We all know that dogs occasionally like to eat grass, but why they do it is still not fully proven. There are a couple theories, but the two most prominent ones are that either dogs like the smell and taste of grass and eat it as a result or because their stomach is upset and they want to throw up the food that cannot be digested properly. Recently, more and more dog owners believe their dogs eat grass because they like its sweet smell and taste.

We all know that dogs are mainly carnivores but can also be omnivores and opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat vegetables and fruits if hungry or to keep their diet balanced, but their main diet is meat. So, when we take our dogs for a walk, they are looking around for different smells, as well as, feeding opportunities. The smell of the grass makes them want to try it. The problem is that they cannot completely chew the thin grass blades, so they swallow them. This causes a tickling/irritating sensation in their throats and stomach which makes them want to throw up. Hence, it is not that they eat grass to throw up or because their stomach hurts, but they eat grass because they like it.

I fully believe this is true since our dog wants to eat grass almost every time we go for a walk, especially the fresher and softer blades that have just recently grown. Many other dog owners concur with this fact and also say that their dogs eat grass every time they are in contact with it. This is good news! We all now know that our dogs are not possessed or crazy and that their stomachs are not upset every day of the week. I think that we can confidently say that we have found the answer as to why dogs eat grass.

While it is normal for dogs to eat grass, you need to be careful so that the dog does not eat grass that has been treated with an insecticide, herbicide, fertilizer or other harmful chemicals. When walking your dog, it is best to watch your dog constantly to make sure that he does not stop to eat the grass as most grass on the street and in parks is treated with some chemicals.

During the hot summer months, it is very important to keep your dog cool. Dogs can overheat very quickly; it can take only a couple of minutes for a dog to overheat. Your dog's normal body temperature ranges between 100 and 102.5 degrees Fahrenheit and when his/her body temperature elevates above 106 F, his/her normal cooling mechanisms become overwhelmed, which can result in a serious condition which may require medical attention. High temperatures can lead to dehydration and blood thickening which puts extreme strain on the heart and results in blood clotting and subsequent death of the tissue. The first to be affected are the liver, brain and the intestinal cells.

Certain breeds of dogs are more prone to heat related problems than others. Large and double-coated breeds like the Chow Chow are very susceptible to overheating. Malamutes, Huskies, American Eskimos and Newfoundlands which prefer colder climates often have little tolerance for heat and humidity and should not be kept in very hot climates. Bulldogs, Pugs, Shar-Peis and Boston Terriers or any breeds with shorter muzzles have harder time coping with heat because of their short and narrow respiratory systems. Symptoms of a heat stroke:

• Bright red tongue
• Coma
• Diarrhea
• Rapid and frantic panting
• Staggering
• Thick saliva
• Vomiting
• Wide eyes

To prevent your dog from getting a heat stroke, here are some things you can do: 

• Keep the dog in a shaded, cool, and well-ventilated area during the hot hours of the day; dogs can also get sunburn on their ears, eyelids and nose from too much exposure to the sun (white and lightly colored dogs are more prone to sunburn); sunburn can eventually lead to skin cancer; use sunscreen that is approved for dogs and pets.
• Provide plenty of fresh and cold drinking water throughout the day.
  
• Limit the amount of exercise; exercise the dog early in the morning while it is still not too hot; hot pavement can burn the pads on the dog's feet.
• A haircut in the summer can help dog breeds with a long or double coat to relieve heat stress.
• Do not leave your dog in a parked car unattended even if it is for only a few minutes! The temperature inside the car can rise very quickly (reaching 120 F in as little as 10 minutes), especially if the car is in the sun and there is high humidity.
• Setup a small wading pool in the shade where your dog can refresh and cool down.
• If you are going for a walk with your dog or to the park, bring a bottle (handheld portable dog water bottles are great as they also include a dispenser tray - you can find one here:  Lixit Thirsty Dog Portable Water Bottle / Bowl) of cold water with you. You never know when they will need it, especially if they run a lot.
• If you are at the beach, make sure you let your dog go for a swim every hour or so which will keep him/her cool.

The smartest/most intelligent dog breeds are as follow according to many dog specialists and trainers. Most of the dogs on this list are also very willing to please and easier to train than other dogs. However, this does not mean that the other dog breeds are not intelligent or that they cannot be trained.

1. Border Collie

Border Collies are a breed of herding dog that originated along the borders of England, Wales and Scotland. They are widely considered to be the most intelligent breed of dog in the world. They want to please their owner and need to have a job to do. They are very active and need plenty of mental and physical stimulation. They are not a good breed for the busy city life or apartments. They do the best on farms and are frequently used to assist with the handling of livestock. Border Collies excel at several dog sports and dog agility competitions in addition to their success in herding trials. The Border Collie's speed, agility, and stamina have allowed them to dominate in up-and-coming dog activities like flyball and disc dog competitions. Their trainability has also given them a berth in dog dancing competitions.

2. Poodle

Poodles are also highly intelligent and agile. They are very easy to train and attached to their owner. Originally bred as a type of water dog, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports, including agility, obedience, tracking, and even herding. They need plenty of exercise and are used sometimes as hunting dogs. Poodles can live in the city or the country. If exercised regularly outdoors, they are mostly inactive indoors.

3. German Shepherd

As part of the Herding group, the German Shepherd is a working dog developed originally for herding sheep. Because of their strength, intelligence and abilities in obedience training they are often employed in police and military roles, in forces around the world. German Shepherds are very courageous dogs and make excellent guard dogs.

4. Golden Retriever

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular dog breeds in the world according to the registration numbers submitted by kennel clubs such as the AKC and CKC. They are very good and patient with kids, friendly, and eager to please - a great family dog overall. Golden Retrievers excel in obedience competitions and at performing various tricks.

5. Doberman Pinscher

Dobermans are very protective and fearless dogs with great intelligence. They make great guard dogs and are very loyal and protective of their owner. They possess great stamina and love to work. Even though they are known as being aggressive toward strangers, it really all depends on the way they are trained and their temperament.

6. Shetland Sheepdog

Shelties are intelligent, family oriented dogs that can be as happy in an apartment in a city as in a house in the country if exercised regularly. They are very good house and family dogs. They are very protective and good with children if properly exposed to them as a puppy. They constantly seek human companionship and are very loyal.

7. Labrador Retriever

Labrador Retriever is one of several kinds of retriever, a type of gun dog. They are the most popular dog breed in the world. In North America, they are the most registered dog. Highly intelligent and affectionate, they make great family dogs. They are very loving and patient with kids. Labrador Retrievers are generally considered good companions for people of all ages, making them both excellent companions and working dogs. With training, the Labrador is one of the most dependable, obedient and multi-talented breeds in the world. They need plenty of exercise to avoid becoming overweight or obese.

8. Papillon

Papillons are easy to train, very intelligent and energetic. Papillons were bred for companionship, and make excellent watch dogs. They can sometimes be overly aggressive when trying to protect their territory or owner despite their small size. Many owners will claim that their dogs are "big dogs in little dog suits".

9. Rottweiler

Originally bred in Germany as a herding dog, the Rottweiler is a hardy and very intelligent breed. They are very protective and fearless making them great guard dogs. If trained properly, they can make great family dogs and be good with children.

10. Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dog is a breed of herding dog developed in Australia for droving cattle. It is a medium-sized short-coated dog with a lot of energy, intelligence and an independent streak. They need to be provided with plenty of mental and physical stimulation and do best living on a farm or a large property. They are not well-suited for city or apartment life.

• White Boxers are not as rare as some believe. Approximately 25% of all Boxers are born white. Some of the first foundation dogs for the Boxer breed were white.
• White Boxers do not have more health problems and are not sick more often than fawn or brindle Boxers. There is no clinical evidence that shows that the White Boxer is at a higher risk for health problems.
• Not all White Boxers are deaf. Only about 18% of all White Boxers are deaf and they can also be tested for deafness when they are puppies. Deaf Boxers can be trained using a variety of methods including hand signals, sign language, flashlights and more. Training any Boxer, hearing or deaf, requires time, patience and understanding.
• White Boxers are not mean. They are like any other Boxer and have the same personalities. People think they are meaner because of their looks which some confuse with a Pit Bull or American Bulldog.
• White Boxers are not albinos. They have white-colored hair and do have pigmentation. Albinos lack any pigmentation and have pink eyes and no color on their body. White boxers have colored eyes, sometimes colored patches on their coat, and black spots on their skin. 
• White Boxers can be registered with the American Kennel Club and the Canadian Kennel Club to show that they are purebred and their pedigree despite the popular belief that they cannot. What they cannot do is to be shown in the conformation ring which is unfortunate, but they can be shown in obedience. Even though White Boxers are usually not used for breeding, they make great family dogs and are just as loving and playful as brindle and fawn Boxers.

1. Dogs are omnivorous. They need more than just meat to flourish - e.g. bananas, apples, berries, mangoes, carrots, green beans, peas, pumpkin/squash.
2. Dog's internal clock is really magnificent. They know when it's time for you to arrive home, feed them, or go to bed if you're on schedule.
3. Brush your dog 3 times a week in the spring, and you'll have a summer free from shedding.
4. Dogs and cats turn in circles before lying down because in the wild this instinctive action turns long grass into a bed.
5. A puppy's eyes do not open until it is 10 to 15 days old. Its vision is usually not complete until it is about four weeks old.
6. Did you know that the Basenji, an African wolf dog, is the only dog that cannot bark?
7. A female carries her young for about 60 days before the puppies are born.
8. If never spayed or neutered, a female dog, her mate, and their puppies could produce over 66,000 dogs in 6 years!
   
9. Irish Wolfhounds rank as the largest dog, and Chihuahuas as the smallest dog. The St. Bernard is the heaviest dog and other breeds range in size between these extremes.
10. Ignore your new puppy's whining when you first isolate it for sleeping. If you don't you will only encourage it to whine more.
11. When a small dog is aggressive toward people, don't pick him up. This only reinforces the behavior since he will see it as a reward.
12. Did you know that a one-year-old dog is physically as mature as a 15 year-old human?
13. Train your dog from day one, so she will think of you as the leader of the pack. Dogs instinctively want to earn the pack leader's approval.
14. It is a myth that dogs are color blind. They can actually see in color, just not as vividly as humans. It is akin to our vision at dusk.
15. Dogs' only sweat glands are between their paw pads.
16. The U.S. has the highest dog population in the world. France has the 2nd highest.
17. Boxers are named for their playful habit of using their front paws in frolic.
18. Newfoundland dogs have webbed feet, making them strong and agile swimmers.
19. The Chinook dog breed is one of the rarest; the Guinness Book of World Records listedthem 3 times as the rarest dog breed on the planet.
20. The breed Lundehund has 6 toes and can close its ears so that the ear-canal is protected against dirt and moisture.
21. More than 1 in 3 American families own a dog.
22. A dog's mouth exerts 150-200 pounds of pressure per square inch with some dogs exerting up to 450 pounds per squre inch.
23. Greyhounds are the fastest dogs on earth, with speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
24. There are 703 breeds of purebred dogs.
25. The world's smartest dogs are thought to be (1) the Border Collie, (2) the Poodle, and (3) the Golden Retriever.
26. A dog's smell is more than 100,000 times stronger than that of a human's.
27. Puppies sleep ninety percent of the day for their first few weeks.
28. The longer a dog's nose, the more effective it's internal cooling system.
29. Dogs are all direct descendants of wolves.
30. Dalmatian puppies are born completely white.
31. The Chihuahua was named after the state in Mexico where they were discovered.
32. More than 5,000,000 puppies are born in the U.S. every year.
33. The normal body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
34. Dogs with little human contact in the first three months typically don't make good pets.
35. Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 12,000 years.
36. Obesity is the #1 health problem among dogs.
37. Many foot disorders in dogs are related to long toenails. Check your dog's nails once a month and trim when necessary, avoiding the vein.
    
38. The oldest reliable age recorded for a dog is 29 years, 5 months for a Queensland 'heeler' called Bluey in Victoria, Australia.