Facts about dogs

1. Puppies love games such as hide and seek! Hide, then call your pup's
name so she can try to find you.
 
2. Dogs can learn more than 1000 words.
 
3. Big happy "helicopter" tail wagging is one sign of a really nice dog
 
4. Upright, stiff, rapid tail movement is not wagging or "friendly" but
indicates a dog who's rather excited and focused.
 
5. Puppies grow to half their body weight in the first four to five months!
 
6. Puppies then take a year or more to gain the other half of their body
weight.
 
7. Puppies can sleep 18 to 20 hours a day during that rapid body growth
phase.
 
8. Dogs sometimes appear to smile — much like humans — with open
mouth grinning. This may indicate a relaxed, submissive state.
 
9. Tired puppies get cranky just like little kids. If you have a fussy puppy,
try nap time.
 
10. The fastest breed, the Greyhound, can run up to 44 miles per hour.
 
11. Perky-eared dogs hear sounds better than floppy-eared dogs.
 
12. There are about 400 million dogs in the world.
 
13. The Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed, according to the
American Kennel Club.
 
14. There are hundreds of breeds of dogs.
 
15. The average dog lives 10 to 14 years.
 
16. In general, smaller breeds live longer than larger breeds.
 
17. The world's oldest breed, the Saluki, originated in Egypt around 329
B.C.
 
18. According to a study shared by Cornell University, dogs were
domesticated between 9,000 and 34,000 years ago.
 
19. Thomas Jefferson helped enact a dog tax in Virginia, because he was
annoyed that dogs were killing his sheep.
 
20. Stroking dogs and gazing into their eyes releases the "feel good"
hormone oxytocin for both people and dogs.
 
21. Dogs are omnivores -- they eat meat, grains and vegetables.
 
22. The heaviest breed, the Mastiff, weighs about 200 pounds.
 
23. More than half of all U.S. presidents have owned dogs.
 
24. President Calvin Coolidge owned at least a dozen dogs.
 
25. Just like human fingerprints, no two dogs' nose prints are alike.
 
26. At about 6 inches, the Chihuahua is the shortest breed.
 
27. Irish Wolfhounds, the tallest breed, are 30 to 35 inches tall.
28. A Russian dog named Laika was the first animal in space, traveling
around Earth in 1957.
 
29. Dogs who bark the most: Miniature Schnauzers, Cairn Terriers,
Yorkshire Terriers, Fox Terriers and West Highland White Terriers.
 
30. Puppies have 28 teeth and adult dogs have 42.
 
31. The best age to bring a puppy home is 8 to 12 weeks.
 
32. Dogs can see best at dawn and dusk.
 
33. Dogs aren't colorblind but their eyes don't have receptors for red. They
see in shades of black and white and also in shades of blue and yellow.
 
34. New puppies have heat sensors in their noses to help find their moms
while their eyes and ears are closed.
 
35. A dog's sense of smell is reduced by up to 40 percent when he's
overheated and panting.
 
36. Highly trainable dog breeds like Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers,
German Shepherds and Collies are more kid-friendly than some other breeds.
 
37. Bichons, Portuguese Water Dogs, Kerry Blue Terriers, Maltese and
Poodles are all good choices if you have allergies since they shed less than
other breeds.
 
38. More than one in three U.S. families owns a dog.
 
39. The average number of puppies in a litter is four to six.
 
40. There are nearly 14,000 animal shelters and rescue groups across
North America.
 
41. Service dogs are recognized in the U.S. as "necessary medical
equipment."
 
42. Therapy dogs, who bring healing to individuals and families by visiting
hospitals,
schools or retirement homes, differ from service dogs, who assist individuals
who have disabilities.
 
43. The Newfoundland has a water-resistant coat and webbed feet.
 
44. As Disney's Cruella De Vil was aware, Dalmatian puppies are born pure
white and develop spots as they grow older.