April 2026

• Great Britain is considering a new law that would ban the breeding of 67 dog breeds with short noses, flat faces, and shortened legs due to health concerns. The late Queen Elizabeth’s favorite dog, the Corgi, is among them.

• According to the American Kennel Club, researchers have found that different breeds have different social cognition, persistence, inhibitory control, and spatial problem-solving abilities. For example, the Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd were most likely to be completely independent when solving a task, rather than waiting for human direction. Also male and female dogs showed differences in personality traits, cognitive processes, and perception.

• During the Great Depression, the Top 10 most popular dog breeds in the U.S. were the Boston Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Smooth Fox Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Beagle, Pekingese, Chow Chow, English Springer Spaniel, Pomeranian, and Bulldog.

• Do dogs learn language like children do? A new study published by Science.org found some dogs can learn the names of objects from overhearing their owners talking. Some may also learn new words as children do through a process called fast mapping; after hearing a new word, they look at the options and figure out what it must refer to.

• Does your dog bark at other dogs when you go for a walk? One way to stop this behavior is to distract your dog. Before the walk, teach your dog a trick or two and ask him to perform the trick on the walk as needed. Keeping your dog mentally and physically occupied may help curb unwanted outbursts.