Pawsome Mutts

Word of the Week

Mutt: Any dog that's a combination of different breeds. It comes from the early 1800's word muttonhead, meaning a dull-witted or foolish person. In the late 1800's, it was shortened to mutt and used to describe an inferior dog or one of multiple breeds. Today, the word isn't associated with negative thoughts, because we understand so much more about mutts! When you really stop to think about it. . .many of us are mutts ourselves, so to speak!

Hello!

Saturday, July 31st is National Mutt Day. Since I have my very own favorite mutt, Mac, I knew it was a day we just had to celebrate. And what better way to celebrate than with some fun facts about mutts!

• 75% of dogs in shelters are mixed breeds.

• Dogs of mixed breeds are generally healthier than purebreds.

• 45% of American households allow dogs to sleep in the owners' beds.

• ALL dogs dream!

• 70% of owners include their dog's name on holiday cards.

• A dog's nose print is unique. . .kind of like our fingerprints!

• Speaking of noses- dogs are known for their keen sense of smell. Their nose has as many as 300 million receptors. Humans only have about 5 million. Good thing, they like stinky smells, too!

• Their noses can also sense heat. That's why blind or deaf dogs can still hunt.

• You've probably heard that yawns are contagious before. Well, that holds true for dogs, too. A big human yawn can trigger a yawn from your furry friend!

• Did you ever wonder why dogs curl up in a ball when they sleep? It's a self-preservation instinct. Dogs in the wild curl up to help protect their organs in the event of an attack.

• It's been proven that your blood pressure will go down when petting a dog!

• The USA has more pet dogs than any other country. Any guesses? Over 75 million!

• Dogs are not actually color blind. They can see blue and yellow.

• All puppies are born deaf.

• Dogs have only 1,700 taste buds, while humans have 2,000-10,000.

• When a dog kicks its legs backward after going to the bathroom, it's not trying to cover anything up. It's marking its territory by using the scent glands in its feet.

I saved the most important one for last.

Dogs are one of the few animals who demonstrate unselfish kindness towards others without any reward!

So other than giving your furry friend a little extra love and attention, how else should you celebrate? Create dog puns!

A pun is a joke that is also a play on words. It uses words that can have more than one meaning, even if the spelling is different. Here are a few examples to help get you started:

• Howl you doing? (How)

• Trust me, I'm a dog-tor. (doctor)

• My dog is so cold, he's a pup-sicle. (popsicle)

• My dog loves pup-eroni pizza. (pepperoni)

• Quit hounding me!

Good luck, have fun, and feel free to share your creations with me! (LJMadwish@gmail.com)

The paw-sibilities are endless!

Gram