Dogs are man's best friend, but here are some facts you may not know about dogs!
- Greyhounds are the fastest breed of dog in the world, with a top speed of 45 mph.
- Dogs have a universal blood type called DEA1.1 Negative, comparable to the human blood type O Negative.
- Greyhounds are excellent blood donors since they often have more red blood cell counts than other breeds, and about 70% have the universal canine blood type.
- 80% of all dogs reportedly have arthritis by age 8.
- Dogs' ears have double the number of muscles as humans, and dogs with upright ears hear better than dogs with floppy ears.
- Obese dogs increased by 108% between 2011 & 2020.
- Puppies are born with blue(ish) eyes because the eye pigment melanin has yet to develop fully.
- The Belgian Schipperke breed is only born with a jet-black coat.
- The average body temperature of a dog is 101.0°F, whereas that of humans is only 98.6°F.
- Puppies sleep 18–20 hours each day while growing.
- Dogs have better night vision than humans thanks to a unique membrane called the tapetum lucidum.
- Puppies are born blind, deaf, and toothless.
- Adult dogs have 42 teeth, whereas humans only have 32.
- Chihuahua puppies, like human babies, are born with a soft area on their skull that gradually closes as they become older.
- Portuguese water dogs have hair, not fur, and their coats grow continually as human hair does.