More Fun and Interesting Dog Facts

Among dogs officially registered with kennel clubs in the U.S., Labrador Retrievers are the most popular breed followed by Rottweilers and German Shepherds.

All dogs, regardless of breed, are direct descendants of wolves and technically of the same species.

A dog's whiskers -- found on the muzzle, above the eyes and below the jaws -- are technically known as vibrissae. They are touch-sensitive hairs than actually sense minute changes in airflow.

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

Dogs have a sense of smell that is one of the keenest in nature. Humans might smell a pot of stew cooking on the stove, but a dog can distinguish the smells of each individual ingredient, from the beef itself to the potatoes.

Dog Facts That Are Fun and Interesting

The Lhasa Apso was used by monks to guard temples.

The Doberman breed was created in the 1860's by Louis Doberman, a German tax-collector who created the dog to protect him while he worked.

Most people think that dogs sweat by salivating, but they actually sweat through the pads of their feet.

The name Pug is believed to have derived from this dog's resemblance to the pug monkey.

Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not color blind but can, in fact, see color. However, their color scheme is not as vivid as ours and can be likened to our vision at twilight.

You might expect that a Great Dane can eat a lot of food. In fact, they can eat up to 8 ½ pounds a day!

Cats can see a lot better than dogs. In fact, dogs first distinguish objects by movement, then brightness, and finally by shape.

Dog Facts that are Interesting

There are 42 teeth in a dog's mouth.

Whippets can reach a maximum speed of 35 miles per hour.

The Taco Bell dog is actually a female, and her real name is Gidget.

One of the very first animals domesticated by humans was the dog.

The oldest known dog lived to be 29.

The "spring" in Springer Spaniel referred to this dog's ability to spring or startle game.

In Flemish, Schipperke translates to "Little Captain."

Dog Facts That Are Fun

Survivors of the Titanic included two dogs: a Pekingese belonging to Henry Sleeper Harper and a Pomeranian belonging to Miss Margaret Hays.

The oldest known breed of dog is the Saluki, which is an Arabic word meaning noble one. These dogs were raised as hunting dogs by ancient Egyptians.

The oldest breed of dog native to North America is the Chihuahua.

That whole one year in a dog's life is the equivalent of 7 in a human's isn't exactly true. A more accurate calculation is as follows: At one year, a dog is the equivalent of 16 human years; at two dog years they are 24 human years; at 3 dog years, 30 human years; and for every dog year after that, add 4 human years.

Every minute, dogs take ten to thirty breaths.

The only mammals with prostates are humans and dogs.

Interesting Facts About Dogs

The ancient Chinese royalty loved the Pekingese, carrying them tucked into the sleeves of their royal robes.

Dachshunds were bred to fight badgers in their dens.

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.

Greyhounds are no doubt fast. In fact, they can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour for short amounts of time.

Have you ever seen a dog curled up with his tail covering his nose? They do that to keep the nose warm in cold weather.

Many dogs' eyes reflect the color green in the dark, but some also reflect orange or red.

Laikia, a dog, was the world's first ever space astronaut. She was sent into space in an artificial earth satellite in 1957 by the Russian government.

Fun Facts About Dogs

Dogs have been domesticated for 10,000 years.

There are over 200 different breeds of dogs

Canis Familiaris is the Latin name for dog.

The largest dogs among all breeds, at least in terms of height, is the Irish Wolfhound.

Nearly all but two breeds of dogs have pink tongues. The two exceptions? The Chow Chow and the Shar-pei, both with black tongues.

The Basenji is the only barkless dog in the world.

Dalmatian puppies are born pure white, with their spots developing as the mature.

Cat Facts and The Law

Killing a cat in ancient Egypt was a crime punishable by death.

It's unlawful in Sterling, Colorado for a pet cat to run loose without a taillight.

In French Lick Springs, Indiana, there was once a law passed requiring that all black cats wear bells on Friday the 13th.

In Zion, Illinois, it's illegal to give lighted cigars to dogs, cats and other pets.

It's illegal for a cat to fight a dog in Barbar, North Carolina.

In Ventura County, California, it's illegal for cats and dogs to have sex without a permit.

Cat Facts That are both Fun and Interesting

You can calm a frightened cat by letting him bury his head in your armpit or by putting your hand over his eyes and forehead.

Only some 80% of cats respond to catnip; the other 20% don't have the specific gene that causes them to react.

Domestic cats are the only species able to hold their tail vertically while walking.

Domestic cats can breed up to 4 times per year, while wild cats breed only once per year.

Who do you think cats respond better to -- men or women? In fact, it's women, perhaps because they have a higher pitch to their voice.

Signs that your cat trusts you include snoring and rolling over on his back to expose his belly.

Interesting Facts About Cats

Domestic cats are capable of sprinting at about 31 miles per hour.

When cats walk or run, they step with both left legs, then both right legs, and so forth.

Cats are capable of jumping 5 times as high as they are tall.

When grooming, cats lose almost as much fluid through saliva as they do when they urinate.

Nearly 30% of a cat's life is spent grooming itself.

Cats' brains are more similar to the human brain than they are to dogs. In fact, cats and humans have identical regions in the brain responsible for emotion.

The hair on a cat's body will stand up fairly evenly all over the body when the cat is frightened, but the hair will stand up only in a narrow band along the spine and tail when the cat is threatened or ready to attack.

Cat facts that are Fun

Cat's aren't exactly color blind; they can see green, blue and red.

Due to some genetic thing, all calico cats are female.

Catgut was often used for the strings in tennis rackets and musical instruments. However, it didn't actually come from cats but from sheep, hogs, and horses.

There are 30 muscles in a cat's ear that control the outer ear, as opposed to only six in humans. By rotating 180 degrees, these muscles allow a cat to hear in all directions without actually moving his head.

Stroking a cat can lower one's blood pressure.

Cats have a sense of smell that is fourteen times stronger than a human's.

There are about 244 bones in a cat's body, which is about 40 more than in the human body.

Cat facts

With more than 230 bones, no collarbone, and a pelvis and shoulders that are loosely attached to the spine, cat's bodies are extremely flexible.

The whiskers of a cat are extremely sensitive and capable of registering very small changes in air pressure. This allows them to be used as an alternative sensing device so they can maneuver well in the dark.

All cat walk on their toes with the back part of the foot raised, known by the term digitigrade.

Domestic cats and wild cubs alike are born with blue eyes, the color change occurring around the age of 12 weeks.

While cats have five toes on each of their front paws, they only have four toes on each of their back paws. Some cats, however, are polydactyl, or many-toed, and can be born with as many as 7 front toes and even extra back ones.

Cats age ten years in the first six months of life.

Though you need a UV light to see it, cat urine actually glows in the dark.

Fun Facts About Cats

There are about 30 teeth in a cat's mouth.

Averaging some 16 hours a day, cats get more sleep than virtually any other animal.

Cats with white coats and blue eyes are commonly born deaf, though they make up for it with their other senses.

In the animal kingdom, the cat's IQ is surpassed only by that of monkeys and chimps.

Cats have a greater chance of survival during a fall that is 20 stories as opposed to 7 stories. The reason is because it takes them about 8 floors to realize what is happening, relax, and correct themselves.

Cats get acne.

Similar to the frequency of an idling diesel engine, cats purr at about 26 cycles per second.

Dog Ages and Human Years

Your Dog's Age in Human Years

Though at one time we all believed that one year in your dog's life was the equivalent of seven in a human's life, that's now been proven untrue. Fortunately, veterinarians have developed a more realistic comparison of a dog's age to a human's age, as shown below. Keep in mind, however, that ‘old age' will occur at different ages for different dogs. In general, the onset of old age occurs for most dogs between the ages of five and ten, with the larger breed dogs toward the earlier end and the smaller breed dogs toward the latter end.

Dog Years = Human Years
5 months = 10 years
8 months = 13 years
10 months = 14 years
1 year = 16 years

2 years = 24 years

3 years = 28 years

4 years = 32 years

5 years = 36 years

6 years = 40 years

7 years = 44 years

8 years = 48 years

9 years = 52 years

10 years = 56 years

11 years = 60 years

12 years = 64 years

13 years = 68 years

14 years = 72 years

15 years = 76 years

16 years = 80 years

17 years = 84 years

18 years = 87 years

19 years = 90 years

20 years = 93 years

21 years = 96 years

22 years = 99 years

23 years = 102 years

24 years = 105 years

The Non-Shedding Dog

Most dogs shed, whether they have long hair, short hair, or heavy undercoats. A Labrador Retriever with fairly short hair can shed just as much, if not more, than a longer-haired German Shepherd or Collie. Daily brushing can help to decrease the amount of hair your see around your house and thus on your clothing. For dogs who shed seasonally, brushing may need to even be done twice daily during those times.

Some people prefer not to deal with the shedding at all. In which case, some breeds of ‘non-shedding' dogs may be the ideal solution, particularly for allergy sufferers. These dogs will still shed, though the amount of hair that they shed is about as much as your own, which is barely noticeable. These are dogs who don't have much of an undercoat, and they have the type of coat the requires regular clipping. These include Poodles, Cocker Spaniels, Shih Tzus and Schnauzers. Other breeds that shed little to no hair include the following: Affenpinschers, Airedale Terriers, American Hairless Terriers, Australian Terriers, Basenjis, Bedlington Terriers, Belgian Shepherd Laekenois, Bergamascos, Bichon Frises, Bichon/Yorkie mixes, Bologneses, Border Terriers, Bouvers des Flanders, Brussels Griffons, Cairn Terriers, Cesky Terriers, Chi-Poos, Chinese Cresteds, Cockapoos, Coton De Tulears, Dandie Dinmont Terriers, Doodleman Pinschers, Giant Schnauzers, Glen of Imaal Terriers, Hairless Khalas, Havaneses, Irish Terriers, Irish Water Spaniels, Italian Greyhounds, Kerry Blue Terriers, Komondors, Labradoodles, Lagotto Romagnolos, Lakeland Terriers, Lowchens, Malteses, Malti-Poos, Manchester Terriers, Mi-Kis, Miniature Poodles, Miniature Schnauzers, Norfolk Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Peruvian Inca Orchids, Petit Basset Griffon Vendeens, Poos (Poodle Mixes), Portuguese Water Dogs, Pulis, Schnoodles, Scottish Terriers, Sealyham Terriers, Shepadoodles, Shichons, Silky Terriers, Soft Coated Wheaten Terriers, Spanish Water Dogs, Standard Poodles, Standard Schnauzers, Tibetan Terriers, Toy Poodles, Welsh Terriers, West Highland White Terriers, Wirehaired Fox Terriers, Wirehaired Pointing Griffons, and Yorkshire Terriers.

Miniature Dog Breeds

Just what makes a dog a miniature dog? Miniature dog breeds are defined as any breed of dog weighing less than 11 pounds and standing less than 11 inches at the shoulder. There are many different breeds coming in many different shapes and sizes. To name just a few, there's the Affenpinscher, Beagle, Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Chihuahua , Dachshund, English Toy Spaniel, Havanese, Maltese, Miniature Schnauzer, Pekingese, Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Toy Poodle, and Yorkshire Terrier.

Further, miniature dogs come in a variety of activity levels. Don't be fooled that, just because a dog is small, his activity level will be small as well. While there are some lower energy small breeds, such as the Pug, many can be pretty high energy, including the Australian Terrier, Beagle, Cairn Terrier, Italian Greyhound, Miniature Pinscher, and Wire Fox Terrier. All miniature breeds will need some amount of exercise, such as a walk with their owner or a romp around the yard or a large garden.

The care of a miniature breed is pretty much just like that of any other breed. Long-haired breeds, whether miniature or large, will require regular grooming, usually daily. Some miniature breeds with short coats may require extra protection in cold weather and it's generally recommended that smaller breeds not be kept in outdoor kennels. And just like any other breed, miniature breeds should be fed a high-quality diet, though kibbles may come in a smaller size. Though many people believe that smaller breeds of dogs prove harder to housebreak, this isn't necessarily so and can depend on the individual dog.

Small breeds are not prone to any more genetic disorders than other breeds. However, their size tends to make them a favorite of puppy mills, which can result in problems with inbreeding, bad nutrition and the like. Because of that, it's extra important that you acquire your miniature breed through a reputable breeder. You must also be committed to having and caring for you miniature breed for quite some time as they generally live longer than larger breed dogs. Small breeds may average between ten to twelve years of age, though many can live much longer.

Small breeds are just as intelligent and energetic as larger breed dogs and have similar personalities. In fact, they can even make good watch dogs despite their diminutive size.

Further, you're likely to find that many small dogs aren't phased by the littler size and have the personalities of much larger dogs.