black labradoodle puppiesDogs like black labradoodle puppies have been man’s best friend for thousands of years, and in that long stretch of time, humans have learned some pretty amazing things about their canine companions. Here are 101 facts about dogs you never knew you wanted to know.

Dogs in History.

  1. The ancestry of the modern, domesticated dogs we have today, like the black labradoodle puppies for sale you might find, dates back to between 18,800 and 32,100 years ago when they evolved from wolves, a type of animal known for its pack mentality. Because they descend from creatures that develop such strong bonds between members of the pack family, dogs like black labradoodle puppies are fiercely loyal.
  2. This ancestry is also the reason why dogs curl up when they go to sleep. Black labradoodle puppies have an age-old instinct to keep warm, and protect their vital organs while they sleep, and so they curl up to defend them.
  3. Speaking of adorable things dogs like black labradoodle puppies do when they sleep, this ancestry from wolves is also the reason why doggies spin around in circles before settling down to sleep. The little sleepy time dance is actually a nesting trait that’s been passed down all the way from their wild ancestors.
  4. In ancient China, the emperor’s last line of defense was a Pekingese dog. Interestingly, he didn’t keep the dog on leash, but rather up his sleeve, so as to surprise his attackers.
  5. Spiked dog collars might be a cool way to dress your dog up, but they actually served a purpose when they were first invented. In ancient Greece, people used to put spiked collars on their dogs to protect their throats from wolf attacks.
  6. Cambridge Trinity College told Lord Byron that he was not allowed to bring his dog with him when he went. To get even with them, he wound up bringing a live bear with him in his dog’s stead.
  7. In the 1860s, two stray dogs reached celebrity status in San Francisco. The best friends’ exploits were celebrated in local papers. So beloved were these two furry adventurers that they were granted immunity from San Francisco’s dog catchers.

Dog Lovers by the Numbers.

  1. The U.S. is a dog country. According to a recent poll by the Associated Press, more people in the U.S. like dogs than like cats. Asking just under 2,000 people — 59% of whom weren’t pet owners — a whopping 74% said that they liked dogs “a lot,” while only 41% responded the same way about cats. Further driving this point home, a measly 2% of people said that they disliked dogs “a lot,” while 15% felt that way about cats.
  2. Naturally, the U.S. has the most dogs in the world. There are some 75 million dogs living in the country.
  3. Though you might think black labradoodle puppies were the nation’s favorite, the U.S. actually prefers labradors, according to the American Kennel Club.
  4. Families who have dogs like black labradoodle puppies also go crazy over them. In a recent PetFinder.com poll, 63% of surveyed dog owners said that they get their pets Christmas presents. Four in 10 dog owners said that they hang stockings for their dogs. Dog owners in the U.S. even spend about $5 billion each year on gifts for their pets.

black labradoodle puppiesThe Benefits of Owning a Dog.

  1. Dogs like black labradoodle puppies help their owners get in shape. According to a 2010 study published in The Journal of Physical Activity and Health, dog walkers generally get about a full hour’s worth of aerobic exercise more than those who either don’t walk their dogs or those who don’t own dogs.
  2. Having adorable little friends like black labradoodle puppies will even help guys get dates. A French study from 2008 found that a guy was three times more likely to get the phone number of a girl if he had a dog with him.
  3. People who own dogs like black labradoodles also laugh more. According to a study published in the journal Society & Animals, dog owners recorded laughing more frequently throughout the course of a normal day than those who owned cats, and those who didn’t own any pet.
  4. Having furry friends like black labradoodle puppies also make a person less likely to suffer from depression. A recent study found that pet owners — especially dog owners — tended to be less depressed, more happy, less lonely, and less isolated.
  5. The relationship between a dog and its human companion is incredibly intimate. According to a 2013 study, it’s on the same level as a parent and child.
  6. Dogs like black labradoodle puppies can even make work better. In a study published in the International Journal of Workplace Health Management, workers who brought their dogs in to work with them were less stressed than others, and were much happier with their jobs.
  7. Dogs also make it easier to make friends. A study from Warwick University in Britain found that 40% of people said it was easier to make friends as the result of having a dog.

Dogs in Pop Culture.

  1. Believe it or not, you’ve never heard “A Day in the Life” by the Beatles in its entirety, even if you’ve listened to it before. That’s because Paul McCartney recorded an extra high-pitched whistle track that only canines can hear for the song for the pleasure of his Shetland sheepdog.
  2. George H. and Barbara Bush’s English springer spaniel Millie once “wrote” a book called Millie’s Book that actually reached the number one spot on the New York Times’ non-fiction bestseller list.
  3. Even though Lassie is just a fictional character, she’s probably the single-most famous dog of all time. Interestingly, each of the nine generations proceeding the original Lassie are descendants of Pal, the rough collie who played the character first.
  4. Rin-Tin-Tin wasn’t only a real dog, but also a survivor of war. American soldier Lee Duncan rescued Rin-Tin-Tin from a French battlefield in the first World War, and trained the German Shepherd once they got back home. Eventually Rin-Tin-Tin became a box office smash, and even helped bring Warner Bros. back from bankruptcy.
  5. Lakia was once a stray dog wandering the streets of Moscow, but after being trained, became an astronaut aboard Sputnik 2, making her the first animal to ever orbit earth. Unfortunately, it was impossible to bring Lakia back, and Russian officials said she was euthanized prior to oxygen depletion. However, it was revealed in 2002 that Lakia actually died within hours of launching into space because of overheating. Thankfully, Soviet officials built a small monument to the dog in 2008 near the military research facility where she was trained.
  6. For decades, kids have solved mysteries right alongside Scooby Doo. Originally, though, Scooby Doo and the gang were almost a musical outfit. Before Fred, Daphne, Velma, Shaggy, and Scoob, they were originally Geoff, Mike, Kelly, Linda, WW, and their dog Too Much, who played bongos in the band.
  7. Charlie Brown’s Snoopie has been an American icon for what feels like forever, and as it turns out, is about 65-years-old.

black labradoodle puppiesThe Intelligence of Dogs.

  1. Dogs like black labradoodle puppies are smart, and one service dog named Kirsch actually graduated college. After attending all of his owner’s classes, he received an honorary master’s degree in mental health counseling.
  2. Dogs are so smart, in fact, that strays in Russia have figured out how to use the subway system to travel to more densely populated areas in search of food.
  3. Service dogs, in particular, are pretty smart. After they’ve been trained, they know that it’s business time when the harness goes on, and when it comes off, they’re playful and energetic, knowing that they’re off the clock.
  4. Seeing eye dogs give service dogs a run for their money, though. These canines are so well trained that they can go to the bathroom on command, allowing their owners to be able to clean up after them. Usually, the command is “get busy,” and dogs will pace back and forth until they’re ready to go.
  5. However, dogs don’t need a ton of training to be smart. Many dogs, like black labradoodle puppies, are inherently clever. Many even know when their owners are sad. According to a study from Goldsmiths College, dogs are more likely to approach a person who’s upset than someone who’s not, which suggests that they’re empathetic creatures with a higher emotional intelligence than other animals.
  6. Dogs like black labradoodle puppies even have great memories. According to a report by ABC News, German shepherd Capitan has returned to his owner’s grave every single day — ever since he died, six years prior. Capitan will take walks around the cemetery but eventually returns to the grave, and caretakers at the cemetery have been feeding the dog and taking care of him in the meantime.
  7. On a lighter note, dogs like black labradoodle puppies are smart enough to even have vocabularies. Research has found that dogs can remember and recognize more than 150 words. A border collie named Chaser can even remember 1,022 words.

black labradoodle puppiesHeroic Hounds.

  1. Dogs are capable of incredible feats of bravery. Two strays in Afghanistan were even able to save 50 American soldiers. A group on Facebook then raised $21,000 to bring the canines back to the U.S. and reunite them with their friends in the service.
  2. One of Michael Vick’s former fighting dogs eventually became a therapy dog who goes around comforting dying children.
  3. While on duty in Fallujah, Iraq, military dog Lex was wounded in an attack that killed his handler. Despite his own injuries, Lex refused to leave the side of U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Dustin J. Lee, who was also wounded in the attack, and had to be dragged away for medical treatment.
  4. Apollo, a trained search and rescue dog, was at the World Trade Center within 15 minutes of the attacks on September 11 along with his handler, Peter Davis of the New York City Police Department.
  5. Dogs don’t have to serve in the military to be heroes, either. Golden retriever Brutis saved a young child from a coral snake in 2004, and received a near-deadly bite for his efforts. Luckily, he survived and earned the National Hero Dog Award.
  6. Before Hurricane Katrina struck, the ironically named black labrador Katrina knew something was up. She not only warned everyone about the incoming flood, but also stuck around helping people. She even saved a drowning man before the flood took his life. So selfless was Katrina that she eventually needed to be rescued herself.
  7. Moti, a five-year-old German shepherd took a bullet for his family when a masked intruder broke in in 2007. The gunman ran away after, and Moti luckily made a full recovery.