Interesting Facts about Dogs

Puppies are born both deaf and blind.Their eyes begin to open between 10 and 14 days.They begin to hear soon after but it takes a while longer before they have complete sight and hearing.

Puppies have blue eyes for aprox 6 weeks after they open.

Puppies begin getting their puppy teeth when they are about three weeks old.They're very sharp!

Puppies begin getting their adult teeth between four and seven months.They're very likely to chew on things during this period.

Dogs are thought to have descended from wolves in southeast Asia at least 14,000 years ago.

Some of the oldest breeds of dogs are the Afghan Hound, the Chow Chow, the Lhasa Apso, the Pekingese, the Shar Pei, the Shih Tzu, the Tibetan Terrier, the Saluki, the Basenji, the Akita Inu, the Shiba Inu, the Samoyed, the Siberian Husky and the Alaskan Malamute.

Most dogs have a double coat of hair -- an undercoat that provides insulation and an outer coat of guard hair.

There are no completely hypoallergenic dogs.All dogs have at least some hair that can attract dander and allergens.Some dogs and breeds attract less than others.

There are currently 74.8 million pet dogs in the United States.Some 44.8 million U.S. households own a dog.

Seventy-eight (78) percent of the owned dogs in the United States are spayed or neutered.

According to the AKC the most popular names for dogs are Lady and Bear.

The American Kennel Club recognizes 161 dog breeds in the United States.The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale), recognizes over 400 breeds throughout the world.

The Irish Wolfhound is the tallest breed of dog.At a minimum,males should be 31 inches tall at the shoulder and 120 pounds.Females should be 28 inches tall at the shoulder and 90 pounds.

The heaviest dog is usually considered to be the Mastiff or the Saint Bernard.A healthy Mastiff or Saint Bernard -- not an overweight dog -- will typically weigh 180-200 pounds.

The smallest breed of dog is the tiny Chihuahua. According to the Chihuahua breed standard they should not weigh more than six pounds and they stand six to nine inches tall at the shoulder.