10 Obscure, Little-known Canine Facts in Honor of National Dog Day
Dog lovers unite; our holiday is here: National Dog Day. Celebrate your dog this National Dog Day (Aug. 26) by spoiling them with some extra love, treats, and toys. In honor of the holiday, we gathered 10 of the weirdest, most obscure facts we could find about dogs. Break them out at your next happy hour or dog park play date to impress your fellow dog lovers.
- 01 of 10
Dogs’ Eyebrows Have Evolved To Be More Expressive
We’re all familiar with puppy dog eyes, but those heart-melting expressions haven’t always been part of the canine anatomy. According to several studies, dogs have developed facial muscles over years of domestication that allow their eyebrows to move inward and upward so they can better communicate with humans. Some say they have evolved to better manipulate us humans—but you try saying no to an extra treat when Buddy gives you those eyes!
- 02 of 10
The 1st Dog To Walk Around the World Finished the Trek in May
Savannah, a 7-year-old rescue, became the first documented dog to walk around the world in May. Savannah accompanied her owner, Tom Turcich, who was the 10th person to document his journey walking across the globe. Turcich adopted Savannah a few months into the walk, then continued to train and grow with her as they traveled six continents over the course of seven years.
- 03 of 10
Dogs Don’t Have Functional Collarbones.
A collar might be a dog’s go-to accessory, but they actually don’t have collarbones in their bodies like humans do. In humans, collarbones, or clavicles, connect our shoulders to our torsos. In dogs, the shoulder blades connect to the rest of their bodies only by muscle and tissue. Dogs do have rudimentary “collarbones” made mostly of cartilage that are less than a centimeter in length and don’t articulate with the rest of the skeleton.
- 04 of 10
The World Record for the Most Tennis Balls Held in a Dog’s Mouth is 6
A golden retriever named Finley set the record in Canandaigua, New York, on February 23, 2020, according to Guinness World Records.
Continue to 5 of 10 below - 05 of 10
All Dogs Have Belly Buttons—They’re Just Hard To Find
You might not have seen it, but your dog does indeed have a belly button. Same as most mammals, dogs’ belly buttons are scars from where they were attached to the umbilical cord in the womb. The mother typically chews the umbilical cord to free her puppies when they are born, leaving an umbilical cord stump that dries up and falls off within a few days. Unlike humans, dog belly buttons are more of an oval scar than a round innie or outie.
- 06 of 10
The Oldest Recorded Dog Lived 29 Years and 5 Months
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, holds the Guinness World Record for oldest dog ever. Bluey was adopted as a puppy in 1910 and worked for almost 20 years herding cattle and sheep in Australia.
- 07 of 10
Male Dogs Have a Bone in Their Penises
It's called the baculum.
- 08 of 10
Dogs Like To Poop Aligned With the Earth’s Magnetic Field
A 2013 study found that dogs are sensitive to variations in the Earth’s magnetic field and prefer to poop along the north-south axis. Researchers observed 70 dogs representing 37 different breeds in a free roaming environment over the course of two years. Apparently, they also avoided pooping along the east-west axis altogether. The reason remains unclear.
Continue to 9 of 10 below - 09 of 10
Dogs Can Get Sunburnt
Almost all dogs can get sunburnt, but dogs with short hair, light hair, and fair skin are more susceptible. The best way to protect your dog is to prevent them from spending too much time in direct sun exposure. You can also talk to your vet about doggy sunscreen.
- 10 of 10
The Chinook Is 1 of the Rarest Dog Breeds in the World
The Chinook is a sled dog originally bred in New Hampshire in the early 1900s. At one point, there were only 125 Chinooks in the world. They remain very rare, with only about 150 puppies born each year.