2. FRESH FACTS…
•
•
•
•
•
•
More than 300 species
Around 120 extinct
The only suitable pet for all ages
Estimated to be wolf descendants
Most number of dogs ever owned--5,000
Mastiffs by Kublai Khan
The only animal in the animal kingdom that
can read the emotions on your face much
like humans.
3. IN SHORT…
Subspecies of the gray wolf
the first domesticated animal
Used for hunting, herding, pulling
loads, protection, assisting police &
military, companionship, handicapped
individuals
domesticated since approximately 33,000 years
ago, their primal instincts remain active to this day.
E.g. howling at the moon, pack dependency & even
territory marking.
shows more behavioral and morphological variation
than any other land mammal since evolution
9.
Newfoundland has water resistant coat and webbed
feet; bred to help fishermen & rescue people at risk
of drowning.
10. Dogs’ eyes contain a special membrane, called the
“tapetum lucidum”, which allows them to see in the
dark
Dogs only sweat through the pads of their feet; no
sweat glands in the body
In addition to sweating through
paw pads, dogs pant to cool
themselves off.
300-400 breaths
(compared to his regular 30-40)
with very little effort.
11.
Dogs have three eyelids--- an upper lid, a lower lid
and the third lid, called a nictitating membrane or
“haw,” which helps keep the eye moist and
protected
12. WHY THE WET NOSE??
Dogs’ noses secrete a thin layer of mucous that
helps them absorb scent. They then lick their noses
to sample the scent through their mouth.
13. HEARING & TASTING…
Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds; humans have
9000
Dogs hear best at 8,000 Hz,
while humans hear best at around 2,000 Hz
15.
A frightened dog put its tail between his legs.the tail
between the legs action is equivalent to insecure
humans hiding their faces.
16. LIMPING ON…
Limping of dog can be due to a host of things from
a thorn stuck in their paw to arthritis. However, in
some occasions, limping can also be a sign of bone
cancer.
17. NO CHOCOLATES!!!
It turns out that a chemical in chocolate called
theobromine is toxic and can seriously, even fatally
affect your dog if it ingests between 100 and 150
milligrams per kilogram of body weight.
18. Dogs can predict an epileptic seizure up to 45
minutes before it happens. No one really knows
what dogs are picking up on. 72% of dog owners
believe their dog can detect when stormy weather
is on the way.
Thunderstorms have particular sound frequencies
that can hurt dogs’ ears. The fear that your dog
shows at the start of a thunderstorm may actually
be a reaction to pain.
19. JUST DREAMING…
Dogs and humans have the same type of slow
wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM)
and during this REM stage dogs can dream. The
twitching and paw movements that occur during
their sleep are signs that your pet dog is dreaming
20. CHASE THE TAIL, CHASE IT….CHASE IT
Dogs chase their tails for a variety of reasons:
curiosity, exercise, anxiety, predatory instinct or,
they might have fleas! If your dog is chasing his tail
excessively, talk with your vet
