Dog Information for Kids – 42 Facts Your Child Must Know

If you are planning on adding a new member into your family or you simply want your child to know all about man’s best friend, these facts about dogs can be of use. Children often get along well with dogs and it is only normal that your child is curious about their best friends. Here are some facts about dogs that will come handy to satisfy your child’s curiosity about them.

Fun and Interesting Facts about Dogs for Children

Here are some interesting facts about dogs that children will like:

1. You can find over 400 different breeds of dogs in the world and an estimated 400 million dogs in the world
2. Dogs have a superior sense of smell and which is about 1 million times stronger than that of humans
3. Dogs can also hear sounds from a long distance away, about four times further than humans. Their hearing is also 10 times more accurate than that of humans
4. Dogs have 18 different muscles that they use just to move their ears
5. Dogs sweat through the pads on their paws and through their nose
6. Moving objects are better noticed by dogs than stationary ones
7. Dogs have better night vision compared to humans due to a special layer behind their eyes which reflects light
8. Every dog has a unique nose print, just like humans have unique fingerprints
9. Contrary to popular belief, dogs are not colour blind; they just don’t recognize a wide spectrum of vivid colours like humans
10. An average dog is believed to have the intelligence of a two-year-old
11. Dogs pant when they feel hot as it helps circulate air through their body and cools them down

Amazing Facts About Puppies

Dogs are undeniably adorable throughout their lives; however, they are the cutest when they are under 6 months of age. Here are some interesting facts about puppies.

1. Puppies are born with sealed yes and cannot see for at least 2 weeks
2. Hearing develops in a puppy only after 6 weeks
3. Puppies learn to walk around the age of 2 to 5 weeks
4. The first set of milk teeth in puppies appear only after 6 weeks of birth. These will fall out eventually and permanent teeth will take their place
5. Puppies can sleep for as long as 19 hours a day
6. The sense of touch is something that puppies learns first after their birth
7. Puppies need to stay with their mothers at least for the first eight weeks after birth. This can help the mother keep them warm and feed them
8. Puppies also need vaccinations after birth, just like human babies
9. Puppies are considered to be adult dogs once they turn one
10. If your puppy has got hold of something that you want back, don’t chase after him. The best thing to do is visibly run away from him. He’ll consider it a game and run towards you, giving you time to take back what you want

Guide or Service Dog Facts

Guide dogs and service dogs help people with certain needs, including emotional and physical. Here are some interesting facts you should know about them.

1. Guide dogs go through strict training for about a year before they are placed with families in need
2. They have to pass a test before they are sent to families
3. These dogs usually act as seeing dogs for people who cannot see or have low vision
4. Guide dogs are trained to focus only on their companion and ignore other people around it. This includes ignoring any food that it is offered
5. Specific breeds of dogs like Labradors are known to make the best guide dogs as they are easy to train
6. Guide dogs are trained to walk in a straight line in the middle of the pavement when there are no obstacles
7. They will not turn around a corner unless commanded to
8. Guide dogs are trained to guide their companion through traffic, so they know when to stop and when to move
9. They can also gauge height and width to prevent their companions from bumping their head or shoulders
10. Guide dogs are given special clearance in several public areas including restaurants, offices, hospitals, etc. They can also travel domestically or internationally on flights, trains, buses, etc.
11. An adult guide dog is retired after eight to ten years of service

Facts About Police Dogs

Dogs are used for various purposes in the police forces to sniff out contraband, drugs, explosives, etc. Here are some interesting facts about police dogs.

1. The Greeks, Persians, Babylonians and Assyrians were some of the first to use dogs to aid the police
2. Since dogs have a great sense of smell, they can smell drugs, bombs, weapons that humans cannot smell
3. All police dogs go through a rigorous training before it joins the force
4. Only K-9 officers are allowed to handle a police dog. Each dog is paired with an officer and they remain as a team until the dog retires
5. Police dogs live with their K-9 officer partners
6. German Shepherds are most commonly trained to be police dogs
7. Police dogs are trained to appear scary even when they bark or growl
8. Police dogs trained to sniff explosives and bombs are also taught how to respond to the situation, including alerting their partner about the location of the explosive
9. A tracking police dog is used to track criminals using their scent
10. A cadaver police dog is trained to sniff and track dead bodies

Different Species Of Dogs

There are over 400 breeds of dogs in the world. Here are some of the most popular ones.

1. Labradors

These dogs have consistently been the most popular ones due to their pleasant temperament. They are also very easy to train and make excellent guide dogs.

2. German Shepherd

These majestic dogs are loyal, smart, and brave. They are largely used by police or military forces for rescue and search operations.

3. Golden Retriever

These furry canines are the epitome of friendliness. They are obedient, keen on pleasing their owners and simply love water.

4. English Bulldog

These dogs can often come across as intimidating due to their looks. However, they are very loving and would prefer to cuddle with you all day.

5. Beagle

These dogs are loyal to their families, are very protective and can make great watchdogs. They also love the outdoors and are their best self when they have ample space to play around.

6. French Bulldog

These are family dogs that are great with kids and are very attached to their human parents. They are also very likely to get along well with other pets.

7. Poodle

These dogs love socializing and staying active. They also love water and were bred to retrieve waterfowl during hunting.

8. Rottweiler

Their loyalty to their owners is unmatched. They are smart and make great watchdogs. You can also train them well because they are eager to please you.

9. Yorkshire Terrier

These dogs love seeking attention and are very loyal to their owners, almost up to the point of despising strangers. True terriers at heart, they love chasing squirrels and cats.

10. Boxer

These are very active dogs and have a gentle personality that you can’t help falling in love with. They are also very smart and can be trained pretty quick.

Dogs are extremely loyal and can make our lives less bleak. It’s a shame that they only live for a short time of 10 to 14 years. However, within their short lifespan, they are capable of bringing so much joy that it is only fair that kids have a share of that experience too.