Fun Dog Trivia

by Michelle at Vet Organics May 09, 2019 dog health dog nutrition dog trivia

Our canine companions can be called fun-loving lap dogs, slobbering sages, and rowdy rascals, but mysterious isn’t something we commonly think of when we think of our pups. However, with this collection of trivia and facts, guardians may rethink just how fascinating their fur babies really are.

The best prizes for the team who wins the trivia quiz at your next dog-friendly party are EcoTreats. They’re all-natural, low-calorie, nutritious treats no cat can resist. Try EcoTreats wild-caught sockeye salmon filet bits or EcoTreats signature chicken jerky.

Dog Smarts

Puppies are born blind, deaf, and toothless. To avoid behavioral problems and ensure they aren’t developmentally stunted, puppies should remain with their parents and litter for at least eight weeks.
Dogs understand human words and intonation, which is so much more than we previously thought. It used to be common knowledge that they had a 500-word vocabulary, but scientists didn’t know just how much dogs actually understand.
Some dogs can learn to count, solve simple math problems, and solve some complex puzzle problems that scientists previously through only humans could work through.
Some dogs can learn to detect cancer, changes in blood sugar, and the early signs of seizure onset to help humans with their healthcare.
Dogs can sense time. They not only know when it’s dinner time, walk time, and time for their guardians to come home, they can perceive the correct time, even when humans are thrown off by daylight savings.
Dogs can smell our feelings. They can smell 100,000 times better than humans and can detect fear and happiness with the most ease.
All that time our dogs spend choosing the right place and angle to do their business is actually them detecting the alignment of the Earth’s magnetic field. They prefer to poo in alignment with the north-south axis.
Dogs belong to a small group of animals in this world who show voluntary, unselfish kindness towards others, even without any reward, according to science. We’re pretty sure this is something true dog lovers have known all along.

Dog Anatomy

Dogs can only sweat through their paws and reduce body heat through panting.
Dogs are known for their sense of smell, but this super sense is reduced by 40% when they are panting and overheated.
Dogs have wet noses so they can absorb scent chemicals. This helps them manage their super-powered sniffers.
A dog’s nose is unique, just like human fingerprints.
Obesity is the most common health problem in dogs.
Dogs who have been spayed or neutered live longer than dogs who are left intact.
Dog ears play a role in their ability to hear. Upright ears can hear more than long, floppy ears. Either way, they can hear up to 60,000 hertz, while humans can only hear 20,000 hertz.

Dog Culture

Dogs are so prevalent as pets, dog care has become a vital skill among children, leading the Girls Scouts and Boy Scouts offer badges in dog care.
The infamous Beatles song, “A Day in the Life” ends with a high-pitched whistle at the end. This was added by Paul McCartney for his dog, Martha. It’s inaudible to humans, but can be heard by dogs.
The Saluki breed is the oldest known dog breed. They are referenced in ancient Egyptian tombs as early as 2100 B.C.
Dogs help people find dates. Apparently, a man’s chances of getting a girl’s contact info increased from 10% to 30% when he was accompanied by a dog. A whopping 66% of men and women responded to a survey that they would not date someone who didn’t like pets.

Share some of your favorite dog-related trivia in the comments below, on Facebook, or on Instagram.

Michelle Lievense

Michelle is a writer and ghostwriter, specializing in wellness, sustainability, and global social change. She is particularly fond of serving ethical organizations who contribute to a better life for people and animals through humane and environmentally responsible missions. At Vet Organics, Michelle uses her time as a vet tech, her academic studies in animal science and behavior, and nearly a decade working on a ranch teaching animal husbandry to write on a variety of cat and canine health topics. When she isn't writing, Michelle can be found hiking in the mountains of Colorado with her dogs or snuggled up with a good book and her cats.