Almost every single dog we love today once had a real purpose—and the ones that didn't are sometimes the most fascinating. We surveyed the first 20 breeds of dog recognized by the American Kennel Club, and delved into their histories and earliest uses.

It can be hard to look at a modern dog breed and see any sort of use for it other than a snuggle buddy. Dog breeds have been systematically manipulated by humans to exemplify certain traits which may or may not have any relation to the purpose that type of dog originally served.

What, in short, is the point of a pug?

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While the “seven-year rule” is nothing more than mythology, dog owners (and media outlets) continue to use it for its simplicity -- it’s convenient, after all, to have a “one size fits all” method of understanding our pets’ equivalent stages of life. In reality, contextualizing a dog’s age is a bit more complex.

The origins of the “seven year myth” are shrouded in mystery. An Judgment Day calculation inscribed at Westminster Abbey in 1268 declared a ratio of 9 to 1 -- that is, humans live to age 81, and dogs to age 9. Georges Buffon, an 18th-century French naturalist, had more or less the same theory: Humans live to 90 or 100 years, and dogs to 10 or 12.

Source: The Mythology of Dog Years

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We all know dogs are great companions and getting out into the fresh air with them can be just as enjoyable for you as it is for your pet!

There’s a few tips that we would like to share with you to ensure that everything runs smoothly whilst you’re out on your walks and to make sure you and your dog are as happy as can be!

Source: Top Tips For Walking Your Dog | Burgess Pet Care

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Dogs piss on things. It’s their instinct to mark their territory or whatever. But here are some general guidelines that could be helpful to society as a whole.

Keep in mind, that if you have a big dog whose streams are higher, then the list of DON’Ts is even more expansive, like the piss puddles that they produce.

Source: ANIMAL's Guide To What Your Dog Can and Cannot Piss On - ANIMAL

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New research has revealed that dogs love being petted more than anything, and while verbal praise is also welcome, for a canine nothing comes close to long hard stroking.

The co-author of the new study, Dr. Clive Wynne, who is also a professor and director of the Canine Science Collaboratory at Arizona State University, said: “I spend half my day talking to my dog. It always looks like it’s valuable to her. It’s quite a shock to discover that what we say to dogs doesn’t seem to be rewarding to them after all,” he said.

Source: Dogs Love Being Petted Way More Than Verbal Praise, Research Shows

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Diehard World Cup fans know in the three weeks surrounding the games, everything — everything — is about soccer. It’s not enough for you to show your devotion to football on Instagram. Your adorable pets have to be fans too. Instagram’s favorite canines are showing off their World Cup spirit with teensy jerseys, bandanas and tiny toy soccer balls.

Source: World Cup-Loving Dogs on Instagram | DribblingMan.com #DribblingMan #FIFAWorldCup

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High in the Alps, you’ve lost your way: snow blind, thirsty and cold. But what’s that bark? A rescue dog? And can it be? Has the St. Bernard that’s come to your aid really brought you a flagon of brandy? Why not have a sip?

Answer: Because you’re hypothermic and hallucinating. It’s only an interesting historical myth that St. Bernards carry brandy. It’s unfortunate, but you are probably going to die.

Source: Why a St. Bernard Will Not Save You in the Alps - Modern Farmer

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Dogs hold a special place in our hearts. They aren't called man's best friend for no reason! Dogs are loyal, funny, smart, and love nothing more than cuddling up beside you for a session of napping and maybe some butt-scratching. Dogs = the greatest. Your argument is invalid.

You can love a dog all you want, but when they seem to be barking constantly, all the love in the world won't help. In order to help solve your dog's problem, you've got to identify it. Once you've figured out what's causing the behavior and learn how to address it, the whole barking dilemma is a thing easily solved!

Source: 5 Ways to Make Your Dog Stop Barking Now | The Stir

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Just like people, dogs can have different types of intelligence. Emotional intelligence, sensitivity to the feelings of others or insight are nearly impossible to test in dogs. And since most dogs are naturally eager to learn and to please humans, the most common test of intelligence used to assess them is usually their trainability. Leaders in the field of animal behavior have, in recent years, come to some consensus that ability to follow commands and learn shows an ability to problem solve and is therefore the best way to gauge the relative smarts of dogs. In his bestselling book, The Intelligence of Dogs, Canadian Neuropsychologist Stanley Cohen used this measure in a field test of 110 ten breeds. He used 200 professional dog trainers to judge the performance of the dogs on various working and obedience tests, repeated over a span of 5 days.

Buy this book Now!

The following 10 breeds each obeyed the test commands at least 95% of the time and are therefore considered the smartest breeds:

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Most dogs are never late for a meal -- they know exactly where to be at the same time every day. They also know when to expect their owner home and, like clockwork, place themselves patiently at the door for that arrival. When you witness this behavior, you assume dogs have a sophisticated understanding of time. But what is time really like for a dog?

Source: HowStuffWorks "How do dogs perceive time?"

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Some people-food really is great for pets. Blueberries, for instance, are excellent for dogs. Cats can get benefit from small amounts of certain people-foods, too: a little tuna fish, for instance.
But your pet’s digestive system isn’t identical to your own, and there can be problems with giving your pets certain foods and drinks that are perfectly safe with human consumption.


Source: 8 Things Your Pet Should Never Drink | The Daily Meal

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Most of a dog’s odd behavior is a genetic predisposition from their days as wild, untamed dogs that fended for themselves and had no human to answer to. From killing their stuffed animals to feeling the rush of wind on their face, owners are constantly amazed and amused by their furry four legged companions. Listed below are five peculiar habits that have their roots based deep within their DNA.

Source: 5 Odd Dog Behaviors Explained. You’ve Probably Wondered About These!

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When it comes to buying a dog, many people have a hard time deciding which breed is right for them. Most people avoid buying a smaller breed because they tend to have a reputation of being yappy and seeking constant attention from their owners. However, people will opt to buy a small dog because they require less care than a larger dog.

Source: Small Dog Syndrome - Three Million Dogs

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Dogs get a bad intellectual rap. Sure, they’re considered the friendliest of the major pet groups. We love our dogs. But it’s cats who get the respect when it comes to brain power.

Still—did a cat have his own book series and TV show based on his reading adventures? Nay, it was Wishbone, the literate wonder dog! Let us reclaim the mantle of the canine intelligentsia—by stealing back the best literary names. We can’t let those meddling kitties have all the fun. Just open your favorite book, and there’s bound to be a great fictional moniker for your loyal, furry friend. Here are some options to get you started:

Source: The Best Names in Literature to Give Your Dog

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What’s your reaction to hearing your favorite song on the radio? It has been proven that music can significantly impact our moods, from instant happiness when hearing a song we enjoy to ease and comfort while listening to a calm, classical tune. It turns out our pets may have equally discerning ears while listening to music, and could actually have their own favorite songs!

Psychologist and Animal Behaviorist Deborah Wells studied dog’s reactions to music by exposing them to mainstream, heavy metal, and classical songs. While heavy metal had dogs barking and anxious, classical tunes encouraged pets to calm down and relax.

Source: If They Could Talk: Do Dogs Like Music?

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No and stop it! Get off and sit down! Shut up and stop barking!

If that's all you heard day and day out, just how low would your spirits sink? We know beyond a reasonable doubt that dogs feel sorrow, they get depressed, and the very essence of who they are as a species is threatened by a very common predator: Mankind. Here are seven things that are guaranteed to destroy the spirit of your dog.

Best advice ever: Do none of these, but read on to see how many you hear about, read about, or engage in daily.

Source: 7 Things that Destroy Your Dog's Spirit | Pets - Yahoo Shine

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It’s been a very long day, the last thing an owner needs when walking in the house is to find a huge mess. Garbage strewn across the floor, pillows emptied, a favorite pair of shoes obliterated. What would be worse is coming home and finding the dog unconscious from something he got into. Here are five easy tips to keep dogs safe while they’re home alone.

Source: Is Your Dog Safe When Home Alone? 5 Tips You MUST Know

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If you think your dog is a pampered pooch, you'd be in mighty fine company. According to various pet industry resources, the ongoing trend of pet humanization contributes to the above and beyond pampering of our dogs. As we are knee deep in 2014, the pampering trend continues as an increase in the disposable income of the average American coupled with the pet humanization means spending on pooch pampering goes up. With that in mind, here are ten breeds that get our wag of approval as ten of the most pampered breeds seen prancing around town.

Source: 10 Spoiled Rotten Dog Breeds | Pets - Yahoo Shine

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Most people think that this is still an open question, but these indisputable scientific facts clearly show that cats have the edge.

1. Cats are better athletes.
Here is a standard picture of a dog attempting to catch an easy goal in ultimate frisbee.

Via: builder.cheezburger.com

... and here is a picture taken right after a cat has executed an impressive reverse steal by employing the wedge defense.

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Vets are treating increasing numbers of pets for psychiatric problems, such as “obsessive compulsive disorders”, anorexia and depression.

Ever since he became man’s best friend, he has barked at strangers, cowered from fireworks and howled when left alone by his owner.

Now, though, such seemingly natural behaviour in a dog is being put down to a range of psychiatric diagnoses – such as “hyperactivity”, “phobic behaviour” and “separation anxiety”.

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