March 2024

• Pablo Picasso had an Afghan Hound he named Kabul after Afghanistan's capital. 

• A study is currently underway at University of California at San Diego to determine whether dogs can really communicate by pressing buttons that activate pre-recorded words. These “button dogs” are the subject of debate among animal behavior experts who are raising questions about what the dogs are really “saying” and if the words mean the same thing to the dogs as they do to us. Experts also note that dogs already communicate with us through other means such as body language, but humans may not be listening.

• Great Danes are nicknamed “the Apollo of dogs."

• Japanese shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, born in the Year of the Dog, 1646, instituted the Law of Compassion to protect dogs.   Under this law, even ignoring a dog might be punished by death.  During his 30-year reign, between 60,000 and 200,000 people were either put to death or exiled for animal-welfare violations.  

• The Keeshond used to be known as the Dutch Barge Dog because it was frequently seen on barges traveling the canals and rivers of the Netherlands.