Thoughtless Trivia

It's Thoughtless Thursday, but I'm going to make you think. How thoughtless is that?! Below are 15 dog-related trivia questions. How many can you get? (P.S. I originally wrote this for the German Shepherd Dog Club of North Florida, hence the GSD-heavy trivia.) Ready? GO!


1. What is the name of the phobia for someone who has a fear of dogs?

a) Cainophobia
b) Cynophobia
c) Doraphobia
d) Lyssophobia

2. According to archeologists, how long have dogs and humans shared a close relationship?

a) 5,000 years
b) 10,000 years
c) 15,000 years
d) 20,000 years 

3. Puppies are born how many weeks after conception?

a) 9
b) 16
c) 22
d) 36 

4. True or False: A litter of puppies can have more than one father.

5. Normal adult dogs have how many teeth?

a) 24
b) 32
c) 38
d) 42  

6. Through what part of the body do dogs sweat?

a) Mouth
b) Ears
c) Nose
d) Paws  

7. What is a dog’s most powerful sense?

a) Sight
b) Smell
c) Taste
d) Touch

8. True or False: Dogs see in black and white.

9. What is the most common command taught to dogs?

a) Sit
b) Stay
c) Shake
d) Speak

10. What breed was developed by a German tax collector to protect him during his dangerous collections?

a) Doberman pinscher
b) German shepherd
c) Rottweiler
d) Weimaraner

11. The first Seeing Eye dog was a ______?

a) German shepherd named Buddy
b) black lab named Bella
c) yellow lab named Max
d) golden retriever named Sandy  

12. According to the American Kennel Club’s registrations, what is the most popular breed of dog?

a) Chihuahua
b) German shepherd
c) Golden retriever
d) Labrador retriever  

13. According to The Intelligence of Dogs by neuropsychologist Stanley Coren, German shepherds are considered the ______ smartest dogs. 

a) Absolute
b) 2nd
c) 3rd
d) 4th

14. True or False: Dog nose prints are as unique as human finger prints.  
 

15. What was the name of Roy Rogers’ German shepherd?

a) King
b) Rin Tin Tin
c) Bullet
d) Trigger

Check Your Answers!

 

1. b. Cynophobia (FYI: Cainophobia is the fear of anything new; Doraphobia is the fear of fur; and Lyssophobia is the fear of rabies.)

2. c. 15,000 years

3. c. 9 weeks

4. True. The fascinating National Geographic documentary, In the Womb: Dogs, explains exactly how

5. d. 42

6. d. Paws

7. b. Smell. Dogs can smell 100,000 times better than humans!

8. False. Dogs see color, but not in the same way that we do. A dog’s vision is similar to the way a color-blind person views the world.

 9. a. Sit

10. a. Doberman pinscher

11. a. Buddy the German shepherd

12. d. Labrador retriever

13. c. 3rd, behind the Border collie and poodle. [I respectfully disagree!]

14. True. The Canadian Kennel Club has been accepting dog nose prints as proof of identity since 1938.

15. c. Bullet, whose preserved body sold for $35,000 in 2010.

How did you do? -- K

 

It's Thoughtless Thursday! Hop around and see what others are thinking -- or NOT thinking -- about today.

 

Wordless Wednesday in the Woods

When the going gets tough  . . . we go to the Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens. I try to take pictures but Jedi would rather keep moving, leaving all our worries behind us.

 

We have fun climbing over a giant downed tree . . .

 

 

 

and crossing narrow foot bridges over the creek.

 

 

I always come out of the woods physically tired yet feeling mentally refreshed. Jedi is right about just moving on and not thinking about our troubles. What a smart dog! How do you de-stress? -- K

 

 

It's Wordless Wednesday. See what others are sharing today!

 

 

Who Haz a Cheezburger?

The rain and heat has kept the dogs inside lately. Jedi gets bored and annoys Roxy. Roxy gets fed up with Jedi quickly. Then Jedi annoys me. We'll play ball in the house, get out various puzzle toys and wrestle, but it's not enough. He follows me around and whines. He's bored! He wants to go outside. I'll let him out but he comes right back in -- and sighs! (I tell him it's hot and wet, but he never believes me.)

There aren't many dog-friendly indoor activities in Jacksonville outside of a trip to a pet store. (BTW, we are not above doing a pet store tour to entertain the dogs!) I'll take them with me to run errands and then we'll stop by Sonic. Do you have Sonics where you're at? They're like old fashioned drive-ins. You can eat in your car or under a covered patio. Because it's outside, the dogs are welcome. I'll order a plain cheeseburger and a cup of water for the dogs, and a Slush for me (half off between 2 and 5. Score!) Want to see what they think?

 

Roxy wants some of the cheeseburger so she sits nice and pretty.

 

 

Not to be outdone by his sister, Jedi gives a perfect down.

 

 

They'll even share the water bowl afterwards.

 

A trip to Sonic always get such polite behavior. Unfortunately, an hour later things are back to normal: Jedi whines, Roxy growls, I pull out my hair. Got any ideas? -- K 

 

  

It's Monday! Hop around and see what kind of Monday Mischief is going on today.

Sepia Poetry

It's raining

It's pouring

The big dogs are snoring

They got to play

Earlier today

And now there's drool on my flooring

We were able to get some outdoor playtime before the rain today. Roxy and Jedi took full advantage of the dry period. They wore themselves out! Sorry for the photo quality. I was only able to get them to stay still for a minute, so this is the best I could get.

It's Sepia Saturday! Hop around and see what others are sharing today. -- K

Friday Finds #4

Welcome back to Friday Finds. I've been reading and surfing all week.

When Pepper was diagnosed with cancer we spent over $1000 in the last six months of her life. Our financial situation has changed and I don't think I could do that again. So what happens if you have a vet emergency? The Dancing Dog Blog has a few ideas.  Hopefully Pet Health Care — What To Do When You Can’t Afford Vet Care will help put your mind at ease.

There have been a lot of "dog shot by police" stories in the news lately. It's sad and it's frustrating. As an animal control officer who works with the police department, I can say that most police officers are woefully under-trained in dealing with dogs. I hope that police departments around the country will 1) incorporate dog behavior, body language and handling into their training programs and 2) develop better relationships/partnerships with trained animal control personnel. Until then, dog owners have to be diligent. I think this sign is awesome:

 

I like that it doesn't say "Beware of Dog." That implies your dog is mean, and opens you up for law suits should someone get bit. "No Trespassing" and "Dog on Premises" puts the onus on the other person. (Sorry, I hang around with lawyers!) Anyway, if you like these signs too, you can learn more about them -- and place an order --at Protect My Pooch. The signs aren't any more expensive than the "Beware of Dog" signs at Wal-Mart either. I found this sign shared several times on Google+. Sorry I couldn't track down the original post for you.

 

Here's a crafty thing that made me squeal with delight: "Adopt Me" leash covers for shelter dogs from Sew Doggy Style. What a simple, creative project. Wouldn't this be a great project for a Scout Troop or Boys and Girls club?

 

You know all those silly quizzes you going around Facebook? Well, this one was fun: What Dog Breed Are You? I'm a German shepherd. (Surprise!) How about you? Do you agree with the answer?

 

So what do you think? Come back next week and see what I've found! --K

You Idiom!

I have friends who aren't native English speakers. Sometimes I'll say something that confuses them. They'll ask me to explain but even then it doesn't make much sense. Have you ever given any thought to some of the things we say? Take idioms, which are phrases that represent something totally different from their literal meaning. For example, if I say that my neighbor "kicked the bucket" you know that he died. My foreign friends, however, think that the guy next door banged his foot against a pail. For this Thoughtless Thursday I'm sharing some of the crazy dog idioms we use regularly. How many do you know?

• Call Off the Dogs -- Stop attacking or criticizing someone
• Dog and Pony Show -- An elaborate performance or event put on to convince or distract people
• Dog Days of Summer -- The hot, nasty days between early July and early September
• Dog Eat Dog -- A situation where people will do anything to be successful even if it hurts others
• Every Dog Has Its Day -- Everyone is happy or successful at some time
• Fight Like Cats and Dogs -- To argue violently and all the time
• Go See a Man About a Dog -- A euphemism for relieving one's bladder (Sometimes the word "horse" is used instead of "dog." Regardless of the animal, it's still about peeing.)
• Hair of the Dog -- An alcoholic drink to cure the hangover from drinking too much alcohol the night before
• Hot Diggity Dog -- An expression of excitement and delight
• If You Lie Down With Dogs, You Get Up With Fleas -- If you associate with unsavory people you'll pick up their bad habits
• It's a Dog's Life -- Life is hard and unpleasant
• Let Sleeping Dogs Lie -- A warning not to instigate trouble
• Like a Dog With a Bone -- Grabbing hold of something and not letting go
• Shaggy Dog Story -- A long-winded story of irrelevant incidents that usually ends with a pointless punch line
• Tail Wagging the Dog -- A situation where the least important part has too much influence over the most important part
• The Dog Ate My Homework -- A poor excuse for something that isn't done on time
• Three Dog Night -- So cold you would need three dogs in bed with you to keep warm (Also, an awesome Rock and Roll band from the 1970's)
• Thrown to the Dogs -- To abandon someone to enemies or evil
• Top Dog -- The most important and powerful person in a group
• You Can't Teach an Old Dog New Tricks -- It's difficult to change after doing something the same way for a long time

Did I leave out any of your favorites? Let me know! Then hop around and see what silliness others are sharing on this Thoughtless Thursday. -- K

Wordless Wednesday

Gucci's Nap

Who's been sleeping in my bed? It's Gucci! She's so cute that I had to take a picture.

Gucci rolls over to avoid the flash of my camera.

She finally opens her eyes -- and glares. "Can't you see I'm sleeping?"

She stretches and closes her eyes again. Did she just tell me to "Talk to the paw"?

 

It's Wordless Wednesday. Gucci says "Leave me alone. Why don't you around and see what others are sharing today?" Good idea kitty! -- K