20 Dog Facts for National Dog Day

Carrington College loves dogs! A career as a veterinary technician or veterinary assistant is a great way to help animals. In honor of National Dog Day, we wanted to share some fun facts about Man’s Best Friend.

1. 1. Newfoundlands have a water resistant coat and webbed feet. They were originally bred to help haul nets for fishermen and rescue people from drowning.
   2. Paul McCartney recorded an ultrasonic whistle only dogs can hear at the end of the Beatles song, “A Day in the Life.”
   3. Why do dogs chase their tails? Sometimes it is because they’re curious or they need exercise, but it can also be a sign of anxiety or fleas! If your dog does it a lot, talk to your vet.
   4. Seeing spots… or not! Dalmatian puppies are born pure white and develop their spots as they get older.
   5. Do dogs dream? Yup! Dogs and humans have the same kind of sleep cycles. That twitching and paw movements are signs your pet is dreaming.
   6. Hot dog! A dog’s normal temperature is between 101 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit!
   7. Speaking of hot… did you know dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet?
   8. A dog’s sense of smell is 10,000 – 100,000 times better than yours.
   9. Why do they do that? When dogs kick after going to the bathroom, they’re using the scent glands on their paws to further mark their territory.
   10. Dogs curl up in a ball when they sleep because of an age-old instinct to keep themselves warm and protect their vital organs from predators.
   11. The average dog is as smart as a two-year-old child.
   12. There’s a dog shaped building in New Zealand.

       

   13. If they weren’t spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!
   14. Just like humans, Chihuahuas are born with a soft spot on their heads that closes as they get older.
   15. The breed Lundehune has 6 toes and can close its ears.
   16. Teddy Roosevelt’s dog, Pete, ripped a French ambassador’s pants off at the White House.
   17. An estimated 1 million dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will.
   18. Dog’s nose prints are as accurate as human fingerprints and can be used to identify them.
   19. The phrase “raining cats and dogs” came from 17^th century England when it’s believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain.
   20. The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts offer merit badges in dog care.

Know another cool fact about dogs? Share it in the comments.