Many pet owners may think that they know everything there is to know about their precious pets. However, there is a plethora of fascinating pieces of trivia that can be of great interest to dog enthusiasts, even the ones that have a significant foundation of information about canines.

Following is some fun dog trivia that is certain to surprise and entertain anyone who loves these furry companions. Learning the small details is a great way to feel a little closer to your best friend.

The most popular name for male dogs is Max. This may come as a surprise to those of us who were expecting Spot or Rover. Naming a pet is a very important matter, considering that there is an estimated one million dogs that are primary beneficiaries in their owners’ wills in the United States.

Canines are able to hear sounds that are inaudible to humans. These sounds are on a very high frequency that is undetectable to people. Dogs may rely more on sound than on sight.

Paul McCarthy added a special sound at the end of the song “A Day in the Life” just for his Shetland sheepdog. The sound was recoded from an ultrasonic whistle that can only be heard by dogs.

A dog’s memory lasts about four minutes. However, conditioning the dog’s brain to follow a pattern of stimuli and responses is a very effective teaching tool. Rewarding appropriate responses with treats is a great way to reinforce the desired behaviors.

Dogs have about ten vocal sounds. This may actually seem like a lot considering that dogs don’t talk. However, cats have an excess of 100 vocal sounds. The canine population is much less able to express themselves verbally than the feline population is.

Canines sweat through the pads of their feet. They don’t sweat through panting as many pet owners believe. Dogs have fewer taste buds than people do. They rely more on smell than taste to initially attract them to food. In fact, researchers have discovered that dogs can detect autism in children though their scent.

Pink tongues are common among the canine population. However, one breed has a jet black tongue. The chow is born with a pink tongue but it gradually turns black as the dog gets older.

Dalmatians are born white and gradually develop their well-known black spots. This breed is prone to deafness because of inbreeding. About three out of every ten have a hearing disability.

Lassie was portrayed by several male dogs. The lead dog was named Pal. The producers chose male dogs in spite of the fact that Lassie was female because they were thought to look better on camera. Lassie was based on a real collie named Toots.

People spend about 1.5 billion dollars on pet food each year. This is a lot considering that they spend four times less on baby food.

Dogs are not color blind. They do see color. It just isn’t as vivid as the colors humans see. Some compare the dog’s perception of color to a human’s perception of color at twilight.

There are many more trivial facts to learn about dogs. These animals are wonderful companions that have a long history and a very bright future.  

Article by Jason Brooks of OhMyDogSupplies.com, leading provider of dog beds.