Man's Best Friend: Canines & Breeds: Clash of Minds

The wild ancestor of all modern domestic dog breeds.

Answer:Gray Wolf (Canis lupus)

Note:Domesticated between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago.

The wild canine native to Australia, famous for its sandy coat and independent nature.

Answer:Dingo

Note:Introduced to Australia about 4,000 years ago.

The tiny North African desert fox with giant ears that radiate body heat and locate prey underground.

Answer:Fennec Fox

Note:Smallest species of canid in the world.

The highly social, spotted African predator known for having one of the highest hunting success rates in nature.

Answer:African Wild Dog (Painted Dog)

Note:Success rate exceeding 80% on hunts.

The arctic canid that changes its thick fur coat from brown in summer to pure white in winter.

Answer:Arctic Fox

Note:Adapted to endure temperatures as low as -50°C.

Officially recognized as the smallest dog breed in the world, named after a Mexican state.

Answer:Chihuahua

Note:Originating in Chihuahua, Mexico.

Renowned as the smartest dog breed in Stanley Coren's intelligence rankings.

Answer:Border Collie

Note:Famous for incredible herding and problem-solving skills.

This ancient Arctic breed has a thick double coat and frequently displays different colored eyes (heterochromia).

Answer:Siberian Husky

Note:Bred by the Chukchi people of Siberia.

The tall, slender sight hound originally bred in Egypt and the Middle East, built for aerodynamic speed.

Answer:Greyhound (or Saluki)

Note:Can sprint up to 45 mph (72 km/h).

The only domestic dog breed that cannot bark, instead making a yodel-like sound called a 'barroo'.

Answer:Basenji

Note:Known as the African barkless dog.

The sense in dogs that is up to 100,000 times more sensitive than in humans.

Answer:Sense of Smell (Olfaction)

Note:Dogs possess up to 300 million olfactory receptors.

The special olfactory organ located on the roof of a dog's mouth used to detect pheromones.

Answer:Jacobson's Organ (Vomeronasal organ)

Note:Helps analyze chemical signals from other animals.

Can dogs see in color, or are they completely black and white?

Answer:They see in color (Blue and Yellow dichromatic vision)

Note:Dogs have two types of color cones (blue and yellow).

Dogs can hear frequencies up to 45,000 to 65,000 Hz, compared to the human upper limit of:

Answer:20,000 Hz

Note:Dogs can detect dog whistles that humans cannot hear.

The tactile hairs on a dog's muzzle and eyebrows that detect subtle air currents and nearby obstacles.

Answer:Whiskers (Vibrissae)

Note:Heavily innervated hairs that aid navigation in the dark.

The giant Swiss breed famous for historically rescuing lost travelers in the snowy Alps.

Answer:Saint Bernard

Note:Bred by monks at the Great St Bernard Pass.

The black-and-tan breed most commonly trained for police patrol, military K9, and protection work.

Answer:German Shepherd (or Belgian Malinois)

Note:Prized for trainability and courage.

The gentle, intelligent retriever breed most commonly chosen worldwide as guide dogs for the blind.

Answer:Golden Retriever (or Labrador Retriever)

Note:Labs and Goldens make up the majority of guide dogs.

This water-loving giant Canadian dog has webbed paws and a water-resistant coat for marine rescue.

Answer:Newfoundland

Note:Famous for pulling drowning swimmers to safety.

The historic sled dog who led the serum run to Nome, Alaska, in 1925, honored with a statue in Central Park.

Answer:Balto (and Togo)

Note:Delivered diphtheria antitoxin through a blizzard.

Charlie Brown's imaginative beagle who sleeps on top of his doghouse and fights the Red Baron.

Answer:Snoopy

Note:Created by Charles M. Schulz in Peanuts.

The mystery-solving Great Dane who loves Scooby Snacks and travels in the Mystery Machine.

Answer:Scooby-Doo

Note:Created by Hanna-Barbera in 1969.

The devoted Japanese Akita who waited for his deceased master at Shibuya Station every day for 9 years.

Answer:Hachiko

Note:A bronze statue commemorates him at Shibuya Station in Tokyo.

The Soviet space dog who became the first living creature to orbit Earth in 1957 aboard Sputnik 2.

Answer:Laika

Note:A stray mongrel from the streets of Moscow.

The fictional rough collie who famously rescued children from wells and danger on television for decades.

Answer:Lassie

Note:Created by Eric Knight in 1938.