The Delightful, Devoted Dog! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Canis lupus familiaris

A three part naming system is typically used to indicate the relationship of domestic animals to their wild predecessors. Dogs belong to the genus "Canis", and are believed to have diverged from a now-extinct wolf species, "lupus", around 40,000-27,000 years ago. The word "familiaris" is the subspecies designation for all domestic dogs.

This designation was not assigned without disagreement. There were some, like Carl Linnaeus, who believed that dogs should be classified as their own separate species, "Canis familiaris". DNA studies have shown that all ancient and modern dogs share a common ancestry with a wolf that is now extinct, not the "Canis lupus", or gray wolf.

Answer: Saluki

The saluki, also called a Persian hound, is listed as one of the oldest breeds, along with the chow chow, Afghan hound, greyhound, and others. Originating in the Fertile Crescent region of the ancient Middle East, salukis were highly prized for their ability to hunt gazelles.

Salukis are sight hounds, which means they hunt more by sight than by smell. Although they don't look like sturdy creatures - they seem almost fragile and thin in appearance - they were especially bred to run over rough ground in order to chase their prey. They are known for their stamina, and, according to some sources, can chase their prey at speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph).

Answer: Greyhound

Cheetahs receive a lot of notoriety for being the fastest animal on earth - and they are with their ability to hit speeds of 70 mph (113 kph) for thirty seconds. It's after the thirty seconds, however, where greyhounds can catch up with them. Greyhounds can run thirty-five miles per hour (56 kph), and maintain that speed for about seven miles.

Greyhounds are another member of the group that is classified as sight hounds. They are said to have a 270-degree range of vision, which is described as being stereoscopic. That means they can see moving prey - and at an estimated distance of a half mile (.80 km)!

Answer: Australia

Scientists believe that dingoes arrived in Australia sometime around 12,000-3500 years before the present, probably with humans who arrived in boats. The earliest dingo remains, found in the Mereguda Cave, also known as the Madura Cave, in Western Australia, date back to approximately 3,450 years before present. It is believed that dingoes and dogs share a common ancestor, and that dingoes were an early offshoot of the branch of the "Canis" family tree. They remained a purebred species until Europeans arrived in the late 1700s.

Even though they have long been companions of Indigenous Australians, dingoes are classified as feral dogs because they are the offspring of those that were once domesticated. They are Australia's largest carnivorous mammal, hunting rabbits, kangaroos, lizards, and even feral pigs.

Answer: True

Technically speaking, no two dogs have the same nose, or rhinarium, print. The rhinarium is the bare skin that can be seen at the end of a dog's nose. Scientists believe that a dog's nose print is established by the time a puppy is two months old, and the dimples, dots, and ridges that form it change very little after that.

There are some who believe that identifying a dog by its nose print is better than using a microchip or tag on the collar, as they can be lost or damaged beyond proper use. According to an article in "Psychology Today", the Canadian Kennel Club has been using nose prints as proof of identity since 1938.

Answer: Papillon

The papillon's name comes from the shape of the ears, which resemble a butterfly with their long, fringed hair. Also called the continental toy spaniel, the papillon seems to have originated in Italy. They are found in many portraits which date to around the 1500s. Most are shown with drooping ears; the erect-eared breed became popular in the late 1800s.

Papillons are said to be cheerful and affectionate dogs, well-suited to the job of being the family pet. They have been ranked the eighth brightest dog out of 138 breeds tested by Dr. Stanley Coren.

Answer: Pembroke Welsh Corgi

These feisty little dogs, originally bred to herd livestock, originated in Pembrokeshire, Wales, in the early 1100s. They are very talented herders, and love to run around the yard, dig holes, and chase anything that moves! Their herding instinct is so great that they are even said to try and herd their humans! In addition, the Pembroke Welsh corgi is an excellent watch dog, and great family pet. Ranked the eleventh most intelligent dogs by Dr. Stanley Coren, they are relatively easy to train.

During her long lifetime, Elizabeth II owned more than 30 corgis. The Queen's first corgi, Dookie, was received as a gift from her father in 1933. Later on, many of her corgis were descended from her beloved Susan, who was given to her as a gift for her eighteenth birthday in 1944.

Answer: Shar-Pei

The Shar-Pei originated in China around 200 BC, and was highly valued as a watch dog. Covered in what appears to be wrinkles, its loose skin was intended to protect the Shar-Pei when it was involved in dogfights, protecting its vital organs. There is a breed of Shar-Pei with fewer wrinkles that is found in Hong Kong.

Although there is no known genetic link between the two, both the chow chow and the Shar-Pei have a blue black tongue. No one has ever been able to explain why these breeds have similar tongues. Some people believed its scary looking tongue helped to keep evil spirits away when the Shar-Pei barked.

Answer: Fala

Fala was given as a gift to FDR in 1940 by his cousin and friend Margaret "Daisy" Suckley. Fala's birth name was Big Boy, but Roosevelt changed it to Murray The Outlaw of Falahill after one of his famous Scottish ancestors. The name later became just "Fala". Fala often traveled with FDR and was present at many important events of his presidency. His companionship to the President is honored at the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C. Fala also became a loyal, loving companion to FDR's wife, Eleanor, after his death in 1945.

Originating in Scotland, as their name implies, Scottish terriers were bred to hunt badgers and foxes. A good watch dog and companion today, they are said to be friendly and highly trainable.

Answer: Him and Her

LBJ famously loved beagles and dogs in general, and cherished them as pets. He was involved in a "scandal" shortly after he became President, after lifting Him by the ears at a Rose Garden meeting, causing the dog to let out a loud yelp. "It does them good to let them yelp", he said.

After many Americans showed outrage at the supposed ill treatment of the dog - there was even a senator that brought it up during negotiations for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - there was an effort to photograph Him, along with his companion Her, going about their usual White House routines, showing them as the loved and pampered dogs that they were. They are featured in the cover photo of this quiz with President Johnson.

Beagles are known to be great hunting dogs due to their keen sense of smell and ability to track game, and LBJ explained he had been brought up to pull a beagle's ears before the hunt to make sure it was in good voice. He also added that Him had always seemed to enjoy having his ears pulled. During his presidency, J. Edgar Hoover gave LBJ a beagle who was named Edgar, and he was gifted a white collie named Blanco from a girl in Illinois.