@petfacts

The Saint Bernard gains its name from the "Great St. Bernard Hospice;" the monastery where Barry and other mountain dogs was raised by monks to rescue victims from the snowy Alps.

The dog was frequently depicted in Greek art, including Cerberus, the three-headed hound guarding the entrance to the underworld, and the hunting dogs which accompanied the virgin goddess of the chase, Diana.

A cat can jump 5 times as high as it is tall.

There are hundreds of breeds of dogs.

When dogs have been doing a lot of exercise, they pant. It is not because they are out of breath like a human would be. Dogs have developed the method of losing heat by panting because sweating would not be very efficient due to all the fur.

Cats only sweat through their paws and nowhere else on their body

Chihuahuas are born with soft spots in their skulls, just like human babies.

The most traveled cat is Hamlet, who escaped from his carrier while on a flight. He hid for seven weeks behind a panel on the airplane. By the time he was discovered, he had traveled nearly 373,000 miles (600,000 km).

In ancient China, people kept warm by putting dogs up their sleeves.

During the Middle Ages, Great Danes and Mastiffs were sometimes suited with armor and spiked collars to enter a battle or to defend supply caravans.

Dogs cannot distinguish between red and green as these colors would appear as shades of grey to a dog.

The wetness of a dog's nose is essential for determining what direction a smell is coming from.

Dogs have a third eyelid called a nictitating membrane, which helps to protect their eyes and keep them moist.

The phrase "raining cats and dogs" originated in 17th century England when it is believed that many cats and dogs drowned during heavy periods of rain.

A tomcat (male cat) can begin mating when he is between 7 and 10 months old.