A Basenji doesn’t bark. I’ve opened with that question at dozens of trivia nights and watched entire tables implode. Someone always insists it’s the Shiba Inu. Someone else swears it’s a trick question. And the person who actually owns a Basenji sits there with a grin that could power a small city. That’s the thing about dog trivia: everyone thinks they’re an expert because they grew up with one, or they follow three hundred of them on Instagram, or they watched a documentary once. But dogs have been walking alongside humans for at least 15,000 years, and that’s a lot of territory for confident wrongness.
I wrote these 125 questions for the person who already knows the difference between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever and thinks that makes them ready. Some of these will feel like a warm-up. Some will make you question whether you’ve ever actually looked at a dog. And a few will start the kind of argument that doesn’t resolve until someone pulls out their phone, which is exactly what good dog trivia should do.
The Ones That Sound Easy Until They’re Not
1. What is the most popular dog breed in the United States, according to the American Kennel Club’s most recent rankings?
I’ve asked this at events where half the room shouts “Labrador” before I finish the sentence. They’re running on years of correct answers. But the AKC shook the table in 2022.
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French Bulldog. The Labrador Retriever held the top spot for 31 consecutive years before the Frenchie dethroned it. Most common wrong answer: Labrador Retriever, because for most of living memory, it was right.
2. How many teeth does an adult dog have?
People who’ve been bitten tend to guess higher. People who brush their dog’s teeth still get it wrong about half the time.
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42. Humans have 32. Puppies start with 28 deciduous teeth.
3. What breed is Scooby-Doo?
This one’s a crowd-pleaser for mixed tables. The kids know it instantly. The adults overthink it.
4. Dogs can only see in black and white. True or false?
This is one of those myths that’s so deeply planted it feels like betrayal when you pull it out. I’ve had people argue with me after I’ve given the answer.
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False. Dogs see in a spectrum similar to a human with red-green color blindness. They can see blues and yellows but struggle with reds and greens.
5. What’s the term for a group of puppies born to the same mother at the same time?
6. Which breed is known as the “firehouse dog”?
The image is so iconic that even people who’ve never seen a fire truck in person can picture the dog sitting on top of it.
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Dalmatian. They originally ran alongside horse-drawn fire carriages to keep the horses calm and clear the path.
7. What is a dog’s most powerful sense?
Show Answer
Smell. A dog’s sense of smell is estimated to be 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive than a human’s, depending on the breed.
8. What breed of dog is the smallest in the world by height?
People jump to Chihuahua, and they’re not wrong, but the question is about height specifically. The answer is still Chihuahua. The fun part is watching people second-guess themselves into saying Yorkshire Terrier.
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Chihuahua. The smallest dog ever recorded by the Guinness World Records was a Chihuahua named Pearl, measuring 3.59 inches tall.
9. What is the name of the dog that was the first animal to orbit the Earth?
This question makes a room go quiet for a second. People know the story, or at least the shape of it. The name sometimes escapes them.
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Laika. She was a Soviet space dog who orbited Earth aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. She did not survive the trip, which is the part that changes the room’s energy every time.
10. What’s the average body temperature of a healthy dog?
Almost everyone guesses 98.6 because they’re mapping human biology onto a dog. The brain just does it automatically.
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101 to 102.5°F (38.3 to 39.2°C). Most common wrong answer: 98.6°F, which is the average human body temperature.
Breeds That Trick You
11. The Rhodesian Ridgeback was originally bred to help hunt what animal?
The name alone makes people think of something small and scurrying. The truth is much bigger.
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Lions. They were bred in southern Africa to track and bay lions, keeping them at bay until hunters arrived.
12. What breed has a blue-black tongue?
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Chow Chow. The Shar-Pei also has this trait. If someone says both, give them the point and your respect.
13. What country does the Akita originate from?
14. Which breed is sometimes called the “Gray Ghost”?
If you’ve seen one in person, you understand the nickname. They move like something that shouldn’t be that fast.
15. A Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and what other breed?
16. What breed holds the record for being the tallest dog in the world?
People go back and forth between two breeds here. Both are reasonable guesses, but only one holds the record.
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Great Dane. The tallest dog ever recorded was a Great Dane named Zeus, who stood 44 inches at the shoulder. Most common wrong answer: Irish Wolfhound, which is typically the tallest on average but hasn’t held the individual record.
17. What breed was originally developed in Germany as a tax collector’s guard dog?
The origin story of this breed sounds like a heist movie pitch. A tax collector in 19th-century Germany needed protection on his rounds and literally engineered a dog for the job.
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Doberman Pinscher. Louis Dobermann was a tax collector and dog catcher who bred the dog for personal protection.
18. Which dog breed is the fastest?
Show Answer
Greyhound. They can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour.
19. The Shih Tzu’s name translates to what in Mandarin Chinese?
This gets a laugh every time because people expect something elegant. And it is, actually. Just not what they were bracing for.
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“Lion dog.” They were bred to resemble lions as depicted in traditional Chinese art.
20. What breed is the Bichon Frise most often confused with by non-dog people?
I don’t have an official source for this one. I just know what happens when you show someone a picture at a trivia night.
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Maltese (or Poodle, depending on the haircut). Both are small, white, and fluffy, which is apparently all the brain needs to merge them into one dog.
21. What breed of dog is known for the wrinkly, loose skin covering its body?
22. The Australian Shepherd actually originated in what country?
This is the question that makes breed-name logic fall apart in real time. You can see people’s faces change.
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The United States. The breed was developed on American ranches in the 19th century. The “Australian” part likely comes from their association with Basque shepherds who came to the U.S. via Australia.
23. Which breed has webbed feet, a water-resistant coat, and an otter-like tail, making it an exceptional swimmer?
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Labrador Retriever. They were originally bred to help fishermen haul nets and catch escaping fish in Newfoundland.
24. What is the only breed of dog that cannot bark?
I told you I’d come back to this one. It’s still the best opener I’ve ever used.
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Basenji. They make a unique yodel-like sound called a “baroo” instead.
25. What ancient breed, one of the oldest known, shares its name with a region of Afghanistan?
The Body, the Brain, and the Weird Biology
26. Approximately how many muscles does a dog have in each ear?
This is a pure guess-and-pray question. Nobody knows this off the top of their head. But it makes people appreciate what’s happening every time a dog tilts its head.
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18 muscles. This is why dogs can move their ears independently and with such precision.
27. What is the name for the moist, spongy area at the tip of a dog’s nose?
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The rhinarium (commonly called the “nose leather”). It’s kept moist to help absorb scent chemicals from the air.
28. Do dogs sweat? If so, where?
People know dogs pant to cool down. The sweating part trips them up.
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Yes, but only through their paw pads. Their primary cooling mechanism is panting, not sweating.
29. What is a dog’s dewclaw?
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A vestigial digit (essentially a thumb-like claw) found on the inner side of the paw, slightly above the other toes. Some breeds have them on the hind legs as well.
30. How long is the average gestation period for a dog?
People who’ve bred dogs nail this. Everyone else is doing math based on what they remember about cats or humans.
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Approximately 63 days (about 9 weeks).
31. A dog’s sense of smell is roughly how many times more powerful than a human’s?
The range is what gets people. They know it’s a lot. They don’t know it’s that much.
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10,000 to 100,000 times, depending on the breed and what’s being measured. Bloodhounds sit at the extreme end of that spectrum.
32. What is the purpose of a dog’s whiskers?
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They’re sensory organs (vibrissae) that detect vibrations and changes in air currents, helping dogs sense nearby objects and navigate in low light.
33. At what age are puppies typically fully weaned from their mother’s milk?
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Around 6 to 8 weeks.
34. What percentage of a dog’s brain is dedicated to analyzing smells?
Compare this to the roughly 5% in humans and the disparity starts to feel almost unfair.
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About 40%. The olfactory bulb in a dog’s brain is, proportionally, about 40 times larger than a human’s.
35. Dogs have a third eyelid. What is it called?
You’ve probably seen it if you’ve ever watched a dog sleep with their eyes slightly open. It’s the membrane that slides across. Slightly unsettling if you’re not expecting it.
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The nictitating membrane (or haw).
36. What common human food is toxic to dogs and can cause kidney failure?
Most people jump to chocolate. That’s toxic too, but the answer I’m looking for here is the one that surprises people at barbecues.
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Grapes (and raisins). The exact substance in grapes that causes toxicity in dogs hasn’t been definitively identified, which makes it even more unsettling. Most common wrong answer: chocolate, which is also toxic but wasn’t the target here.
37. A dog’s nose print is unique, similar to what feature in humans?
Show Answer
Fingerprints. Each dog’s nose print is unique and can be used for identification.
38. What is the name for a dog’s shoulder blade bone?
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The scapula. Same name as in humans.
39. Why do dogs curl up in a ball when they sleep?
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It’s an instinctive behavior to conserve body heat and protect vital organs. It dates back to their wild ancestors.
40. How many toes does a typical dog have in total?
People count four per paw and get 16. They forget the dewclaws.
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18. Five toes on each front paw (including the dewclaw) and four on each back paw. Some breeds have rear dewclaws too, giving them 20.
Famous Dogs and the Stories Behind Them
41. What was the name of the dog who waited at a Tokyo train station every day for nearly 10 years after his owner died?
If this question doesn’t make someone at the table visibly emotional, you’re at the wrong trivia night.
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Hachikō. He was an Akita who continued to wait for his owner, Professor Hidesaburō Ueno, at Shibuya Station from 1925 until Hachikō’s own death in 1935. A bronze statue stands at the station today.
42. What was the name of the dog in “The Wizard of Oz”?
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Toto. The dog who played Toto was a Cairn Terrier named Terry.
43. In the TV show “Frasier,” what breed of dog is Eddie?
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Jack Russell Terrier. The dog actor’s real name was Moose, and later his son Enzo took over the role.
44. What breed of dog was Rin Tin Tin?
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German Shepherd. He was rescued from a World War I battlefield by an American soldier and went on to appear in 27 Hollywood films.
45. What was the name of the dog in the Pixar movie “Up”?
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Dug. He’s a Golden Retriever with a special collar that translates his thoughts into speech. “I have just met you, and I love you” is the line that wrecks people.
46. In 1925, a relay of sled dog teams delivered diphtheria antitoxin to the isolated town of Nome, Alaska. What was the name of the lead dog on the final leg?
This one separates the people who watched the animated movie from the people who know the full history. The most famous dog from the run isn’t the one who covered the most ground.
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Balto. However, Togo, led by musher Leonhard Seppala, covered the longest and most dangerous stretch of the relay. Togo has gotten more recognition in recent years, partly thanks to a 2019 Disney+ film. Most common wrong answer: Togo, which is wrong for this specific question but right for the more interesting story.
47. What is the name of the Obamas’ family dog, who became one of the most famous White House pets in modern history?
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Bo (a Portuguese Water Dog). They later got a second dog named Sunny.
48. What breed is Lassie?
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Rough Collie. And despite Lassie being female in the show, the dog was almost always played by a male Collie, because males have a fuller coat.
49. What was the name of the dog in the movie “Turner & Hooch”?
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Hooch. He was a Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff). The breed saw a massive spike in popularity after the film.
50. Snoopy, from the comic strip “Peanuts,” is what breed of dog?
51. What famous dog was the first living creature to be cloned, in 2005?
Most people remember Dolly the sheep. The dog version of that story flew under the radar.
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Snuppy, an Afghan Hound cloned by South Korean scientists at Seoul National University.
52. What was the name of FDR’s beloved Scottish Terrier, who became the subject of a famous political speech?
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Fala. FDR’s “Fala speech” in 1944 was a masterclass in political humor. He defended the dog against Republican allegations that he’d sent a Navy destroyer to pick Fala up from an island, at taxpayer expense.
53. What breed of dog stars in the movie “Beethoven”?
History With Teeth
54. Approximately how many years ago were dogs first domesticated?
The number itself isn’t what matters here. It’s realizing that dogs have been with us longer than agriculture, longer than the wheel, longer than almost anything we think of as civilization.
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At least 15,000 years ago, with some estimates pushing as far back as 40,000 years. The exact date and location are still debated among researchers.
55. Dogs are descended from what wild animal?
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The gray wolf (Canis lupus). Not from modern wolves specifically, but from an ancient wolf population that no longer exists.
56. In ancient Egypt, what did families traditionally do when their pet dog died?
The answer to this one always lands differently depending on the room. Some people find it touching. Some find it extreme. Both reactions are correct.
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They shaved their eyebrows as a sign of mourning. Dogs were also sometimes mummified and buried alongside their owners.
57. Which U.S. president famously picked up his Beagles by their ears in front of the press, causing public outrage?
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Lyndon B. Johnson. The dogs were named Him and Her. Johnson said the dogs liked it. The public strongly disagreed.
58. The Saluki is often cited as one of the oldest dog breeds. What ancient civilization is it most associated with?
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Ancient Egypt (and the broader Fertile Crescent region). Saluki-like dogs appear in Egyptian tomb paintings dating back over 4,000 years.
59. What role did dogs play in World War I that earned them the nickname “mercy dogs”?
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They were trained to find wounded soldiers on the battlefield and carry medical supplies to them. If a soldier was beyond help, the dog would stay with him so he wouldn’t die alone.
60. What breed was historically used by monks at the Great St. Bernard Hospice in the Swiss Alps to rescue travelers?
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St. Bernard. The image of the St. Bernard with a barrel of brandy around its neck is a myth, though. That came from an 1820 painting by Edwin Landseer.
61. What civilization is believed to have developed the first dog collars?
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Ancient Mesopotamia (Sumerians). Some of the earliest known dog collars date back to around 3,000 BCE.
62. In what year was the American Kennel Club (AKC) founded?
63. What dog breed was developed in 19th-century England specifically for the purpose of catching rats in textile mills?
Show Answer
Yorkshire Terrier. They were working dogs long before they were lap dogs.
The Questions That Start Arguments
64. Is a hot dog named after the dachshund, or is the dachshund named after the hot dog?
I’ve watched this question derail a perfectly organized trivia night for ten minutes. People have opinions.
Show Answer
The hot dog is named after the dachshund. German immigrants in the U.S. called the sausages “dachshund sausages” because of their resemblance to the long, thin dog. The name “hot dog” followed.
65. Are dogs omnivores or carnivores?
This is the question that makes dog owners argue with veterinarians. And sometimes with each other.
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Omnivores. While descended from carnivorous wolves, domestic dogs have evolved to digest starches and thrive on a diet that includes both animal and plant matter. This doesn’t mean they’re vegetarian by preference, but biologically, they’re omnivores.
66. What percentage of U.S. households own at least one dog?
People always guess lower than reality. We are a nation that loves dogs more than we think we do.
Show Answer
Approximately 65% (as of recent APPA surveys). That’s roughly 86 million homes.
67. Which is more intelligent on average: a dog or a cat?
I’ve included this question specifically because there’s no clean answer and it reliably starts a fight. You can award points however you want. The chaos is the point.
Show Answer
It depends on what you mean by intelligence. Dogs have roughly twice as many cortical neurons as cats (about 530 million vs. 250 million), which is one measure of cognitive capacity. But cats outperform dogs in certain memory and problem-solving tasks. Award this one to dogs if you need a definitive answer, based on the neuron count research from Vanderbilt University (2017).
68. A “mutt” and a “mixed breed” are the same thing. True or false?
Show Answer
True. “Mutt” is an informal term for a mixed-breed dog. Some people consider it pejorative; others wear it as a badge of honor for their dogs. Both camps exist in every room.
69. What is the average lifespan of a dog?
The answer is a range, and the range is what makes people sad if they think about it too long.
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10 to 13 years on average, though this varies enormously by breed. Small breeds tend to live longer than large breeds.
70. Is the old rule “one dog year equals seven human years” accurate?
Show Answer
No. Dogs age much faster in their first two years. A more accurate formula from researchers at UC San Diego suggests a 1-year-old dog is roughly equivalent to a 30-year-old human. After that, aging slows down. The 7:1 ratio is a convenient myth.
Pop Culture Deep Cuts
71. In the animated TV series “Family Guy,” what is the name of the talking dog?
Show Answer
Brian Griffin.
72. What breed of dog is the star of the movie “Marley & Me”?
Show Answer
Labrador Retriever (Yellow Lab, specifically).
73. In the Harry Potter series, what is the name of Hagrid’s three-headed dog?
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Fluffy. Named with the same energy as calling a Great Dane “Tiny.”
74. What breed of dog is “Wishbone” from the PBS series of the same name?
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Jack Russell Terrier. The show ran from 1995 to 1997 and was responsible for an entire generation thinking Jack Russells were calm, bookish dogs. They are not.
75. What is the name of the animated dog in “Wallace & Gromit”?
76. In “101 Dalmatians,” what are the names of the parent Dalmatians?
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Pongo and Perdita.
77. What breed of dog is featured on the label of the Cesar brand of dog food?
Show Answer
West Highland White Terrier (Westie).
78. What animated movie features a pack of dogs communicating through collars that translate their thoughts, with the villain being a Doberman named Alpha?
Show Answer
“Up” (2009), by Pixar.
79. What breed is Clifford the Big Red Dog?
This question is weirdly divisive. The creator said one thing. The illustrations suggest another. Nobody’s fully satisfied.
Show Answer
According to creator Norman Bridwell, Clifford is a mix but most closely resembles a giant Vizsla. Many people assume he’s a Bloodhound or a generic Labrador type.
80. In “John Wick,” what breed of puppy does John receive as a gift from his late wife?
Show Answer
Beagle. The death of that puppy launched one of the most successful action franchises in recent memory. A Beagle.
Working Dogs and What They Actually Do
81. What breed is most commonly used as a guide dog for the blind?
Show Answer
Labrador Retriever. Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds are also commonly used, but Labs are the most prevalent.
82. What is a “cadaver dog” trained to detect?
Show Answer
Human remains. They can detect remains buried underground, submerged in water, or concealed in structures. Some can detect remains that are centuries old.
83. In what field of work are Belgian Malinois increasingly replacing German Shepherds?
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Military and police work (K-9 units). Malinois are lighter, faster, and often more driven, which has made them the preferred choice for elite units, including the U.S. Navy SEALs.
84. What does a “truffle dog” do?
Pigs used to have this job. Dogs took it from them, and the reason why is surprisingly practical.
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They’re trained to sniff out truffles underground. Dogs replaced pigs in this role because pigs tend to eat the truffles they find. Dogs don’t.
85. What breed is most commonly associated with herding sheep in the United Kingdom?
Show Answer
Border Collie.
86. What are “seizure alert dogs” trained to do?
Show Answer
They’re trained to detect and alert their owners to an oncoming epileptic seizure, sometimes minutes before it occurs. The mechanism by which they detect seizures isn’t fully understood, but it may involve subtle changes in scent or behavior.
87. What breed is traditionally used in water rescue operations, particularly off the coast of Italy?
Show Answer
Newfoundland. The Italian Coast Guard has used Newfoundlands for water rescue for decades. They can tow boats and carry lifelines to drowning swimmers.
88. What is the name of the military working dog who was part of the Navy SEAL raid that killed Osama bin Laden in 2011?
Show Answer
Cairo. He was a Belgian Malinois.
Numbers That Don’t Feel Right
89. How many recognized breeds does the American Kennel Club currently list?
People either guess way too low or way too high. The middle ground is where the answer lives, and almost nobody lands there.
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Over 200 (currently around 200, with new breeds added periodically). The FCI (Fédération Cynologique Internationale) recognizes over 360.
90. What is the record for the largest litter of puppies ever born?
Brace yourself.
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24 puppies, born to a Neapolitan Mastiff named Tia in 2004. All survived.
91. How fast can a Greyhound go from 0 to 45 mph?
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Within about 6 strides, or roughly 30 meters. Their acceleration rivals that of a cheetah over short distances.
92. What is the heaviest dog breed?
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English Mastiff. The heaviest dog ever recorded was an English Mastiff named Zorba, who weighed 343 pounds (156 kg). Most common wrong answer: St. Bernard, which is also extremely heavy but doesn’t hold the record.
93. How many times per minute does a dog’s heart beat on average?
Show Answer
60 to 140 beats per minute for most dogs, though small dogs can have resting heart rates up to 180 bpm. For comparison, the average human resting heart rate is 60 to 100 bpm.
94. What percentage of dogs sleep in their owner’s bed?
The real question is what percentage of owners admit it.
Show Answer
Approximately 45% of dogs in the U.S. sleep in their owner’s bed, according to the American Kennel Club. Other surveys put it higher.
95. What is the oldest verified age a dog has ever reached?
This record has been contested and updated in recent years, so make sure your answer is current.
Show Answer
Over 30 years. A Portuguese dog named Bobi was verified by Guinness World Records at 31 years old in 2023, though the record has faced scrutiny. Before Bobi, the record holder was Bluey, an Australian Cattle Dog who lived to 29 years and 5 months.
The Ones That Make You Go “Wait, Really?”
96. Three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic. True or false?
I love this question because people assume it’s a trick. It’s not.
Show Answer
True. Three small dogs survived: two Pomeranians and one Pekingese. They were small enough to be carried into lifeboats by their owners.
97. A Bloodhound’s sense of smell is so precise that its findings can be used as what in a U.S. court of law?
Show Answer
Evidence. Bloodhound tracking results have been admitted as evidence in court cases. They’re the only animal whose scent-tracking results are considered legally admissible.
98. What common household item was originally invented for dogs before humans adopted it?
This is a trick question in the best sense. The answer isn’t what anyone expects.
Show Answer
The treadmill. It was originally designed as a dog-powered machine to churn butter and perform other tasks. Humans later adapted the concept for exercise.
99. What breed of dog has a bite force strong enough to crush bones, measured at over 700 PSI?
Show Answer
Kangal (a Turkish livestock guardian dog). Their bite force has been measured at around 743 PSI, the highest of any domestic dog breed. Most common wrong answer: Pit Bull, which actually has a bite force of around 235 PSI, well below many other breeds.
100. In what country is it illegal to own only one guinea pig, partly because of laws influenced by animal companionship standards that also affect dog ownership?
This is barely a dog question. But it always leads to a conversation about how seriously some countries take animal welfare, and that conversation always comes back to dogs.
Show Answer
Switzerland. Swiss animal welfare laws require social animals to have companions. While this specific law targets guinea pigs, the broader Swiss framework around animal companionship also influences dog ownership standards.
Behavior and the Stuff Your Dog Is Trying to Tell You
101. When a dog wags its tail to the right (from the dog’s perspective), what does research suggest it indicates?
This is one of those findings that changes how you look at your dog forever.
Show Answer
Positive emotions (happiness, excitement). A leftward wag is associated with negative emotions (anxiety, fear). This is linked to the lateralization of the brain: the left brain (which controls the right side of the body) processes positive approach emotions.
102. Why do dogs kick their legs after going to the bathroom?
Show Answer
They’re spreading their scent. Dogs have glands in their paws, and the kicking motion distributes pheromones to mark their territory. It’s not about covering it up, as many people assume.
103. What does it typically mean when a dog yawns?
It’s not always what you think. And it’s almost never boredom.
Show Answer
Stress or anxiety, in many contexts. Dogs yawn as a calming signal. They can also yawn out of empathy or contagion (catching a yawn from a human), which is a sign of social bonding.
104. Why do dogs tilt their heads when you talk to them?
Show Answer
Research suggests it’s partly to better locate the source of a sound and partly to see past their muzzle for better visual input. A 2021 study also found that dogs who are particularly good at learning words tilt their heads more frequently, suggesting it may be linked to mental processing.
105. What is “zoomies” technically called?
The technical term is somehow even better than “zoomies.”
Show Answer
Frenetic Random Activity Periods (FRAPs). They’re sudden bursts of energy that are completely normal and usually harmless, if occasionally furniture-threatening.
106. Dogs can be trained to detect certain diseases in humans. What cancer can dogs reportedly detect by smelling a person’s breath?
Show Answer
Lung cancer (and several other cancers, including breast, bladder, and ovarian cancer). Studies have shown dogs can detect cancer with accuracy rates above 90% in some cases.
107. Why do dogs eat grass?
Show Answer
The exact reason isn’t definitively known. Leading theories include that it helps with digestion, provides fiber, or is simply a behavior inherited from wild ancestors who ate plant matter as part of their diet. The common belief that dogs eat grass to make themselves vomit isn’t well-supported by research, as most dogs who eat grass don’t vomit afterward.
108. Can dogs feel jealousy?
Show Answer
Yes, according to a 2014 study published in PLOS ONE. Dogs showed significantly more jealous behaviors (snapping, pushing, touching the owner) when their owners displayed affection toward a realistic-looking stuffed dog compared to other objects.
Around the World in 80 Breeds
109. What is the national dog of France?
People instinctively guess French Bulldog. The actual answer is the breed you see in every French dog show and almost never on the streets of Paris.
Show Answer
The Poodle (specifically, the Standard Poodle). Despite the “French Poodle” nickname, the breed likely originated in Germany, but France adopted it as their national breed. Most common wrong answer: French Bulldog.
110. What country banned the breeding and import of several “dangerous” dog breeds in 1991, including the Pit Bull Terrier?
Show Answer
The United Kingdom, under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
111. In what country would you find the Xoloitzcuintli, one of the oldest and rarest dog breeds?
The name alone is worth a point if someone can pronounce it. (It’s “show-low-eats-QUEENT-lee,” more or less.)
Show Answer
Mexico. The Xoloitzcuintli (or “Xolo”) is a hairless breed that dates back over 3,000 years to the Aztecs, who believed the dogs could guide souls through the underworld.
112. What is the most popular dog breed in the United Kingdom?
Show Answer
Labrador Retriever. It’s held the top spot in the UK for decades, even after losing it in the U.S.
113. The Basenji originated on what continent?
Show Answer
Africa. Specifically, the breed comes from the Congo Basin region of Central Africa.
114. What Japanese breed became globally famous after being featured in a meme format known as “Doge”?
Show Answer
Shiba Inu. The original “Doge” meme features a Shiba Inu named Kabosu. The meme later inspired the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.
115. Which South American country has a national breed named after a region in its northern territory?
The hint is in the name, but people rarely make the connection until it’s spelled out.
Show Answer
Mexico (Chihuahua, named after the state of Chihuahua). Though Mexico is technically in North America, the Chihuahua is the answer most consistent with this question’s phrasing. Accept it and move on, or argue about continental definitions. Both are valid trivia night activities.
The Gauntlet
116. What protein in chocolate is toxic to dogs?
Everyone knows chocolate is bad for dogs. Almost nobody can name the actual chemical.
Show Answer
Theobromine (not caffeine, though caffeine is also present and problematic). Dark chocolate and baking chocolate contain the highest concentrations.
117. What is the term for a dog that has one blue eye and one brown eye?
Show Answer
Heterochromia (specifically, complete heterochromia). It’s common in breeds like the Australian Shepherd and Siberian Husky.
118. The Norwegian Lundehund has a unique physical trait involving its toes. What is it?
This breed is so biologically weird that it feels like a made-up animal.
Show Answer
It has six toes on each foot (polydactyly). The extra toes helped the breed climb steep, slippery cliffs to hunt puffins in Norway. It can also bend its head backward until it touches its spine and close its ear canals at will.
119. What is the Coren Scale, and what breed tops it?
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Stanley Coren’s ranking of dog intelligence based on working/obedience intelligence, published in his 1994 book “The Intelligence of Dogs.” The Border Collie ranks first, followed by the Poodle and the German Shepherd.
120. What rare condition causes some dogs to produce green-tinted puppies at birth?
This sounds fake. It’s not. And the photos are incredible.
Show Answer
Contact with biliverdin, a green pigment found in bile, which can stain a puppy’s fur in the womb. The green color fades within a few weeks. It’s harmless and extremely rare.
121. What is “counter-surfing” in dog training terminology?
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When a dog jumps up and steals food from kitchen counters or tables. It’s a common behavioral issue, especially in taller breeds. The term is used so casually among trainers that it sounds like a sport, and honestly, for some dogs, it basically is.
122. What breed of dog has a ridge of hair running along its back in the opposite direction to the rest of its coat?
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Rhodesian Ridgeback (and the Thai Ridgeback). The ridge is formed by hair growing in the opposite direction, creating a visible strip along the spine.
123. What is the “flehmen response” that some dogs exhibit?
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A behavior where the dog curls back its upper lip to expose the vomeronasal organ (Jacobson’s organ), allowing it to better analyze certain scents, particularly pheromones. It’s more commonly associated with horses and cats, but dogs do it too.
124. A Border Collie named Chaser, studied by psychologist John Pilley, holds the record for the largest tested vocabulary of any non-human animal. How many words could she identify?
The number is absurd. People never guess high enough.
Show Answer
1,022 words. Chaser could identify and retrieve over 1,000 different objects by name. She could also categorize them and understand basic grammar. Pilley spent years training her, and the research was published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2011.
125. In 2015, scientists in Japan discovered that when dogs and their owners gaze into each other’s eyes, both species experience a spike in what hormone, the same one that bonds human mothers to their infants?
I save this one for last because it does something no other question on this list does. It makes the whole room quiet for a second. Not because it’s hard, but because the answer explains something people have felt their entire lives without having language for it. The bond between a person and their dog isn’t just a habit or a preference. It’s biochemistry. It’s the same mechanism that makes a parent fall in love with a newborn. Fifteen thousand years of shared evolution, and this is what it built: two completely different species, looking at each other, and both of their brains releasing the same chemical that says you are mine and I am yours.
Show Answer
Oxytocin. The study, published in the journal Science, found that mutual gazing between dogs and their owners triggered an oxytocin feedback loop in both species, identical to the one between human mothers and infants. Dogs are the only non-primate species known to trigger this response in humans.
Science and nature rounds have a reputation for being the quizmasters' revenge. I write mine from Amsterdam, Netherlands with the opposite goal: questions where genuine curiosity gets rewarded. 7 years of writing them has convinced me that's possible. My rounds have been used by Quiz Night King, and I take the same care with every set I write.
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