A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 to 100,000 times stronger than a human’s.
Your Morkie is as smart as a 2-year-old. He can probably understand about 250 words and gestures but can be taught up to a thousand words and gestures.
Maltese and Yorkshire Terriers are the only dogs that have a natural part down their back.
The oldest surviving dog breed? A Saluki, which appears on Egyptian tombs that go back more than 4,000 years.
More dog facts
Dogs are the most diverse animals on the planet; there are more than 300 dog breeds and they range from 6″ high to 33” high, and 3 pounds to 175 pounds.
There are about 600 million dogs in the world; 400 million are strays.
The United States has the most dogs in the world, at approximately 76 million.
Chow Chow dogs have blue tongues.
Also known as Chows, Chow Chows are one of the world’s oldest breeds. They look like lions, and are prized as exotic companions.
Why they have a blue tongue isn’t known, but when some Chows were exhibited at the London Zoo in the 1820s, their caretaker noticed their unusual mouth coloring. From that point on, these “wild dogs of China” were selectively bred to ensure they maintianed that blue-black tongue.
The first heating pads?
Known as the ancient dog of Malta, pampered Maltese lapdogs were kept in the sleeves of royalty, to keep the person warm.
At night, several Maltese dogs were put in the owner’s bed to keep feet warm.
In San Diego, officials were very concerned about falling light standards. Lampposts have been falling over, damaging cars and nearly hitting people. When they analyzed the problem, it turned out to be — dog pee!
A dog’s urine is highly corrosive. Combined with the rainy weather in San Diego, the lampposts didn’t have a chance.
Authorities are now urging neighbors to have their dogs pee on the fire hydrants instead, they are made of cast iron and won’t rust.
Worst dog hoarder ever
Kublai Khan, grandson of Ghengis, is said to have owned more than 5,000 dogs! His preferred breed, the Tibetan Mastiff. The Chinese Tibetan Mastiff is the larger cousin to the ancient Tibetan Mastiff and is bred to look like a Lion. The Tibetan Mastiff is said to possess real Lion’s blood. Some dogs have been reportedly sold for in excess of two million dollars in China. Most weigh more than 200 pounds.
He reigned from 1260 to 1294 and during that time, is credited with uniting China, taking a census and introducing regular taxationand post offices.
An Australian dog named Maggie lived to 30 years old, a record for any dog.
Some water-loving dogs have webbed feet, including The Newfoundland.
Dogs curl up in a ball to sleep to protect their vital organs from predators.
Dogs can actually see in color, not just black and white. They see mostly in green, yellow, blue and grey and cannot see red.
Dogs sweat through their paws – the only place where they have sweat glands.
Labrador Retrievers have been the most popular purebred dog in the United States for the last 26 years.
More cool facts about dogs
- A dog’s nose print is as unique as our fingerprints and can be used to identify a single dog.
- Mother dogs are pregnant for 58 to 68 days.
- Scientists say dogs can’t feel guilt. Those guilty looks are a learned response to us being mad. Dogs CAN feel jealousy, however.
Barking
- Basenji dogs cannot bark; instead, they yodel.
- Breeds that bark the most include Miniature Schnauzers, Cairn Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Fox Terriers, and West Highland White Terriers.
Timmy’s fallen into the well!
“Pal” the original dog to play Lassie, lived to an exceptional 18 years old (1940 – 1958). Several generations of Pal’s descendants continued to play the role on various Lassie TV shows and movies — 7 movies and two TV series.
Royal Dogs
Queen Elizabeth II has owned more than 30 Pembroke Welsh Corgis since she as a child. The Queen’s first cousin, 13 or 14 times removed, is Queen Elizabeth I who reigned from 1558 to 1603. She was very fond of Maltese dogs and had several, often pictured in paintings of Her Majesty.
Aristotle also had a Maltese dog that he adored; he mentions it in a poem he wrote in 370 B.C.
An adult dog has 42 teeth; we have 32.
Puppies have 28 teeth, which fall out starting in the 12th week. By the fourth month, most dogs have their permanent teeth. And no, dog’s teeth do not grow back!
Cavities are rare in dogs, but they can suffer from fractured and broken teeth and deep infections that call for a tooth removal. Smaller dogs have more problems with their teeth, thanks to plaque and tartar build-up in their jammed jawlines.
Dogs are mentioned 35 times in the Bible. References to dogs are rarely flattering – for example in Revelation 22:14 “dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.” The only breed mentioned in the Bible is the Greyhound, one of the “four things stately” in the Proverbs.
Dogs have 3 eyelids. The third eyelid, called a haw, helps keep their eyes moisturized.
Dogs align themselves with the Earth’s magnetic field when they poop. What?!
The average litter is 4 to 6 puppies. Yorkies, Morkies and Maltese typically have 1, 2 or 3 puppies.
The dog on the Cracker Jacks box is called Bingo.
The smallest dog on record was a Yorkie, at 2.5” tall and 4 ounces.
A dog’s mouth is NOT cleaner than ours; in fact, it’s brimming with bacteria.
Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds, but we have 9,000.
Three or more pugs together are called a grumble.
photo: pugminded.com
More than 3,000 dogs participate in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, held each year in New York.
Dogs have a special membrane in their eyes that’s like a mirror. That’s how they can see so well in the dark.
The Monopoly people have changed the Scottie Dog token to a Labradoodle, reflecting the popularity of doodles.
The tough, swaggering Taco Bell dog was actually a female Chihuahua, called Gidget, who also starred in Legally Blonde 2.
