Dog Facts 15

•  1. Dogs are the most popular pet on the planet!
• A third of ALL households around the world have a dog. These playful, friendly, loyal animals make great companions, but they can also be fierce and tough protectors, or intelligent helpers.
• 2. They evolved from a now-extinct species of wolf.
• Dogs were the first animal domesticated (tamed) by humans, over 20,000 years ago! As they evolved from wolves, their skulls, teeth and paws shrank, and they became more docile and obedient.
• Evidence from fossils suggests that five types of dog had evolved by the Bronze Age, around 4500BC. These were mastiffs, wolf-type dogs, dogs similar to greyhounds, pointing dogs and herding dogs. Bow wow!
• 3. They can learn over 100 words and gestures!
• Dog facts | a dog sits holding their paw up in the air, waiting for a treat to be given
• Dogs are thought to be as smart as two-year-old children (and much easier to train!), so many owners teach them commands and tricks.
• 4. Dog noses are at least 40x more sensitive than ours!
• These clever canines have an incredible sense of smell – allowing them to follow scent trails days after they were left. Amazingly, bloodhounds‘ sense of smell is so spot on that it can be used as evidence in court!
• Dogs also have fantastic hearing! They can detect high-pitched noises and spot sounds from much further away than humans can.
• 5. Many work as assistance dogs, helping humans!
• Dog facts | a golden assistance dog stands beside their owner. They are wearing a safety vest with an orange reflector on the front, and a lightweight harness held by their owner.
• Many dogs are trained to work as guide dogs, helping blind people get around safely. Others are assistance dogs, who keep their owners calm and safe, while some brave hounds are search and rescue dogs, who help human rescuers save people from danger.
• Some working dogs are trained to use their super senses to sniff out explosives and illegal goods, or alert humans to potentially dangerous health issues. Wow!