Your pet dog is a part of your family, but did you know that all dogs descended from wolves? Yes, your sweet, lovable pet is related to fierce wild dogs. Men first tamed dogs over 12,000 years ago and used them for jobs like watching sheep or protecting the family. Today, some dogs still do these jobs, while other pet dogs just want to love and play with their owners.
All dogs belong to the canine family. This family includes coyotes, wolves, domesticated dogs, foxes and wild dogs. Hyenas look like dogs, but they’re more closely related to cats.
Fun Facts about the Dog Family for Kids
- Pet dogs have many of the characteristics of wild dogs. They’re smart and have a good sense of smell and hearing.
- The raccoon dog is a furry dog that looks like a raccoon. It is the only dog that can climb trees.
- Wild dogs run in packs, or groups. A pack has a male and female leader.
- African hunting dogs have large ears and beautiful fur.
Dog Family Vocabulary
- Descended: Came from
- Fierce: Aggressive, wild
- Canine: Member of the dog family
- Domesticated: Tamed
Learn More All About the Dog Family
Check out this amazing video about dogs:
A video documentary about the different kinds of dogs, their talents and what makes them unique from each other.
The Dog Family Q&A
Question 1: Would wolves and coyotes make good pets since they’re related to dogs?
Answer 1: No, these animals are wild and would not make good pets.
Question 2: Do dogs and wolves communicate with each other?
Answer 2: Yes, members of the dog family use scent, body language, facial expressions, eye contact and barks or howls to communicate.
Question 3: Have dogs got good hearing?
Answer 3: Dogs have excellent hearing, dogs have much better hearing than us and can pick up sounds that we cannot.
Question 4: Is chocolate bad for dogs?
Answer 4: Yes chocolate is very bad for dogs. I know its difficult to eat your favorite candy bar in front of a cute begging dog but chocolate can be extremely dangerous to dogs. A dog digests chocolate a lot more slowly than we do and chocolate contains the compound theobromine that can prove deadly to dogs. So please avoid the puppy eyes.
Question 5: What is the fastest dog breed?
Answer 5: The fastest dog breed is the Greyhound. A Greyhound can run at speeds over 40 miles per hour. Greyhound racing is very popular.
Question 6: Have dogs got better eyesight than humans?
Answer 6: Dogs can see better in lower light than humans but overall we have better eyesight. Checkout this website to understand more about a dogs eyesight http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/dogsenses.htm
Important Members of Dogs Family
Following are important members of dogs family. Click on these names to study more fun facts and details:
Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about the Dog Family info? Take the FREE & fun all about the Dog Family quiz and download FREE Dog Family worksheet for kids. For lengthy info click here.
