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Color vision is limited for
dogs. The retina, which covers
the back of
the inside of the eyeball, contains cones and rods-two types of
light-sensitive cells. Cones provide color perception and detailed
sight,
while rods detect motion and vision in dim light. Dogs, which have
rod-dominated retinas, see better in the dark than humans do and have
motion-oriented vision. However, because they have only about
one-tenth
the concentration of cones that humans have, dogs do not see colors as
humans do.
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Dogs rely on their nose, as
well as the Jacobsen's Organ in the mouth
to detect scent particles.
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The hairs along its back that
raise when a dog is showing aggression
are called hackles.
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A male will convey the
boundaries of his territory to other dogs by
using urine as a marker. They may also scratch the ground, leaving a
scent from the sweat glands between their toes.
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Male dogs urinate perhaps
three times more than females.
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Larger breed dogs grow at a
faster rate than smaller breeds.
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Long eared dogs should have a
deep food bowl so their ears can
hang outside the bowl, where they are less likely to be soiled by food.
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The highest point of a dogs
shoulders is called the withers.
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Companion dogs are often scaled-down
versions of much larger dogs.
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Some dogs, such as the Chihuahua,
were created specifically as companions,
with no hint of working dog ancestry.
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Pekingese used to be known as
"sleeve dogs" because they could be
carried in the long, flowing sleeves of Chinese courtiers.
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Unless regularly exercised, Labradors
tend toward obesity.
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The Sheltie (Shetland Sheepdog)
was bred originally on the
Shetland Islands of the coast of Scotland.
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The small size of the Corgi
enabled it to dodge in and bite the lower
legs of cattle, forcing them to move when required.
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Hounds can be divided into
sight hounds and scent hounds, depending
on their hunting techniques.
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A hounds' hunting instincts
are so strong that training them to return
can pose problems.
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The Doberman was developed by
a German tax collector to protect him
against thieves and unhappy tax payers.
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The Poodle's first use
was retrieving game from rivers and marshes.
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The Rotweiller was developed
in the German town of Rottweill,
where it was used for droving and guarding cattle.
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The St. Bernard's country of
origin is Switzerland where it was used
for search and rescue. A St. Bernard can weigh up to 200 pounds.
The first mention of the Saint Bernard's being used rescuing is not
mentioned in writing until 1750, although it likely began before then.
The dogs first began working with the mountain guides who led people
across the Saint Bernard Pass. The dogs had an incredible sense of
direction
during the heavy snows and helped guide travelers to the safety of the
monastery. It was not until later that excursions of the dogs alone
are
mentioned. The infamous barrel attached to the collar of the legendary
Saint Bernard is only a legend; barrels filled with alcoholic
beverages
were an invention of storytellers.
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A Dalmatian pup is pure white
at birth and will develop their
spots later.
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The Samoyed's first use was
not as a sled dog but for herding reindeer.
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The loose skin of the Shar
Pei was originally developed for the gruesome
purpose of making the animal impossible to pin down in a dog fight.
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Like their wolf ancestors,
dogs are pack animals.
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The leader of the pack is
called the Alpha - the least important
in the pack is the Omega.
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Cropping the ears and docking
the tail of a dog is for appearance only.
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The blood vessels that grow
inside a dogs nails are called the "quick."
"Make a friend for life!"