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Are you a dog lover? Do you have a pet dog at home, or would you like to eventually own a dog or a puppy? The fall season is very important for recognizing dogs because Saturday, November 23, is National Thankful For My Dog Day!

Hello, my name is Miss Sara and in this blog, I will provide many fascinating and educational facts about dogs, including a link to an article detailing their eyesight, AKC’s most popular dog breeds (updated for 2024) and some local tri-county resources for those considering adopting. Also highlighted is one of our main CCPL children’s databases, National Geographic Kids, and some sweet and heartfelt stories about dogs and puppies from our CCPL catalog.

Important Resources:

Below are educational (and interesting) facts about dogs:

  • Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) are domesticated mammals, not natural wild animals. They were originally bred from wolves. They have been bred by humans for a long time, and probably were the first animals to be domesticated. There are at least 800 different breeds of dogs and around 400 million dogs in the world.

  • Different dog breeds (kinds) have different lifespans. In general, smaller dogs live longer than larger dogs. The size and the breed of the dog change the average lifespan of a dog. Breeds such as the Dachshund usually live for fifteen years, while Chihuahuas can reach age twenty. The Great Dane, on the other hand, has an average lifespan of six to eight years.

  • Dogs cannot eat raisins, grapes, onion, chocolate, or garlic because it makes them sick.

  • Dogs are often called “man’s best friend” because they fit well with human life. Dogs can serve people in many ways. For example, there are guard dogs, hunting dogs, herding dogs, guide dogs for blind people (along with other service dogs), and police dogs. These dogs sometimes help police in airports or other areas. Sniffer dogs (usually beagles) are sometimes trained for this job.

  • A dog is as smart as a 2-year-old child and can recognize around 150 words and gestures.

  • The majority of modern dog owners describe their pets as part of the family. It is estimated there are 77.5 million people with pet dogs in the United States. The best dogs for kids are ones that have calm personalities and are happy to socialize with everyone in the family. Having a family dog can also teach children cooperation and responsibility. For example, a child can help with chores such as walking, feeding, and brushing the dog.

  • Dogs can smell and hear better than humans but cannot see well in color. Due to the structure of the eye, dogs can see better in dim light than humans. They can also see further around before moving their eyes than a human can.

Web site source: https://kids.kiddle.co/Dog

Below is a link to an article from LiveScience.com, detailing the eyesight of dogs:

Below is a link to the American Kennel Club’s top 200 most popular dog breeds for 2023 (updated in April 2024):

If you are considering adopting a new puppy or even an older dog (or just want to visit and look at the animals!), below are links to a few local organizations and shelters:

Additional Resources:

Click on the link below to explore our children’s database and search for all things dogs:

National Geographic Kids

Engage kids and young students to broaden their educational horizons with reputable, special, authoritative, and age-appropriate digital content that brings them the world in a way they have never seen before. National Geographic Kids will take them on amazing adventures in science, nature, wildlife, culture, geography, archaeology, and space.

*All book cover photos are from Goodreads/all title descriptions are from the CCPL COSMOS website.

You may also check out our CCPL catalog for an educational reference guide on dog breeds – as well as adorable, touching stories of happy dogs and puppies, such as:

The Dog Encyclopedia: The Definitive Visual Guide by Anna Baggaley

Starting with their history, evolution, and anatomy, this brilliant book about dogs puts on a show of dogs in art and advertising, sport and service, and religion and culture, as famous dogs in fiction line up alongside heroic helpers. The catalog introduces more than 400 dog breeds arranged in traditional categories, including primitive and working dogs, companion dogs, and scent hounds. Every entry includes glorious photographs and fact-packed profiles detailing the individual character, compatible owner traits, and breed-specific advice.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Piglet Comes Home: How A Deaf Blind Pink Puppy Found His Family by Melissa Shapiro, DVM

Inspired by the real-life Instagram sensation “Piglet the Pink Puppy,” this cute and compassionate picture book tells the story of how a deaf and blind puppy found his fur-ever home.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Harry, The Dirty Dog by Gene Zion

When a white dog with black spots runs away from home, he gets so dirty his family doesn’t recognize him as a black dog with white spots. Harry is a white dog with black spots who loves everything … except baths. So one day before bath time, Harry runs away. He plays outside all day long, digging and sliding in everything from garden soil to pavement tar. By the time he returns home, Harry is so dirty he looks like a black dog with white spots. His family doesn’t even recognize him!

Click HERE to place a hold request

Forever Home: A Dog and Boy Love Story by Henry Cole

Told without words, we follow a boy who wants a dog more than anything. Meanwhile, an abandoned dog is looking for a forever home. And that dog has his eye on our boy!

Click HERE to place a hold request

Bark, George by Jules Feiffer

A mother dog tries to teach her pup how to bark, and is surprised at why he wasn’t learning.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Stay by Kate Klise

Eli the dog has been with Astrid since she was a baby, and now that Eli is getting older and slowing down, Astrid wants to make fun memories with him, but knows what is most important to Eli is the time he spends with Astrid.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Gaston by Kelly DiPucchio

A proper bulldog raised in a poodle family and a tough poodle raised in a bulldog family meet one day in the park.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Puppy Bus by Drew Brockington

A boy, worried about his first day at a new school, finds himself on the wrong bus, a bus full of puppies bound for Puppy School – and discovers that despite the strange food and even weirder bathroom, Puppy School is a lot of fun.

Click HERE to place a hold request

The Imposter by Kelly Collier

Skunk wants to be a dog. Everyone loves dogs. And every dog seems to have exactly what he’s looking for: a home and a family. When Skunk sees a “lost” poster for Max the dog, he wonders if he can pass himself off as the missing pet. He enlists the help of three neighborhood critters-a racoon, a cat, and a squirrel-who train him in the art of being a dog with hilarious results. But, uh-oh, there’s just one thing Skunk didn’t account for.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Good Dog by Cori Doerrfeld

When a puppy in need of a friend follows a kind girl into town, he lands himself into all sorts of trouble. He gets lost. He’s nearly run over. And he gets chased out of a bakery for being a “bad dog.” But when the pup and the girl reunite in the park and she leaves behind her favorite doll, the puppy has a chance to prove just what a good dog he really is!

Click HERE to place a hold request

Hello Goodbye Dog by Maria Gianferrari

A student who uses a wheelchair finds a way to see her dog each day in school.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Just Like Millie by Lauren Castillo

When a young girl and her mother move to an apartment in a new city, the girl feels fine on her own. She would rather play by herself than meet new kids at the park or have a playdate with the other children in her building. And when her mom takes her to story time at the bookstore, she breaks down in tears. But things start to change when she meets Millie, a rescue dog who is not too big, not too small. On their daily walks, Millie isn’t afraid to meet new people and seems to like friends. When she sees another shy girl at the dog park, will the girl find the courage to be just like Millie and make new friends?

Click HERE to place a hold request

If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff

Chaos might ensue if you were to give a dog a donut.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Clifford, The Big Red Dog by Norman Bridwell

Emily Elizabeth loves her huge dog Clifford even though he is far from perfect.

Click HERE to place a hold request

To Dogs, With Love: A Love Letter to the Dogs Who Help Us by Maria Gianferrari

A tribute to all types of service dogs that perform important jobs, from providing emotional support to helping disabled people, gives thanks to every human’s best friend.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Image credits:

Unless otherwise noted and/or linked, all images were designed during the making of this blog.