August 2023

• One of the earliest pieces of literature to mention dog types and breeding was a Roman hunting poem called the "Cynegetica" by Marcus Aurelius Olympius Nemesianus in the 3rd century AD.

• The first Golden Retriever puppies were born in Scotland 155 years ago. They were bred by Sir Dudley Marjoribanks, later known as Baron Tweedmouth,  because he wanted a hunting dog suited to Scottish Highland terrain. In July 2023, hundreds of Golden Retrievers and their owners gathered at their ancestral home at Guisachan House in Glen Affric to celebrate this anniversary.

• Pumpkin stems, skin, and pulp - the stringy goop in the center of a pumpkin - are  not good for dogs to eat. Raw pumpkin seeds can also be dangerous, though  roasted seeds are okay.

• At the 2022 Wimbledon Tennis Tournament, organizers tried to train dogs to replace ball boys and girls, but abandoned this effort because of slobber and the dogs' habit of playfully refusing to give the balls up to players. However, this year Wimbledon used dogs for security and therapeutic purposes.

• There were at least 12 dogs on board the Titanic. Three of them survived.