10 Obscure, Little-known Canine Facts in Honor of National Dog Day

By
Missy Schrott Boylan
Missy Schrott Headshot
Missy Schrott Boylan
Missy Schrott is an award-winning journalist with five years of experience in pets, lifestyle, and news writing. Her work has been widely distributed online and in print to thousands of readers. Publications in which she's been published include The Spruce Pets, Apartment Therapy, Alexandria Times, The Canine Review, Child Welfare Information Gateway, and more.
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Published on 08/26/22
Reviewed by Juliane Evans
Dog belly button

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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

    Dog eyebrows

    EyeWolf / Getty Images

    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, the first dog to walk around the world, poses by a tent

    Tom Turcich

    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.

    Dog skeleton

    Sebastian Kaulitzki / Getty Images

    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

    golden retriever holds six tennis balls in mouth

    Guinness World Records

    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

    Dog belly button

    Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

    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

    Cattle dog

    Getty Images

    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

    Dog bone

    Marcelo Maia / Getty Images

    It's called the baculum.

  • 08 of 10

    Dogs Like To Poop Aligned With the Earth’s Magnetic Field

    Dog pooping

    Smartshots International / Getty Images

    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

    White dog

    Anita Kot / Getty Images

    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

    Chinook Dog

     Luis Diaz Devesa / Getty Images

    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. 

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