6 Interesting Dog Facts

Fit for royalty

Though known for its adorably diminutive stature and lion-like fluffy coat, the Pomeranian actually hails from the same Spitz family as the much larger Samoyed and Malamute. In 1888, Queen Victoria brought the Pomeranian to England and bred them to compete in dog shows. Her preference was for smaller Poms, and during her lifetime, the breed's size decreased by half.

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Meet the 6-toed Norwegian puffin hunter that can scale rock walls!

Looking for a rare dog? Look no further than the Norwegian Lundehund, an agile breed that has adapted to hunt puffins around its native coastal cliffs of Norway. Aided by its well-padded six-toed front paws, flexible shoulders, and an “elastic” neck that can bend backwards to touch their spine, the unique build of the Lundehund allows them to scale massive rock walls and wiggle into small crevices to snap up their prey.

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What the Dickens

Author Charles Dickens owned a Havanese named Tim, who was beloved by Dickens’ ten children. Many speculate the dog was the inspiration for “Tiny Tim” from A Christmas Carol.

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This Truffle Hunting Dog could make you Rich

Also known as the Romagna Water Dog, the Lagotto Romagnolo is the world’s oldest water retriever. Like other water dogs, the Lagotto has a weatherproof coat and muscular build that helped it hunt fowl through the Italian marshlands. Unlike other water dogs, their hyper-sensitive nose is now used for a more delicate purpose—sniffing out delicious truffles! In locating this ‘edible gold,’ your Lagotto could help pay the bills; a single truffle can cost up to $3,800.

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Fancy, schmancy!

Don’t be fooled by the precious hairdo. Belying its looks, the Poodle is a star athlete through and through. The classic “Continental” poodle cut was actually created to optimize the breed’s hunting performance—the Poodle was originally developed to hunt ducks and other waterfowl. The frequently perceived as fussy trademark haircut allowed Poodles a full range of motion when in the water while keeping the joints warm and the eye-line clear. (The pom-poms over the kidney area are called rosettes.) The finishing touch, the jaunty ball on the tail, kept the tip from getting frostbite.

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No, it’s not a Yorkie

The first Biewer (pronounced “beaver”) Terrier was born in 1984—a relative newcomer compared to breeds like the Akita, whose lineage can be traced back 10,000 years. Bred by Mr. and Mrs. Biewer, two passionate Yorkshire Terrier lovers, the Biewer Terrier has a “piebald” gene, giving it a distinctive spotted coat. Genetic testing determined the Biewer possesses genes distinguishing it from the Yorkshire Terrier, and in 2021,  the American Kennel Club recognized the Biewer as a distinct breed.

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This article originally appeared in the award-winning Modern Dog magazine. Subscribe today!