10 awesome dog facts!
Ready to learn some paw-some dog facts? Then you’re in the right place! Join National Geographic Kids as we get the lowdown on our fur-tastic friends…
Dog facts!
1. Dogs are the most popular pet on the planet!
A third of ALL households around the world have a dog. These playful, friendly, loyal animals make great companions, but they can also be fierce and tough protectors, or intelligent helpers.
2. They evolved from a now-extinct species of wolf.
Dogs were the first animal domesticated (tamed) by humans, over 20,000 years ago! As they evolved from wolves, their skulls, teeth and paws shrank, and they became more docile and obedient.
FUN FACT!
Evidence from fossils suggests that five types of dog had evolved by the Bronze Age, around 4500BC. These were mastiffs, wolf-type dogs, dogs similar to greyhounds, pointing dogs and herding dogs. Bow wow!
3. They can learn over 100 words and gestures!
Dogs are thought to be as smart as two-year-old children (and much easier to train!), so many owners teach them commands and tricks.
4. Dog noses are at least 40x more sensitive than ours!
These clever canines have an incredible sense of smell – allowing them to follow scent trails days after they were left. Amazingly, bloodhounds‘ sense of smell is so spot on that it can be used as evidence in court!
FUN FACT!
Dogs also have fantastic hearing! They can detect high-pitched noises and spot sounds from much further away than humans can.
5. Many work as assistance dogs, helping humans!
Many dogs are trained to work as guide dogs, helping blind people get around safely. Others are assistance dogs, who keep their owners calm and safe, while some brave hounds are search and rescue dogs, who help human rescuers save people from danger.
WEIRD BUT TRUE!
Some working dogs are trained to use their super senses to sniff out explosives and illegal goods, or alert humans to potentially dangerous health issues. Wow!
6. They only sweat from their paws, and have to cool down by panting.
The sweat is much oilier than humans’, and it contains lots of chemicals that only other dogs can detect. Weirdly, it also makes many dog paws smell of cheesy crisps!
7. They can be right or left-pawed!
Like humans, most dogs have a dominant hand – or in their case, paw! To figure out which one it is, you can conduct a simple science experiment…
Watch a dog moving from standing still to walking forwards. Do they start walking with their left leg, or their right? Watch several times, noting down the starting leg each time, and see if there’s a pattern. Many dogs will often lead with the same leg – their dominant one!
8. The Ancient Egyptians saw dogs as god-like!
Ancient breeds like the Saluki lived in the lavish palaces of Egyptian royalty! The pampered pooches had their own servants, were decked out in jewelled collars, and ate only the finest meats.
WEIRD BUT TRUE!
Dead rulers were often buried with their doggy pals, as they believed the hounds would protect them from harm in the afterlife.
9. Dogs use body language to express their feelings.
From their ears to their eyebrows, shoulders, and tail, dogs often use signals and smells, rather than sound, to communicate! Their posture makes a big difference, too.
Next time you see a dog interacting with a person or other dog, pay close attention. Are they shrinking themselves down small, or standing up big and tall? What do you think they’re trying to say?
10. Owning a dog is a BIG responsibility!
Just like humans, dogs have feelings and needs, and they have to be taken care of properly. They need regular walking, healthy food, a clean, cosy place to sleep and lots and lots of love and affection! Make sure you and your family think carefully before you get a dog (or any pet!) to make sure you have the time and means to take one on.
What did you think of our awesome dog facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!
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COMMENTS1
Peppa pig
loved it gave me so much info about dogs fantastic!!!!!
Ryland
I love thos website i learnt lotes of facts
Lulu
Amazing so cool❤️
So helpful for my school work
Lacey
Love the fact s
Sebastian
Coolest facts ever
Andy
I learned that dogs communicate my smiling
Riyaan
Love the facts.
levi
best pet ever
HAPPY
MORE FACTS!!!!!
Dogsrule
So helpful for my school work
KATELYN
COOL FACTS DUDE
kaley
i lv ts app sm omds it help me in my information report about, dogs! i told some of my friends about this website they tried it and thry said it was rlyy helpful, thank you smm!
Levi
I didn’t know about the Egyptians seeing a dog as god-like
dogs are adorable
JAMES
IT WAS SO INTERESTING
someone
i ❤ dogs
Panda
This was really interesting
Louis Amantino
cool facts dude make more facts dude!
tahu
I really like the facts slay
Blink
I learnt sooo many things today
sea turtle
I want a sausage dog but I travel to much to have one. :(
Regina Reyes
I love the dogs this animals are very curioslly and their and our are friends they are very importantssssssss
jack
dogs
Betty
I have to dogs and I have to cats
I never knew your facts and I love dogs
BINTA
i love all the fact u guys did a nice job
Tanisha
I love dogs they are better than cats
Otis
I love dogs and one picture looks like my dog banjo
nice
Arya
I love the doggie pictures
Doglover
I lovvvvve thiissss
Mahi
i love the facts that you have made.
I love dogs!
preppyrose
this website has helped me with a project at school. i love dogs and i have one. i will recommend this website to my friends and family
Mia
I absolutely love dogs, but my parents won’t let me have one, especially Puppies
Queen
Nice now I want to now about puppies because I'm going to have have one,two, Or three I don't know when I'm ten years old because the Owner of the shop said but now I'm 8 years old thank y
i wish there was husky fact in there because i love huskies and i am doing research on them
Alice
Cool!
Asher
i love the facts
It is interesting how they are right or left pawed
emily
dogs are so cute i have a dog named creamy
Nalav
The dog facts were amazing. I love dogs and once I used to have a German Shepherd but we had to give it away because we were moving to a small place. Thank you for the great read!
makenna
dogs are color blind blue yellow and gray
Ruby Potter
Amazing!!
William
cool!
William
these are some really good dog facts!
Viaann
I love corgi's
kissiwaa
i love puppies and dogs . i really want a dog
sid
I love the dogs
kanna
I do like these facts, dogs are cool but i like cats more.
gemma
soooo interesting.
Sophia
I REALLY WANT A DOG NOW
martii
i love dogs so much
Isabel
I love dogs so much
Poppy
I love dogs my parent has a cocerspanyle
This was a very cool page with many interesting facts including some that I never new before like how they could have a dominant paw!
ANNE
I LOVE DOGS SO MUCH
Jazmine
I just read all to my sister and I left her in shock!
maricelia
i love dogs so mucch i want to get another one but I can't
I wish i can have a dog
Nick
I never knew these facts! wow!!!
spaceface
I love dogs! in fact I have a boxer!
jaylen
I love dogs so so much.
Dani
Awesome, thank you. I’d love to know what wares dogs out the most.. is it going for a run, sniffing, playing fetch, or something else?
Jacques and Joshua
The dog is extremely cute and adorable
Amelia Yun
I love dogs so much because I was born in the year of Dog. They also are very cute.
Penny
I love dogs and I especially like sausage dogs. I love dogs so much that I really want to get one.
yur_fav_
i finally know much more about dogs thanks to you and i looooovvvvveeeee dogs
Scout
I love dogs My dog is named scout
Debora
I have one dog. Dogs are the best friend a human can have. dogs have feelings and needs.
Ilovedogs!
I am desperate for a dog so i'm researching them in school
REPTILEQUEEN♡
I have a snake his name is nagini
someone
Dogs is my fav animal i really want one. This website is good
Bella
I love dogs so much. I really want one and I am doing as much research as possible about them.
NAME
I DON T LIKE DOGS BUT THAT WAS COOL
Dog lover
So cool
EZE
I loved it but I knew most of the stuff.I also liked the FUN FACTS
becca
this is helpful
lucy
dogs are my favorite thing in the whole world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I want one soooooo badly!!!!!!!
(つ≧▽≦)つ
I LOVE THE FACTS IT REALLY HELPED ME UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT DOGS!!
No name
Interesting asspecially fact 8
twinkletoes
I LOVE DOGS
Munia
Hello, my name is Munia and I have been researching dogs ever since I was at least six years old, and when I grow up I want to be a dog studier here’s a fun fact did you know that in the 20th century a dog named bear was known as a hero for saving koalas from bushfires
betsy
i love this app it is the best in the world
jacob
this is good
ellis
dogs are cool and so is nat geo
340059
i love it
ellis
thank you so much!
ellis
i LOVE dogs!
Hikaru
Dogs are my favourite animal i love this website
Issy
Dogs are cool
Muriel
great!
kiah
amazing
Senadi
I love this website
Arnat
WOW
charlotte
i love national geographic kids
nice
I like it!!!
Ivan
so awesome
no name
cool!!!
wow
ummm there SOOOO CUTE
natan
great information
WOW!
jaden
cool
Aubrey
Dogs are so cool thanks for this it I'm also making a speech about it so this is going to be really good I'm up to four
Hana
When my dog is curious or hears something his ears always go up and forward. My favirote fact is the trick to see what there domnante paw is defently going to try it with my dog.
bob
i like dogs and this facts for me showed me a lot thank you
skylar
this help me a lot for essays thanks for y'll
Swiftie4ever
Cool facts!!! keep going!
layla
wow keep it going I love it here
dean
so cool!!!
Natalie
I love dogs and they are so cute
Mila
Really helpful! Doing a dog presentation
Anonymous
Cool dog are the best
Naomi.M
MOOREEEEEEE PLEASE!!!!
Maia
I've wanted a dog for a long time but my parents say NO so I'm just buying lots of stuff about dogs!
coolio
dogs are cool
coolio
This website is great for dog facts!!!! Especially when you have a dog!!!!!!!
b.h
I learned some pretty cool stuff about dogs
My dog is AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!
coolio
My dog is so energetic! And IS a big responsibility!!
Kailyn
SOOOOOOO good thank you
Zee
Awesome
Charmi
I LOVE THESE FACTS AND THEY WERE SO HELPFUL FOR MY PRESENTATION :)
Bohdi
You are the goat dogs Dogs DOGS DOGS DOGS
Lily
Great to know
Jerry
Wow I love all these awesome facts about dogs they so cool!!
Gus Tonkin
These facts are pawsome!!!
Emilycartmer
The dogs are sooooooooo cute and adorable, the facts are awesome and especially the one that says ‘dogs tell their expressions with their body movements’
Liyanamerhi
Dogs are so smart and cute and strong because the have more smell than uss and they can protect us more than we can an do like how one of the sentence said dogs can gaurd us
skye
this was so good for school!
bob
i love dogs
Aaryahi thakur
Very good!
Ava Conaghan
I have a dog and his name is Coby . I always take him out for a walk but when we get home he still isn’t tired.I know that having a dog is a lot of responsibility but you can have so much fun!
johan
it helped me in my speech
Sia
Nice and interesting
cool I never new this stuff
yasman
DOGS ARE THE BEST
Teuila Turley
This is an amazing web site!
Klyde
Thanks for telling me dog facts national kids geographic. This will help me a lot with my writing
Chase thistleton
I loved the content and the pictures are so cute and I love the fact you guys have posted. Thank u
Anvit
Very good points to write essay
SeceretMask
These facts are very useful thanks National Geographic kids
Sophie
I like your interesting tricks and facts they are really cool
Poppy
thank you for the lovely facts they were really fascinating.
ant
doggies are so cute an awesome an they deserve all the kindest in the world
jessie ellot
ur amazing
Rosie bainbridge
So cute!
Juno ' Victoria ' Raintung
I love how we learn about dogs!
This is a good website.I have three dogs and they love to play and do tricks.I love dogs!!
Sascha
I have a dog. My dogs name is Cocoa of course. The reason why name is Cocoa Cocoa is because she has hot chocolate body and marshmallow paws.
MISS R.HIGGINS2448NSW
GREAT READ THANKS
JoyBoy
I love dogs I think there amazing animals!
Vaughn
Thanks for the cool magazine NatGeoKids! They’re the best!!!
Jesse
This is so amazing. I love Dogs
igala
i am a big fan of dogs
connor
I love dogs, they are the coolest living thing on earth
neverseen1226b
pretty good it does tell a lot of good facts about dog's and i like the pitcher's and time put in it! And i think other kids might like it like me!
Hana
My favirote fact is the trick to see what there domnante paw is defently going to try it with my dog.
Beth
When my dog is curious or hears something his ears always go up and forward.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR AVATAR