Interesting Dog Facts

I am currently reading House Rules by Jodi Picoult and came across an interesting passage. The book is about a young boy with Asperger's (which I find very fascinating), so there are times when he will spew out random facts about various subjects. I thought these would be cool to share here, as they are all about dogs!

1. They evolved from a small mammal called miacis, a tree dweller that lived 40 million years ago.
2. They were first domesticated by Paleolithic cavemen.
3. No matter the breed, a dog has 321 bones and 42 permanent teeth.
4. Dalmatians are born white.
5. The reason they turn in a circle before lying down is because when they were wild animals, this helped mat the long grass into a bed.
6. Approximately one million dogs have been named the primary beneficiaries of their owners’ wills.
7. They sweat through the pads of their feet.
8. Scientists have found that dogs  can smell the presence of autism in kids.

I found number 5 especially fascinating! I always wondered why they did that!

Anyway, the book is really good if you're looking for a summer read! I'm not done yet, but I have enjoyed it so far. I like most of her books. Happy Summer!