Great Danes are often called the tallest breed of dog, but this is simply not true. Although an individual Great Dane does hold the record for tallest dog in history this is a title given to an individual dog. As a breed Great Danes average height gives them second place in height, beaten only by the Irish Wolfhound. Regardless of this,
either of these dogs have me beat.

The rumor of locking jaws has jumped from breed to breed, usually surrounding what ever dog is considered the most dangerous at the time. Currently this speculation is associated with pit bull breeds but it was formerly a common myth about breeds like the Rottweiler and Bulldog. So once and for all let’s say this, there is no such thing as locking jaws. Yes some dogs have quite impressive jaw strength but none of them have the ability to lock it into place.

“Naturally aggressive breed” is a common misconception. Even dog fighters have confessed to the frustration of how friendly puppies are when they are born. Although I do not condone the fighting of dogs in the least, this goes to show that natural aggression in an entire breed is simply not true.

It’s commonly said that one dog year is equal to seven dog years. Well since a female dog goes into her first heat (in other words hits sexual maturity) at six months. By the original dog year formula the dog would be a little over three human years. Let me ask you, how many three year old human mothers do you know? A dog’s first two years is equivalent to a little over twelve years each.  Do the math and a two year old dog would be about twenty five! After that each human year is about four dog years.

Although the poodle is the national dog of France its country of origin is actually Germany. Sorry, but there is no “French Poodle”.

Pit bull Terriers are commonly said to have the strongest bite in the dog world. Although pit bulls rank in the top five they are not the strongest. The strongest bite strength belongs to the Doberman Pincher with a whopping 600 pounds per square inch! Ouch! That over doubles the strength of a pit bull’s bite.

A common complaint about dogs is that they bark over nothing but a dog’s hearing is so sensitive that they hear sounds they preserve as threats that you humans
can’t. So don’t scold us for worrying about a possible danger.

High tail wagging usually means a happy dog! But lower tail wagging can be a sign of nervousness and rapid tail wagging can even be a sigh of aggression. So watch out!

Negative reinforcement, such as hitting, the use of shock, prong, or choke collars, or punishments during training can negatively affect your dog. These techniques have been known to promote aggression, anxiety around other dogs and people, and are actually less effective in teaching your dog.

If you plan on buying a new small puppy please read this next misconception. Often you will see toy dogs being advertized as tea cup dogs (For example a tea cup Yorkie or maybe a tea cup poodle). The tea cup is not an actual size or breed. Usually backyard breeders will use this as a sales ploy to sell for sick puppies that are smaller than they should be for even hire prices.