25 Dog Facts for Kids

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. 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. All puppies are born blind and deaf

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 helpless 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. The worldwide dog population is estimated to be over 700 million

Comprised of around 400 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. The most common dog breed is the Labrador

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. 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. Dogs are as smart as toddlers

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. 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. 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 heavily. As water evaporates from the dog’s tongue, nose, and lungs, it helps to lower the body temperature of the dog.

17. Dogs were domesticated from wild wolves

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.

16. Popular breeds change significantly over time

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

15. 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. Dogs have puppy teeth

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. 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. 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. Dalmatians are born entirely white

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. 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. 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. Almost half of all dog owners let their dogs sleep in bed with them

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

7. 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. Their sense of smell is over 40 times stronger than a person’s

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

5. Bloodhounds can be used as criminal evidence

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. 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. The largest dog ever was the size of a donkey

Other dogs have been taller or heavier, but a mastiff named Aicama 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. A greyhound can outrun a cheetah

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. 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