Dog Facts

I decided to do something a little different today. Over the past while I've come across some tidbits about dogs and I thought you might find them interesting.

Even though a human stands upright and a dog walks on four feet, the two have very similar skeletons. The only real difference is that a dog does not have a collar bone.

The Rhodesian Ridgeback has an unusual ridge of hair which grows along the middle of its back. This ridge of hair grows in the opposite direction to all the other hair on its back.

Dogs have an incredible sense of smell. They can detect one part of urine in 60 million parts of water.

Trained blood hounds have phenomenal scenting ability. If they are following a trail and they lose it at the edge of a body of water, they can often regain the lost trail after they cross the body of water.

The first living creatures to return from space alive, were the dogs Belka and Strelka along with a grey rabbit, 42 mice, 2 rats, flies and a number of plants and fungi on August 19, 1960.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has a daily walk around the grounds of Buckingham Palace. She is accompanied, a few steps behind, by her two Corgis, on leashes held by the dog handler.

A lonely dog, deprived of canine or human companionship for long periods each day can easily become destructive. Therefore, they should have someone or something to keep them occupied. Many people leave either a radio or television on to “entertain” their dogs.

Many dogs respond favourably to music and some will even provide vocal accompaniment. A few dogs have even learned to “play” an instrument such as a piano or a mouth organ.

Some dogs, trained to aid the disabled, can load and unload washing machines. Others can “answer” the phone by picking up the receiver and holding it for their disabled companion to talk to the caller.

Dogs have now been trained to detect impending heart attacks or epileptic seizures and can then warn their owners, so appropriate action can be taken.

The Newfoundland dog has webbed feet which enables it to swim exceptionally well, in spite of being a large dog with a heavy coat. As well as the Newfoundland, many “water dogs” such as retrievers also have strong webs between their toes to assist them in swimming. Many arctic breeds, like huskies, also have webbed feet which keep them from sinking too deeply into snow

Any breed of Tibetan origin that has tan markings above its eyes is called “four eyes.” Many Tibetans believe that these dogs can see evil up to three days in advance.

Dogs that have been rescued should be seen by a veterinarian before being put up for adoption so that any potential new owner will know the needs of the dog and can then make an informed decision regarding getting it for a pet.

Greyhounds that have retired from racing or been rescued from racing establishments make great dogs for apartment dwellers. They are affectionate, quiet (they seldom bark), and they are used to small places because in the racing world they frequently had to stay in small crates when being transported from place to place.

Diarrhoea in dogs is frequently caused by a rapid change in diet or a slight chill. It can usually be rectified by withholding food from the dog for 24 hours and then feeding the dog a light diet for the next few days. Fresh water should be available at all times. If you notice blood in the diarrhoea or if vomiting and diarrhoea occur together or if other unusual symptoms accompany the diarrhoea, get your dog to the veterinarian as quickly as possible.

For hundreds of years, dogs were expected to work in return for food and shelter, but in modern times they are more valued for their companionship. One duty they performed was pulling dog carts, which carried all manner of things, including people, parcels, milk containers, fruit and vegetables, wood, meat, bread and coal.

“Lassie,” one of the most famous canine movie stars, was in actual fact a male dog by the name of “Pal.”

Until next time,

Teia