Celebrate National Dog Day With These 15 Facts about Dogs

1. An adult dog has 42 teeth. Puppies have 28.
2. Dalmatian puppies are born pure white. They develop spots as they grow.
3. Thanks to a special eye membrane called Tapetum lucidum, dogs can see really well in the dark.
4. There are 703 purebred dog breeds.
5. The smallest dog breed in the world is Chihuahua.
6. The largest dog breed in the world is Wolfhound.
7. In 1957, a dog named Laika became the first living being to visit space.
8. Dogs have an estimated 1,700 taste buds in a dog’s mouth. (Humans average about 10,000.)
9. A dog’s sense of smell is up to 100,000 times stronger than the average human.
10. It’s a myth that dogs are colorblind. They see color, just not as well as humans.
11. America has the largest dog population in the world.
12. Greyhounds are the fastest dog. They can reach speeds of nearly 45 miles per hour.
13. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic (a Pekingese and two Pomeranians).
14. Scouting offers two merit badges for dog lovers: Pets and Dog Care.
15. Humans have kept dogs as pets for more than 12,000 years.

Did you know?

These are the most popular dog breeds in America:

1. Labrador retriever

2. German shepherd

3. Golden retriever

4. Bulldog

5. Beagle