Dog Facts for Kids
Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the world! Nearly forty percent of American households own a dog. Do you own a dog? What breed of dog do you own. Is it a German Shepherd, Great Dane, or Golden Retriever? Those are just some of the most popular breeds of dogs. What other breeds can you think of? How about the Australian Shepard or the Border Collie? What about a little Yorkshire Terrier? Keep reading these dog facts for kids to learn more about the different breeds and characteristics of dogs. Be careful, though, we can’t guarantee you won’t want a dog by the end.
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Different Dog Breeds
1. There are a total of 197 different breeds of dogs and an estimated 4 million dogs in the world! That’s a lot of dogs!
2. While each breed of dog has their own unique appearance and temperament, many dog breeds were originally developed for specific purposes, such as hunting or herding.
Dog Breeds and Records
3. The smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua, which can weigh as little as 2 pounds.
4. The tallest dog breed is the Irish Wolfhound, which can stand up to 3 feet tall at the shoulder.
5. The heaviest dog breed is the English Mastiff, which can weigh over 200 pounds.
6. The fastest dog breed is the Greyhound, which can run up to 45 miles per hour.
7. The most popular dog breed in the United States is the Labrador Retriever. What breed of dog do you have?
Puppy Bingo Printable Game – Classroom or Party Set
Dog Facts for Kids – Domestication and Pet Dogs
8. Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years with the first dogs dating back to the Ancient Egyptians. The earliest known fossil of a domestic dog is the Bonn-Oberkassel dog, which lived about 14,200 years ago.
9. Dogs are typically very loyal to their owners and make great companions. You may have heard dogs referred to as a “furry friend” or a “man’s best friend.” Is your dog your best friend?
Dog Communication
10. Dogs communicate with each other through body language, vocalizations, and scent marking.
11. Believe it or not, dogs are capable of understanding and reacting to human emotions. This makes them great service animals!
Dog Facts for Kids – Dogs as Service Animals
12. Service dogs are specially trained to assist individuals who have a disability or a health problem in their everyday lives.
13. Guide dogs are used to help blind people perform everyday tasks, such as crossing the street. You may recognize guide dogs if they are wearing a solid color coat or vest. Typically, these are red to distinguish the dogs from other animals.
14. Therapy dogs provide comfort and companionship to people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other settings.
15. Some modern dogs are registered as Emotional Support Animals meaning they provide comfort and support to their owner(s). These are typically used for individuals who suffer from different types of cancer or have a mental health diagnosis.
Police Dogs, Fire Dogs, and Army Dogs
16. Dogs have a strong sense of smell and can be trained to perform various tasks, such as search and rescue or detection work.
17. Dogs are widely used in law enforcement and military work due to their loyalty, obedience, and strength.
18. German Shepherds are used by many police forces for their incredible sense of smell. They can detect the scent of a person and illegal items from several yards away.
19. Bloodhounds are commonly used as rescue dogs. They can find and retrieve missing persons and complete search rescue missions since they are strong swimmers with an amazing sense of smell. It is estimated bloodhounds have a sense of smell at least 1,000 times stronger than humans. How cool is that?
Dog Facts for Kids – Do You Want a Dog?
Now that you know all about dogs, do you want a pet dog? If you answered yes, you’re like me and thousands of other individuals. Whether it’s as a service dog, guide dog, or family dog, dogs make a very popular pet and are domesticated in millions of homes and public sector jobs. I bet you didn’t know all about how dogs can service us, the police, and the armed forces. Isn’t is crazy how some breeds are more easily-trained than others. What breed of dog would you want?
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