time.

Additionally, these dogs were also able to identify the face of an animal that lived with them. In fact, they chose the familiar animal more often than an unfamiliar animal. The study found that dogs chose the face of a dog they knew 85% of the time, while the felines chose the face of a familiar feline 91% of the time.

Don't forget that most dogs do not just depend on their vision to recognize familiar people and other animals. Due to their well-developed senses, many rely more heavily on your scent and the sound of your voice to identify you, so don't be too upset if Fido doesn't recognize you in that picture on the mantle!

So what about video chatting with your dog while you're away on vacation? Interestingly enough, while they may recognize the sound of your voice, dogs don't have the same ability to blend the flickering light that makes a video image as humans do. Therefore, the image would appear very shaky!  So for now, stick to showing your dog pictures of their family members while they are away and see what happens!

Source: Animal Planet

Why Do Dogs Have Dewclaws?

Ever wonder what is the purpose of the thumb-like structure protruding from the side of your dog's leg? It's a dewclaw! For most dogs, dewclaws are nonfunctional, however they are an interesting bit of evolutionary history!

Over 40 million years ago, an early ancestor of the modern dog was a tree climbing cat-like animal called a Miacis. These animals had five toes to successfully scale and live in the treetops. Eventually, the Miacis evolved to live on the ground and became specialized hunters -- more like our dogs today.

As hunters of fast moving prey, speed became an important factor. This added speed required a change! Evolution rocked dog's legs forward so that their heel would no longer touch the ground. As a result, they began to walk on their toes, with the fifth toe now unable to touch the ground.

Voila, the dewclaw! Today, most dogs have dewclaws only on their front paws, and it is rare to find them on their back paws. However in several breeds, such as the Great Pyrenees and Briards, rear dewclaws are common, they may even have a double dewclaw!

It is not uncommon for dogs with injury-prone dewclaws to have them removed. Some puppies have them removed before they are weaned.  Be sure to ask your vet if you are concerned that your dog's dewclaws are at risk for injury. They will know best how to keep your furry friend's paws safe and healthy!

Source: Psychology Today

Is Your Pet Right-Pawed or Left-Pawed?

Just like humans and their hands, many pets have a certain paw they prefer over the other. According to a recent study, 50% of cats are right pawed,  40% favor their left paw and 10% of them are ambidextrous, favoring neither! 

Dogs, on the other hand, tend to be more evenly split with around 50% being left-pawed and 50% being right-pawed, with a statistically insignificant number being ambidextrous.

In addition, there seems to be a connection between your pet's gender and which paw is dominant. Specifically, female cats and dogs typically will have a dominant right paw, while males tend to favor the left. However, if your pet has been spayed or neutered at an early age, this distinction may go away.

So, is your pet right-pawed, left-pawed or ambidextrous? Here are a few simple tests to find out:

• If you teach your dog to shake, which paw do they offer you first and most often?
• If your dog or cat is playing on their back and you put your hand just out of their reach, which paw do they reach for your hand with?
• Fill a toy with something delicious and put it in the center of your dog’s visual field. Which paw does it use to touch the toy first? Which paw does your dog use to hold the toy?
• Put something sticky on your dog or cat’s nose. Which paw do they use to remove it?
• Place a treat or a piece of cheese under a sofa, just beyond your dog or cat’s reach. Which paw do they use to try and get it out?
• If your pet wants to get inside or into a room you’re in, which paw do they typically use to scratch at the door?
• Dangle a toy over your cat’s head. Which paw lifts to swat at it?
• Put a treat under a bowl. Which paw does your cat or dog use to move it?

Note which paw is used and once you've done several dozen (at least) tests, a clear dominant paw should emerge. If you've done 100-200 tests and there is no noticeable paw preference, your pet is probably ambidextrous.

Source: PetMD

Why are Westies White? Interesting Facts You Didn't Know About Your Favorite Breeds.

If you’ve been following The Westminster Kennel Club 139th Annual Dog Show you may have wondered why certain breeds are presented at dog shows with a distinct look.  As dogs were bred throughout the centuries, specific characteristics were written into their breed standards, but why?  Here are some interesting insights to why some of your favorite breeds look the way they do!

Poodle. Bred as a water retriever, a Poodle's thick outer coat can get heavy when wet, so owners trimmed the bottom half of the body to help keep them afloat. To keep their organs warm in cold waters, the hair was kept long over the chest and head. Bracelets of ankle hair were left to protect joints from rheumatism, and a topknot was used to keep long hair out of the eyes when swimming. Colorful bows were added during competitions to help owners identify their dogs. Put all that together and you get a slightly funny looking yet practical poodle!

Beagle. Before coming to the United States, Beagles went through many breeding transitions. Some were bred to be pocket sized, and some were bred based on their hunting techniques. The Beagles we know today weren't bred until the late 1800's in New York. It was the "Patch" Beagle strain where these dogs became their current size and primarily white with a very large tri-colored "spot" on their back.

Westie. According to history, the Westie's color resulted from a tragic nineteenth-century accident that occurred while Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch, Scotland was hunting fox. The  Colonel accidentally shot and killed one of his wheaten-colored Cairn Terriers. Devastated, and determined to prevent such accidents in the future, he decided to breed a new white dog that couldn't be confused with foxes.

Saint Bernard. This breed has many distinct face and neck markings. Historically a rescue dog for mountain travelers, a white spot on the nape of the neck and a white blaze on the face are especially attractive and desirable, as are dark markings on the head and ears that resemble a mask. The white markings are said to resemble garments worn by priests and the black mask to reduce the glare from the snow.

Collie. Original Collies were closer in size and shape to today's Border Collies, and interestingly, were predominantly black. Once thought to be vicious, this breed became popular because of Queen Victoria. The Queen loved the Collie's appearance which caused breeders to consider more than the it's herding abilities. One Collie, named Old Cockie, who was born in 1867, is credited with the characteristics of the Collies known today, and she is believed to be responsible for introducing brown coat color to the breed.

Rhodesian Ridgeback. The Ridgeback has many European ancestors such as Great Danes, Mastiffs, Greyhounds, and Bloodhounds — with a half-wild native dog kept by the Khoikhoi, a pastoral people in South Africa. This dog had a distinctive ridge of hair along its back, and breeders in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) noticed that dogs who had this ridge tended to be excellent hunters.

Great Danes. Originally bred to hunt boars, Great Danes were first called Boar Hounds! Similar to herding dog's tails that were cropped to prevent injury from livestock, owners cropped Great Dane's ears  to prevent boar tusks from tearing through them. Today you can find their ears cropped  or floppy since these gentle giants wouldn't be too great at hunting boars these days.

Bulldogs. Bulldogs are now a very calm and lovable breed but did you know they used to be a butcher's assistant? Used as sporting dogs, Bulldogs were used for "bull baiting," which was a spectator's sport. A common practice in bull slaughtering, a bulldog’s short, flat nose enabled them to breathe easily while endlessly holding onto a bull's snout with their teeth. This was thought to tenderize the meat.

Source: DogTime.com