25 Dog Facts for Kids

Written by Rebecca Bales
Updated: September 29, 2022
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Key Points

  • Dogs are a great family pet and kids are always curious to learn more about their furry companions.
  • Fun canine facts for kids range from where dogs even came from to if they have emotions.
  • One of the most interesting facts about dogs is that their nose print is unique to each individual, like a fingerprint!

Dogs have firmly cemented their place in modern society as man’s best friend, but how much do you really know about your furry companion? These 25 dog facts for kids are a fitting starting point to learn more about your pup whether she is the family protector or a couch potato, and your kids will be thrilled to learn them along with you.

#25 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs Don’t See in Black and White but are Considered Color-Blind

Dog’s do not see in black and white, however, they are what most would consider to be color-blind. This means that dogs have two color receptors that are called “cones” whereas humans have three. Dogs have yellow-blue dichromatic visions which means that the vision of dogs are most similar to someone who has red-green color blindness.

This means that dogs are very good at distinguishing between different shades of blues and yellows, however, they wouldn’t be able to see shades of red or green very well or at all.

#24 Dog Facts for Kids: All puppies are born blind and deaf.

Dog Facts for Kids
A newborn puppy, with its eyes still closed, sleeping sweetly in a sock.

©StockMediaSeller/Shutterstock.com

At birth, a dog’s eyes are sealed shut and won’t open for approximately 2 weeks. Their hearing doesn’t develop until around the age of 6 weeks.

They are basically born helpful and the first sense that these furry babies develop is touch. Puppies can also be twins similarly to humans and are born with baby teeth. Their coat color can also change as they age and an estimated 1.2 million pups are born yearly.

#23 Dog Facts for Kids: The worldwide dog population is estimated to be over 700 million.

Comprised of around 400 different species, there are over 700 million dogs throughout the world. This means that around 75% of those individual dogs are roaming freely. With over 460 million dogs as pets worldwide, dogs were the top ranking pet in 2018.

#22 Dog Facts for Kids: The most common dog breed is the Labrador.

Dog Facts for Kids
Cute Labrador Retrievers, the most common dogs, lying on green grass in a summer park.

©New Africa/Shutterstock.com

Known for their gentle and obedient nature, Labrador retrievers are the most popular dog in the world and have been on the American Kennel Club’s top 10 dog breed list for over 30 years. They are frequently used for hunting, police work, and as guide dogs.

#21 Dog Facts for Kids: Yawning is contagious for dogs.

Much like humans, dogs find yawns to be contagious. If they see or hear another dog or person yawn, then they are likely to follow suit. Interestingly enough, the dog is four times as likely to yawn as well if they know the person who is yawning.

#20 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs are as smart as toddlers.

Dog Facts for Kids
Beautiful German shepherd dog lay n the grass. The German Shepherd dog is one of the most intelligent and are also used as K9 dogs that assist the Police.

©Callipso/Shutterstock.com

On average, it is estimated that dogs possess the equivalent intelligence of a 2-year-old child. Certain breeds like the German Shepherd Dog can easily double that estimated age.

#19 Dog Facts for Kids: A German Shepherd was nominated for an Academy Award.

Rin Tin Tin was a German Shepherd Dog that was nominated for the first ever Academy Award for Best Actor in 1929.

#18 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs sweat through their nose and their paws.

While panting is the primary way for a dog to cool themselves, they are capable of sweating through the skin on both their noses and their paws.

Dogs pant as a way of evaporative cooling. This means that when a dog gets too hot, it will open its mouth and breathe heavy. As water tends to evaporate from the dog’s tongue, nose, and lungs, it helps to then lower the body temperature of the dog.

#17 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs were domesticated from wild wolves.

Dog Facts for Kids
An Iberian wolf lying on rocks on a snowy mountain. Modern day dogs are descendants of wolves that were domesticated.

©carlosobriganti/Shutterstock.com

Estimates vary, but some scientists believe that dogs were first domesticated from the wolf approximately 15,000 years ago. Early breeds were used to help hunt and as companion animals.

The beagle is the only dog breed from 1934 to still remain in the AKC’s top five most popular dog breed ranking.

#15 Dog Facts for Kids: Puppies can dream.

Actually, all dogs dream, but puppies and senior dogs dream more than other adult dogs. Not only do dogs dream, but they have nightmares as well.

#14 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs have puppy teeth.

Dog Facts for Kids
Playful puppy dog biting on its human’s fingers.

©llaszlo/Shutterstock.com

Just like humans have baby teeth, puppies have teeth called milk teeth that grow around 6 weeks old. Over the next several months, these teeth will fall out and be replaced with larger, thicker adult teeth.

#13 Dog Facts for Kids: Their noses can sense heat.

Dogs are able to detect heat or thermal radiation through their noses. This enables dogs that have disabilities or that have otherwise lost or injured their senses of sight or hearing to still hunt.

#12 Dog Facts for Kids: Australian Shepherds are American.

The Australian Shepherd is not actually from Australia. Border Collies were cross-bred with several different breeds of European shepherds and eventually imported to North America. Ranchers then took a liking to the unique breed and continued cross-breeding other dogs to refine it into the Australian Shepherd.

#11 Dog Facts for Kids: Dalmatians are born entirely white.

Dog Facts for Kids: Dalmatians
Dalmatian puppy running in a meadow. Dalmatians are born without spots, and only get their spots after a few weeks.

©Dora Zett/Shutterstock.com

Just like in the movies, dalmatians are born without any spots. As they grow older, they develop spots and become recognizable as the special breed they are.

#10 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs are kind.

Dogs are one of the only animals that show kindness towards others without any hope for a reward. This places them among a small minority of the animal kingdom with the capacity for unselfish action.

#9 Dog Facts for Kids: Petting a dog is relaxing.

Research has shown that a person’s blood pressure goes down while petting a dog and so does the dogs.

#8 Dog Facts for Kids: Almost half of all dog owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them.

Dog Facts for Kids
A girl and her pet dog hugging in the bed. It is shown that it is very relaxing for owners to sleep with their pets.

©DiMedia/Shutterstock.com

Forty-five percent of all dog owners share their bed with their pet!

#7 Dog Facts for Kids: Dogs can yodel.

Barks, growls, yips, and whines are all common noises to hear a canine make, but a specific breed of dog can actually yodel. Sometimes called the bark-less dog, the basenji is an African hunting dog known for its unique and varied yodels.

#6 Dog Facts for Kids: Their sense of smell is over 40 times stronger than a person.

Dogs can have up to 300 million scent receptors while the average human’s nose only contains around 5 million.

#5 Dog Facts for Kids: Bloodhounds can be used as criminal evidence.

Dog Facts for Kids: Bloodhounds
Beautiful Bloodhound puppy at 6 months. Bloodhounds are known for their incredible sense of smell and are used as a rescue dog.

©Anna Krivitskaya/Shutterstock.com

Speaking of smell, a bloodhound’s tracking ability and sense of smell are so powerful that the results of their tracks are legally able to be entered into court as evidence. Originally bred to track deer and wild boar, the bloodhound is commonly used by police to track missing persons and has even been trained by private groups to track other missing dogs!

#4 Dog Facts for Kids: The smallest dog on record only weighed 1 pound.

Miracle Milly was the world’s smallest dog. She was a Chihuahua that measured only 3.8 inches tall and weighed just 1 pound.

#3 Dog Facts for Kids: The largest dog ever was the size of a donkey.

Other dogs have been taller or heavier, but a mastiff named Zorba holds the Guinness Book of World Records title as the largest dog ever. Zorba weighed in at an astounding 343 pounds and measured over 8 feet long.

#2 Dog Facts for Kids: A greyhound can outrun a cheetah.

Dog Facts for Kids: A greyhound
The incredibly fast greyhound running in a field.

©Liliya Kulianionak/Shutterstock.com

While a cheetah may be the fastest land mammal in the world, a greyhound would beat them in a race. Cheetahs’ top speed tips the scales at 70 mph, but they can only run that fast for about 30 seconds. However, greyhounds are able to run at their top speed of 35 mph for over 7 miles.

#1 Dog Facts for Kids: A dog’s nose print is unique.

Just like a human fingerprint, the nose print of a canine is unique among all other members of the species. That means that no other dog will have the exact same pattern on their nose!

Dogs are special creatures that hold an important position in our families. These 25 dog facts for kids hopefully help you to share some interesting information about them with your children.

Summary: 25 Fun Facts about Dogs

RankFun Fact
1A dog’s nose print is unique.
2A greyhound can outrun a cheetah.
3The largest dog ever was the size of a donkey.
4The smallest dog on record only weighed 1 pound.
5Bloodhounds can be used as criminal evidence.
6Their sense of smell is over 40 times stronger than a person.
7Dogs can yodel.
8Almost half of all dog owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them.
9Petting a dog is relaxing.
10Dogs are kind.
11Dalmatians are born entirely white.
12Australian Shepherds are American.
13Their noses can sense heat.
14Dogs have puppy teeth.
15Puppies can dream.
16Popular breeds change significantly over time.
17Dogs were domesticated from wild wolves.
18Dogs sweat through their nose and their paws.
19A German Shepherd was nominated for an Academy Award.
20Dogs are as smart as toddlers.
21Yawning is contagious for dogs.
22The most common dog breed is the Labrador.
23The worldwide dog population is estimated to be over 400 million.
24All puppies are born blind and deaf.
25Dog aren’t actually color blind.

Up Next…

Animals and children seem to go hand in hand, making great companions for one another. Kids love to know more about animals so here are some more facts to help them out:

The photo featured at the top of this post is © sonya etchison/Shutterstock.com

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About the Author

Rebecca is an experienced Professional Freelancer with nearly a decade of expertise in writing SEO Content, Digital Illustrations, and Graphic Design. When not engrossed in her creative endeavors, Rebecca dedicates her time to cycling and filming her nature adventures alongside her supportive partner. When not focused on her passion for creating and crafting optimized materials, she harbors a deep fascination and love for cats, jumping spiders, and pet rats.

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