How much do you know about dogs? Test your knowledge of canine facts with our fun quiz

By Kim Campbell Thornton

1. What's the largest litter of puppies ever born to a domestic dog?

a. 17

b. 24

c. 19

d. 12

2. A dog whose coat is any color or pattern plus white spotting is said to be what?

a. Irish spotted

b. Bicolor

c. Flashy

d. Tuxedo

3. True or false: Dogs with droopy ears have more ear infections than dogs with upright ears.

4. The term "sennenhunds" refers to which of the following group of dogs?

a. Saint Bernard, Rottweiler, Leonberger and mastiff

b. Alpine herdsman's dog, dachshund, kooikerhondje and hovawart

c. Appenzell mountain dog, Bernese mountain dog, Entlebucher and greater Swiss mountain dog

d. Swiss hound, small Swiss hound, Saint Bernard and Alpine mastiff

5. True or false? The Australian shepherd was developed in Australia.

6. The dog who guards the gates of the underworld is named what?

a. Argos

b. Anubis

c. Fang

d. Cerberus

7. Dogs were domesticated how long ago?

a. 33,000 years

b. 15,000 years

c. 12,500 years

d. All of the above

8. What term is used to refer to dogs with narrow heads and long muzzles?

a. Brachycephalic

b. Dolichocephalic

c. Mesaticephalic

d. Metatarsal

9. The sound that hounds on the trail make is called what?

a. Howling

b. Yodeling

c. Baying

d. Chortling

Answers:

1. b. A Neapolitan mastiff named Tia gave birth to a whopping 24 puppies in November 2004, setting a world record that has yet to be broken. Luckily for Tia, they were delivered by caesarean section.

2. a, b, c, d. If you chose any of these answers, you are correct. Bicolor dogs can have a little white or a lot, but the term Irish spotting typically applies to dogs with a specific symmetrical pattern of white markings, such as the Boston terrier's white muzzle band, white blaze between the eyes and over the head, white collar and white forechest. Some breeds have their own distinct terms for this pattern. For instance, English toy spaniels with a red and white coat are called blenheims.

3. Unproven. Anecdotally, veterinarians and pet owners see more ear infections in dogs with hanging ears, but no scientific study has proven it. Allergies are probably the main cause of canine ear problems, and they don't discriminate by ear type.

4. c. All four of these dogs are Swiss breeds. They were used for herding, pulling carts, driving cattle and guarding the farmstead. They all have a tricolor coat of black and white with rust-colored markings.

5. False. When 19th-century American ranchers imported Australian sheep, the flocks were tended by Basque shepherds and their blue herding dogs. Because of their association with the Australian sheep, the dogs became known as Australian shepherds, but they belong to a distinctly American breed.

6. b. Three-headed Cerberus guards the gates to Hades, ensuring that no one gets in -- or out -- who's not supposed to.

7. d. The current answer is "We don't know," but there are good theories for each of the possible answers. One genomic study of 58 modern wolves and dogs suggests that dogs originated in China approximately 33,000 years ago. Another theory is that dogs were domesticated between 12,500 and 15,000 years ago, not once, but twice, in Western Europe and in Asia, with the dogs eventually meeting and interbreeding.

8. b. The word dolichocephalic is used to describe dogs such as Salukis or collies. Brachycephalic dogs such as pugs or bulldogs have a broad head with a short muzzle. Beagles and similar breeds are mesaticephalic, meaning they have a medium-width head with a medium-length muzzle.

9. c. Baying. The deep, melodious sound is poetically described as mountain music.

Q&A

Leapin' into

lizard care

Q: What should I know about caring for my new leopard gecko? -- via Facebook

A: We love lizards, and leopard geckos (Eublepharis macularius, to give them their scientific name) are deservedly popular. Their name comes, of course, from their spotted skin, but another distinctive characteristic is moveable eyelids, a trait that distinguishes them from other geckos.

Leopard geckos come from desert regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, so they need a toasty habitat. A 10- to 20-gallon tank is an appropriate size for one to three geckos. Be sure only one of them is male, or they will fight. They are solitary creatures, so don't feel as if you have to provide yours with a buddy.

Establish a temperature range of 90 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit at one end of the tank, with a cooler area of 75 to 80 degrees at the other end. Good bedding for these ground-dwelling lizards includes newspaper, pea gravel, artificial turf or flat stones. Avoid sand with young geckos; it can cause impaction if they ingest it. A hide box lined with damp moss gives him a place to cool off and ensures that he can shed his skin easily.

Fresh water is important, too. Provide it in a shallow dish that's easy for your gecko to access, and change it daily. Check the bedding and replace it if it gets wet.

Geckos eat live insects, but not just any old bug. The best choices are crickets, waxworms or king mealworms. An adult leopard gecko doesn't need to eat every day; depending on his size, a meal of three to seven of these insects three times a week is adequate. Juveniles need five to 10 insects daily to fuel their growth. To ensure that he doesn't develop any nutritional deficiencies, dust your gecko's insects with a powdered vitamin and mineral supplement recommended by your veterinarian. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Feline stats: Cats

by the numbers

-- There are an estimated 74 million to 96 million owned cats in the United States. Approximately 30 to 37 percent of all U.S. households have a cat, according to the American Pet Products Association. A study by the American Humane Association found that 41 percent of cat owners got their cat from a friend, relative or neighbor. The people most likely to consider getting a cat are between 18 and 34 years old. Of potential cat owners, 56 percent said they would adopt their next cat from a shelter or rescue group.

-- Forget Uber or Lyft. Pet ambulance services are the next big thing in transportation. The services don't just transport animals to the hospital in an emergency. The specially trained staff -- maybe they should be called PETs, for Pet Emergency Technicians -- are certified in animal first aid and CPR, but they are also available to help people who don't drive themselves, whose animals are too large or difficult for the owner to handle or animals who need special care such as oxygen during transportation. The service may be covered by some pet insurance plans.

-- The mountains of western North Carolina are the birthplace of one of America's homegrown breeds: the Plott. He's unique among the coonhound breeds for his German heritage. The Plott's ancestors were five Hanoverian schweisshunden -- similar to a bloodhound -- who were brought to North Carolina in 1750 by German immigrant Johannes Georg Plott. The tenacious hunting dogs, who can work any terrain from swamps to mountains, have been the official state dog of North Carolina since 1989. Loyal and intelligent, Plotts love children and have a more protective personality than most hounds. They are highly active, enjoy digging and have a long, loud, drawn-out bark, so think twice before deciding a Plott is the right dog for you.

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

7 hikes to enjoy with your dog

By Kim Campbell Thornton

For most places in the country, tourist season is over. The crowds are gone, and the weather is cooler. Beach season has cooled off, and ski season hasn't heated up yet. That means only one thing: It's time to hit the hiking trails -- with your dog, natch. We've rounded up seven dog-friendly hiking trails across the country, from California to Maine. Let us know your favorites.

-- California. Pacific Crest Trail to Eagle Rock. Get a taste of the Pacific Crest Trail on this scenic and easy to moderate hike featuring wildflowers, the occasional coyote and, of course, the Eagle Rock formation. While there are trees and a stream at the beginning, the remainder of the trail is less sheltered, so it's best done late fall through spring. "It is awesome," says Dawn Celapino of Leash Your Fitness, who does all things outdoors with her dog, Jack. The trailhead is at Agua Caliente Creek bridge near the town of Warner Springs.

-- Washington. Spruce Railroad Trail at Olympic National Park is one of the few national park trails open to leashed dogs. The 8-mile round-trip hike, near Port Angeles, is on gently rolling terrain with views of Lake Crescent. Suitable for year-round hiking.

-- Colorado. Travois Trail in Jefferson County's Centennial Cone Open Space Park is a little more than 13 miles, but it's not necessary to do the full loop. A 90-minute out and back hike is what Roxanne Hawn likes to do with her border collies Clover and Tori. "It's a single-track trail most of the way with some good climbs, but they aren't too steep or too long," Hawn says. "You definitely want to keep your dog on leash because there is wildlife in the area." She's seen deer, elk, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, coyotes and bobcats. Parts of the trail are closed in fall for hunting season and from January through May for elk calving season.

-- Arkansas. Dorothy Guertin and her 10-year-old goldendoodle, Elvis, live in quirky Eureka Springs, Arkansas, in the ruggedly beautiful Ozark Mountains. When they go hiking, their favorite spot is 1,600-acre Lake Leatherwood City Park, an area that's on the National Register of Historic Places. "There are scenic limestone bluffs, a rock quarry, lake views and an abundance of wildlife," Guertin says. "There is nothing better on a beautiful day than a hike around the lake."

-- Georgia. Have you ever thought it would be cool to hike the Appalachian Trail, but know you'd never have the time? You don't have to do all of it, and you can bring your dog on most sections of the trail. In Georgia, check out 5.7-mile Appalachian Trail, Jarrard Trail and Slaughter Creek loop, which begins and ends at Lake Winfield Scott.

-- Maryland. For nearly 100 years, the C&O Canal through the Potomac River Valley was an important transportation route for coal and other goods. Now it's the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park, with a nearly 185-mile towpath from Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland. The gentle and mostly level trail is dog-friendly and offers stunning scenery and abundant wildlife. Try the 3.2-mile Gold Mine Loop that begins at the Great Falls Tavern Visitor Center. Dogs are not allowed on section A of Billy Goat Trail or on the overlook trail to Great Falls.

-- Maine. Acadia National Park encompasses 74 square miles of Mount Desert Island, and it's very likely the most dog-friendly national park. Dogs and their people have access to 100 miles of hiking trails and 45 miles of crushed-rock carriage roads. Schooner Head Path offers ocean, forest and mountain views at Schooner Head Overlook. The easy one-way trail runs 5.4 miles to Bar Harbor.

Q&A

How to stop dog

from chasing cat

Q: I have a 6-year-old Maltese. My grown daughter moved back home nearly two years ago, bringing her 1-year-old cat with her. All was well for a few months. Then the dog started chasing the cat and scaring her. Now the cat stays in her bedroom and cautiously sneaks out only when the dog isn't around. Nothing deters my dog from this bullying behavior. What can be done so the cat can enjoy her home and interact with us? -- via email

A: If only we could tell cats that if they would stand their ground and hiss, the average dog would turn tail and run. But since we don't have a good way to deliver that message, the best thing you can do is to reintroduce them.

Put up that baby gate again, and isolate the cat for a few days. Then let the cat explore the house while the dog is either outdoors, in a crate or restrained by a leash. When you bring them together, keep the dog on leash so you can prevent any lunges toward the cat. As long as they are both calm, give them lots of delicious treats -- something they don't get every day, like deli turkey or turkey hotdogs -- so they associate each other with good things.

Repeat this frequently, and don't give your dog the opportunity to chase. Keep a long line on him so you can grab it if he starts to go after the cat.

Consider working with a trainer on your dog's recall ("Come") so you can put a stop to any chases. Coming to you should be much more rewarding than chasing the cat.

Finally, be sure your cat has some escape routes, such as a tall cat tree or a piece of furniture where the dog can't go. -- Mikkel Becker and Kim Campbell Thornton

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

New stamps

celebrate pets

-- Signed, sealed, delivered? The Postal Service celebrates animal companions with a booklet of Forever stamps featuring photographs of 20 pets. It's enough to make animal lovers write a real letter or send a card to a friend. Each photograph represents an animal we love from these groups: puppies, betta fish, iguanas, hamsters, goldfish, parrots, guinea pigs, tortoises, rabbits, kittens, corn snakes, mice, hermit crabs, chinchillas, gerbils, dogs, parakeets, horses, cats and geckos. Eric Isselee took the photographs, and art director Derry Noyes designed the stamps.

-- Dog-loving Florida residents and tourists can see a new exhibit, "Dogs in Art," at the Henry B. Plant Museum in Tampa. It features paintings, sculptures, textiles, decorative arts and more from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The artwork showcases sporting and working dogs, dogs at play and dogs in homes. Breeds pictured include whippets, Maltese, Dalmatians, Pomeranians, terriers and toy spaniels -- one of them a portrait of Queen Victoria's dog, Dash. Other works of art are such items as dog-headed canes and figures of porcelain, ivory, bronze, stoneware and glass. The exhibit runs through Dec. 23.

-- Cleo the cat is recovering nicely after Ames, Iowa, firefighters pulled her nearly lifeless from a burning home and used a specialized pet oxygen mask to revive her. It took more than half an hour, but she finally began breathing on her own and was rushed to Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine for further treatment. The masks come in small, medium and large sizes, and the Ames Fire Department is fortunate to have nine of them, donated nearly a decade ago. In a statement on Facebook, firefighters posted, "The Ames Fire Department keeps special pet-revival masks on all apparatus because we know that pets are family too!" -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Living with an old dog is bittersweet

By Kim Campbell Thornton

In the last couple of years of my dog Bella's life, I usually found myself outdoors with her in the wee hours of the morning. The medications she took for her heart condition caused her to have to urinate frequently, and since I am a light sleeper, it fell to me to take her out for her late-night perambulations.

It was peaceful. I'd look at stars I didn't usually see or listen to the geese honking in the distance. One night we saw a large, white possum walking on top of the wall that separates our condo complex from the shopping center next door. In fall, we'd listen to the Santa Ana winds blow. We saw the moon in all her phases. Crickets chirped. In Oklahoma, visiting my parents, we heard owls hooting in the tree above us.

There's a twilight time in a pet's life. They're not quite ready to go yet, and we're definitely not ready for them to go. Their treacherous bodies have betrayed them, and they need more help getting around. Maybe they can't make it up and down the stairs anymore and must be carried. We did that with our greyhound, Savanna, after she lost a leg to bone cancer. Or, like Bella, they might need access to the outdoors at odd hours. Not every infirm animal has access to a pet door and a yard or is able to use them on her own. At times, Bella would lose her appetite and need to be hand-fed for a few days.

Currently, my dogs are middle-aged, or not yet at the stage where they need midnight ministrations. But I have friends who are at this point with their senior dogs.

It's hard. I remember. Never getting a full night's sleep. Always keeping one ear open for the sounds that signal she's getting up and needs to go out. You groan, but you don't hesitate to jump out of bed, throw on a robe and carry her downstairs. Because the alternative is cleaning up a pool of pee in the dark so you don't wake your spouse.

I tried to get Bella to use pee pads, but that was a shocking concept to a lady who prided herself on her housetraining. What saved us were diapers. We didn't keep one on her all the time, but she wore one at night. Sometimes, not always, it allowed me to sleep the night through.

I say "sometimes," because if Bella had to potty in the middle of the night, she didn't always like doing it in the diaper. I would be awakened by her attempts to rip it off, so I would get up and take her out. But for the most part, wearing a diaper seemed to encourage her to "hold it" for longer periods.

Caring for an old or sick animal is stressful and time consuming. Feelings of love clash with exhaustion and frustration. You feel guilty about feeling frustrated or wishing you could sleep more, because you know that being able to sleep through the night could mean only one thing: Your pet is gone. And that's not what you want.

Those feelings are normal. They don't mean you don't love your pet or that you want her to die. They are a natural outgrowth of the stress of being a caregiver.

The good news is that our pets love us no matter what. They forgive us for the mistakes we make as we shepherd them through their final years or months. All we can do is our best -- and cherish the time we have remaining with them.

Q&A

Facts about

ferret care

Q: I just got a ferret! What should I be prepared for as far as potential health problems or injuries? I want to make sure I take good care of him. -- via email

A: Oh, man, ferrets are so much fun! You're going to have a wild time with yours. Ferrets are highly active and curious, and that can get them into trouble. They can also be prone to certain types of health problems. Here are some things to watch for, courtesy of my colleague and exotic pet expert, Byron de la Navarre, DVM.

-- Ferrets get caught in recliners and can suffocate or be crushed. Don't use one if your ferret is out and about.

-- Ferrets are heat intolerant. Never leave them in hot cars or other areas.

-- Ferrets can break or tear toenails. Clip off any part of the nail that's still hanging, and use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound. Styptic powder or cornstarch can help to stop bleeding. Take your ferret to the veterinarian if you notice swelling or discharge at the nail bed in the next two or three days.

-- Ferrets sniff a lot and inhale hair, lint and dirt in the process. They clear their throats with a reverse sneeze, which sounds like they are choking, gagging and sneezing all at once. They may also cough violently. If you notice an unusual increase in the frequency or intensity of coughing and sneezing, take your ferret to the veterinarian right away, especially if he also seems lethargic or isn't eating.

-- Ferrets are prone to several types of cancer. Regular veterinary exams can help to catch disease early.

The No. 1 rule of living with a ferret? Never leave him unattended. That's when he gets into trouble. If you aren't there, he should be safely confined in his cage. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

New cat book

offers hacks, help

-- A "catification hack" is an object that has been repurposed for a cat. Ramona D. Marek found a small corner table with three shelves, used sturdy hardware to attach it to a corner wall 18 to 24 inches above the floor, and then placed cushions on the shelves. Voila! A multilevel cat lounge with a view. That's just one of the many tips she shares in her new book, "Cats for the Genius." With the tagline "Create a positive relationship with your cat from the start!" it covers cats from A (acquisition) to V (vocalizations).

-- A popular Syrian emigre is the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), also known as the golden hamster, teddy bear hamster or fancy hamster. The desert rodents are the most commonly kept pet hamsters, thanks to their easily tamed nature and ease with handling. Their golden-brown fur fades to pale on the belly, and dark markings run from the jaw up the cheek to the ear. Syrian hamsters are 6 to 7 inches long and typically live two and a half to three years. The nocturnal animals prefer to live without other hamster companions and can be nippy if disturbed while napping.

-- Saint B, er, kitty? A Hungarian man who was hiking in the Swiss Alps said a cat appeared on the trail and led him to a village after he sprained an ankle and became lost. The route he had planned to take was closed, but a black-and-white cat showed up and encouraged him to follow her. "She was walking and kept looking at me to follow and led me straight to the path that would take me back down to the valley" he posted on Reddit. In true Swiss tradition, the cat belonged to a couple who ran a local hostel. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by "The Dr. Oz Show" veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. They are affiliated with Vetstreet.com and are the authors of many best-selling pet-care books. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.