Dog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Domestic dog |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nine different breeds of dogs | |
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | |
| Family: | |
| Genus: | |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
C. l. familiaris
|
Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are domesticated mammals. This means they are not wild animals. Dogs were first bred from wolves by humans. The word "canine" comes from the Latin word canis, which means dog. Sometimes, people use "dog" to talk about other canids, like wolves.
A baby dog is called a pup or puppy. A dog is usually called a puppy until it is about one year old. Dogs were likely the first animals that humans ever domesticated. This means humans have been breeding and living with dogs for a very long time. Domesticated dogs eat both meat and vegetables. Their food is often mixed with other things and sold in stores as dog food.
Today, many dogs are kept as pets. Others are trained to help humans with different jobs. Dogs are popular pets because they are often playful and friendly. They also tend to listen well to people. In the United States, about 30 million dogs are registered as pets. Dogs are often called "man's best friend." This is because they are loyal and enjoy being around humans. Dogs can have many important jobs. These include police dogs, army dogs, service dogs, fire dogs, messenger dogs, hunting dogs, herding dogs, and rescue dogs.
Contents
What Dogs Look Like and How They Act
Dogs have four legs and make sounds like "bark," "woof," or "arf." Different kinds of dogs have different types of fur. Many dogs enjoy chasing cats. Most dogs also love to fetch a ball or a stick.
Dogs have a much better sense of smell and hearing than humans. However, they cannot see color as well as we can. Their eyes are built to help them see better in dim light. They can also see more around them without moving their eyes than a human can.
Like wolves, wild dogs live in groups called packs. Dogs in a pack have a rank, or order. Dogs with a lower rank will show respect to those with a higher rank. The highest-ranked dog is called the alpha male. Every dog in a pack helps and cares for the others. Domesticated dogs often see their human owner as the alpha male.
Where Dogs Came From
All dogs are related to wolves. They became domesticated through a process called artificial selection. This means humans chose which wolves to breed over many generations. Scientists know this because they have studied dog DNA.
The oldest known fossil of a domestic dog was found in Belgium. It is about 31,700 years old. Scientists think dogs have lived with people for at least 30,000 years. In 2013, a study looked at a skull and teeth from 33,000 years ago. These remains looked more like a dog's than a wolf's. The scientists believed this animal was a dog in the very early stages of becoming domesticated.
Another sign of domestication is finding dogs buried with humans. For example, a tomb in Bonn contained the remains of a man, a woman, a dog, and other items. Radiocarbon dating showed the human bones were between 13,300 and 14,000 years old.
How Long Dogs Live
Different dog breeds, or kinds, have different lifespans. Generally, smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs. For example, a Dachshund might live for 15 years. A Chihuahua can even live up to 20 years. On the other hand, a Great Dane usually lives for 6 to 8 years. Some Great Danes have lived for 10 years.
Dogs and Humans
Dogs are often called "man's best friend" because they fit well into human life. Dogs can help people in many ways. For example, there are guard dogs that protect homes. Hunting dogs help find animals. Herding dogs help control livestock like sheep. Guide dogs help blind people. Other service dogs help people with disabilities.
Police dogs often help police at airports or other places. Sniffer dogs, usually beagles, are trained to find things with their strong sense of smell. Dogs were even sent into outer space by Russians before any human went. The first dog sent up was named Laika, but she sadly died within a few hours.
-
A search and rescue dog looks for people after a building collapsed.
-
A dog herding sheep.
-
A guide dog helping a person go down stairs.
Dogs as Pets
It is thought that about three-quarters of the world's dogs live in developing countries. These dogs are often feral (wild), village dogs, or community dogs. They are not usually kept as pets in these areas.
The number of pet dogs grew a lot after World War II. In the 1950s and 1960s, dogs were often kept outside. They were used as guard dogs, playmates for children, or companions for walks.
Today, most dog owners see their pets as part of the family. In the United States, there are an estimated 77.5 million people who own pet dogs.
A study in 2014 used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to compare humans and dogs. It showed that dogs react to voices in the same way humans do. They use the same parts of their brain. This means dogs can understand human emotions from sounds. This makes them friendly and social pets for people.
Best Dogs for Kids
The best dogs for kids usually have calm personalities. They are also happy to be social with everyone in the family.
Having a family dog can teach children about cooperation and responsibility. For example, a child can help with chores like walking, feeding, or brushing the dog.
Here are some popular dog breeds that are often good with kids:
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Cavoodle
- Cockapoo
- Labrador Retriever
- Schnauzer
- Pug
- Golden Retriever
- Bulldog
- Poodle
- Beagle
Dog Breeds
- See also List of dog breeds.
There are at least 800 different breeds (kinds) of dogs. If a dog's parents are both the same breed, the puppy will also be that breed. These dogs are called purebred or pure pedigree dogs. Dogs with parents from different breeds are not purebred. They are called mutts, mixed-breed dogs, hybrids, or mongrels.
Some popular breeds include sheepdogs, collies, poodles, and retrievers. It has become popular to breed two different dog breeds together. The new dog's breed is then given a name that mixes the parents' breed names. For example, a puppy with a poodle and a pomeranian as parents might be called a Pomapoo. These dogs are known as designer dog breeds. They are often used in prize shows or can even be guide dogs.
10 Cool Facts About Dogs
- There are hundreds of different breeds of dogs. There are about 400 million dogs in the world.
- Dogs have earned the nickname “man’s best friend.”
- The largest dog breeds include the Great Dane, Irish wolfhound, Scottish Deerhound, Neapolitan Mastiff, English Mastiff, Anatolian shepherd, Dogue de Bordeaux, Leonberger, and Boerboel. The smallest dog breed is the Chihuahua.
- The oldest dog ever lived was an Australian Cattle Dog from Australia named Bluey. He lived to be 29 years and 5 months old.
- A dog’s nose print is unique, just like human fingerprints. No two are the same.
- Dalmatian puppies are born completely white. Their spots appear as they grow, usually after 3 to 4 weeks.
- Dogs dream, just like humans do.
- Little dogs are often called toy dogs or lap dogs. This is because they are small enough to look like a toy and can easily fit on your lap.
- A dog is as smart as a 2-year-old child. They can recognize about 150 words and gestures.
- Dogs should not eat raisins, grapes, onion, chocolate, or garlic. These foods can make them very sick.
Images for kids
-
Location of a dog's carnassials; these teeth work like scissor blades.
-
Dog breeds show a wide range of different looks.
-
A side view of a dog's skeleton.
-
Dogs have many different types of fur: different thickness, length, color, and feel.
-
A female dog nursing her newborn puppies.
-
A Golden Retriever chewing on a pig's foot.
-
Cerberus, a mythical three-headed dog, from Dante's Third Circle of Hell. Painting by William Blake.
See also
In Spanish: Perro para niños
