Did you know that three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic…

Canines have been man’s “best friend” for thousands of years, and this time has provided for some surprising bits of trivia.  Here’s some interesting facts about dogs for your light reading….

• Dogs evolved from a creature of the Tomarctus species, 15 million years ago.
• The Irish Wolfhound is the largest breed of dog and the Chihuahua is the smallest.
• A dog’s sense of smell is 100,000 times stronger than that of a human.
• Three dogs actually survived the sinking of the Titanic – a Newfoundland, a Pekingese and a Pomeranian.
• 15 million puppies are born each year in the U.S. and 1 in 3 American families own a dog.
• George Washington had 36 foxhounds and one of them was named Sweetlips.
• Dogs have no sense of time.
• Dogs have been living with Humans as pets for more than 12,000 years.
• President Lyndon Johnson’s two beagles were named Him and Her.
• Toto, the dog in the Wizard of Oz was a female Cairn Terrier who in real life was named Terry.
• Dogs live on average, 15 years.
• Up until 4 months old, puppies cannot control their bladders overnight.
• Louis Doberman, a German tax collector created the Doberman breed so that he would have a dog to protect him while he worked.
• A third of all dog owners admit to talking to their dogs on the phone.
• The oldest dog was known to have lived for 29 years.
• A dog’s mouth typically exerts between 150 and 200 pounds of pressure per square inch, with some dogs exerting up to 450 pounds per square inch.  A wolf by comparison can bite with a bone-crushing force of over 1200 pounds per square inch.
• Dogs which receive little human contact within the first 3 months of age often do not make good pets.
• The Labrador Retriever is the favorite breed in the U.S.
• President Franklin Roosevelt spent $15,000 to have a naval vessel pick up his beloved Scottie in the Aleutian Islands.
• 70% of people sign their pet’s name on greeting cards
• Baying at the moon is a dog’s instinct to call the pack together.
• The longer the dog’s nose, the better the cooling system.
• Newfoundland dogs have webbed feet and are great swimmers.
• The substance in chocolate that is toxic to dogs is Theobromine.
• Dogs typically do not like being left behind, so leave a radio or TV on to keep your dog company when you are gone.
• By comparison a one-year old dog is as physically mature as a 15 year-old human.
• Greyhounds can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
• Border collies, Poodles and Golden Retrievers are thought to be the smartest dogs.
• Long toenails account for many foot disorders in dogs.

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