Down, Boy! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Japan

The Akita is a dog breed that originated in northern Japan and was bred to be a guard dog. Akitas are known to be fiercely loyal. They are large dogs who have also been known to hunt animals as large as bears.

Answer: Germany

Despite its name, the Great Dane originated in Germany where it served as a guard dog for the royal family. It is one of the largest breeds in the world, second only to the Irish Wolfhound. Scooby-Doo is said to be a Great Dane, although other than his size, he does not resemble most Great Danes.

Answer: United States

The Chinook is a large dog originating from the United States. Chinooks were bred to be sleigh dogs, although they bear little resemblance to other sleigh dogs like the husky. It is the state dog of New Hampshire, where the dog was first bred.

Answer: Italy

The Maltese is another dog whose name suggests one location but originated in another. They were first bred on an island around central Italy. Various travelers confused similarly named islands which led to the dog being called a Maltese when Malta was confused for Meilte. However because of the name, Maltese dogs are now very popular on Malta.

Answer: Australia

The miniature fox terrier was first bred in Australia to hunt vermin. This dog is small and muscular which makes it perfect for hunting rabbits, a constant nuisance in Australia's farmlands. They are sometimes called "little foxes".

Answer: Hungary

The Vizsla was first bred in Hungary to be a hunting dog. Vizslas are very versatile as they can hunt, point and retrieve on both land and in water. The Vizslas have a perilous history as Europe's many wars throughout the century nearly caused the breed to go extinct multiple times.

Answer: Netherlands

The Keeshond is a medium-sized dog with puffs of silver and grey fur. It is also called the Dutch barge dog because it is a frequent guest on Dutch ships, similar to how Dalmatians are seen on fire trucks. The dog is named after Cornelis de Gijselaar, who was nicknamed Kees. de Gijselaar was the opposition leader to Prince William of Orange and the Keeshond became a symbol of resistance.

Answer: Democratic Republic of the Congo

The Basenji is well known for being the dog that cannot bark. It is also known for being one of the least trainable breeds and is prone to be erratic. Basenjis also have significantly higher rates of kidney disease and hip dysplasia when compared to other breeds.

Answer: Malta

The Pharaoh hound was allegedly named because they resembled dogs seen in ancient Egyptian carvings and texts. However, the breed originated in Malta and has little if any connection to Egypt. They were bred to hunt rabbits in the dark.

Answer: Switzerland

St. Bernards are large dogs famous for their tales of rescue in the Swiss Alps. The dogs are so named because they are believed to have originated near the St. Bernard's Hospice in the Alps which is a refuge for travelers. Before the mid 1800s, they were called saint dogs because they were said to appear before those in the most hopeless situations.