20 Facts About Dogs That May Surprise You

20 Facts About Dogs That May Surprise You

A true dog lover must go through the following lines in the poem written by G.K. Chesterton.

“They haven’t got no noses,
The fallen sons of Eve;
Even the smell of roses,
Is not what they supposes;
But more than mind discloses,
And more than men believe.”
– From “The Song of Quoodle” by G.K Chesterton

1. Most Dogs Are This Smart

Dogs are capable of understanding up to 250 words and gestures, can count up to five and can perform simple mathematical calculations. The average dog is as intelligent as a two-year old child.

2. Dogs Have Excellent Survival Instincts

Some dogs in Russia have figured out how to use the subway system in order to travel to more populated areas in search of food.

3. Why You Should Stop Hugging Your Dogs

Dogs do not like being hugged, so save your hugs for other humans and primates. Canines interpret putting a limb over another animal as a sign of dominance.

4. Real Life Super Heroes

Two stray dogs in Afghanistan saved 50 American soldiers. A Facebook group raised $21,000 to bring the dogs back to the US and reunite them with the soldiers.

5. The Beatles Song Made For Dogs

The Beatles song “A day in the Life” has an extra high-pitched whistle, audible only to dogs. It was recorded by Paul McCartney for the enjoyment of his Shetland Sheepdog.

6. Service Dogs Know When They Are Off Work

Service dogs are trained to know when they are on duty. When their harness is on, they know it’s business time. When you take it off, the pups immediately become playful and energetic.

7. Dogs That Pee And Poo On Command

Seeing dogs pee and poo on command, so that their owners can clean up after them. Male dogs are also trained to do their business without lifting their legs.

8. The Pekingese Was The Last Line Of Defense

In Ancient China, an emperor’s last line of defense was a small pekingese dog literally hidden up his sleeve.

9. Lord Byron Was A Huge Fan Of Dogs

When Lord Byron was informed that his dog was not allowed to come with him to Cambridge Trinity College, he retaliated by bringing a bear instead.

10. Two Dog's That Were Best Friends

In 1860’s San Francisco, two stray dogs who were best friends became local celebrities. Their exploits were celebrated in local papers and they granted immunity from the city’s dog catchers.

11. The Nose Knows

The wetness of a dog’s nose is essential for determining what direction a smell is coming from.

12. Spiked Collars For Protection

Spiked dog collars were invented in ancient Greece and were originally designed to protect dogs throats from wolf attacks.

13. A Goose Friend Indeed

There is a blind boxer by the name of Baks. He has a strange relationship with a four-year-old goose named buttons. The goose leads Baks around everywhere by either hanging onto him with her neck, or by honking to let him know which direction he should be going in.

14. When A Puppy Is Born, They Are Blind, Deaf, And Toothless!

When a puppy is born, it appears to be so impotent and incomplete. The surprising fact is that their ear canals are closed and eyelids are shut, which makes them functionally deaf and blind. Why they are born in a state where both of its major senses are screwed up is answered by the theory of survival of the fittest, which means this gives them the chance to develop senses according to their environment where they belong.



Some mammals have long pregnancy period and will give birth to fully functional offspring whereas some others give birth to live babies in a short span of time which will be an immature partly formed offspring. Canines belong to the latter category and need at most care during their initial days. The closed eyelids give protection to their optical system from exposing to different objects like dirt and grit. Relative silence is critical for developing ears as sound pressure cause structural movements in the matured ear.

15. All But Two Breeds Of Dogs Have Pink Tongues!

Except for the Chow Chow and Shar Pei, the two stereotypical breeds that have spotted black tongue characteristic, all other species have a pink tongue. The well-known breed Chow Chow has secured the 64th position and Shar Pei ranked 134th among popular 155 breeds and varieties recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC).



However, it is alarming that when a dog has suddenly developed black spots where there never used to be any. Dogs can develop melanoma or carcinoma, both of which present as spots on the skin. Additionally, darker pigmented masses underneath the dog’s mouth can be an indication of oral cancer. If some new black spots started developing in the dog’s mouth, it is always better to consult a vet at the earliest.

16. Barkless Dog

If you are looking for a dog nicknamed the “barkless” dog, then go and get a Basenji. Even though it is known for not barking, it does not remain silent and possess vocalizations range from a delightful yodel to a hair-raising scream, as well as the usual growls and whimpers made by all other dog species. Basenji is also noted for its unique level of intelligence and defense against intruders.  A Basenji can be perfectly trained and he will grasp every command we teach but his action to obey may be based on his own reasoning.

17. Popular Dog Names

According to the survey, the world’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, the most popular male dog name comes out to be “Max” and female as “Bella”. As the trends changed the selection of dog names has also varied from old-fashioned dog names like Lady, to mythology inspired names such as Apollo.

18. Doggy Teeth

Puppies possess baby teeth just like humans. They lose those baby teeth and have a full set of adult teeth by the time they are six months old, due to their rapid development and maturity. Baby teeth are also known as deciduous teeth. Like deciduous trees, which shed their leaves, the 28 deciduous teeth of puppies are temporary and lose over the course of their first half-year. The 42 that come in and replace them tend to last longer than human teeth. This is because of the shape of canine teeth and the tendency of dog food to be low in sugar, which means that cavities are a rare occurrence in dogs.

19. Kublai Khan Loved Dogs

In the 13th century, the Mongol emperor Kublai Khan owned 5000 Mastiffs. He used them for hunting and war. The word “Mastiff” refers to a group of large dogs – breeds that played a role in the development of various bulldog breeds and mountain dogs. It is also the common name for an extremely large dog breed also known as the English Mastiff. These dogs are huge, there’s no getting around it.



With females weighing a minimum of 120 pounds, the Mastiff is by no means a dainty breed. While the Mastiff’s size gives him a certain degree of formidability, he is also very noble, courageous, generous, and loving. Surprisingly docile and gentle, the Mastiff makes a wonderful family pet, though his size makes him somewhat of a challenge to keep. If you are an experienced dog owner with a lot of love to give, the Mastiff is a great breed to consider.

20. Dalmatians Are Completely White At Birth!

Dalmatians who have their origin from Yugoslavia are easily distinguishable by their white coats. The coats are pure white when they are born. Dalmatians are born with skin pigmentation spots that are screened by their white fur. A newborn litter of dalmatian puppies isn’t recognizable by their spots. The spots are present on the puppies’ skin at birth but don’t begin to show in the coat until the puppies are about 10 days old. This means the majority of dalmatian puppies are born with solid white coats. The puppies’ spots continue to develop and darken rapidly until the puppy is mature, usually between 1 and 2 years of age. After that age, the dog continues to develop spots throughout his lifetime, but at a much slower pace.