Puppies and Dogs Quiz: Test Your IQ

The best time to acquire a puppy is at 8 to 12 weeks of age. At this age, a puppy should be well socialized, will have received the first series of immunizations, and should be weaned and eating solid food.

The "quick" refers to pink color that runs down the center of a dog's nails, which contains the nerves and blood vessels. If the nails are white, it's easy to see the quick. Keep in mind, when trimming a dog's nails, cutting into the quick causes pain, bleeding, and discomfort.

This is the general rule of thumb: A dog needs at least 1 ounce of water for each pound of body weight per day. (Example: A 20-pound dog should drink 20 ounces of water per day.)

According to a survey by the American Pet Products Association, nearly half of dogs sleep in their owners' beds.

Dogs' mouths are full of bacteria! Dogs can get these germs from eating spoiled food or grooming their genital and anal areas.

Roughly 5 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, with one in five dog bites resulting in injuries that require medical attention.

Skip the flea medicine? Not a chance. Fleas will quickly set up shop on untreated pets, and the little buggers can transfer to you. Fleas can also transmit serious diseases to people, including bubonic plague. Ask your vet about once-a-month flea medication, and put a monthly reminder on your calendar.

Among adults, males are more likely than females to be bitten by a dog.

Slices of apples, oranges, bananas, and watermelon make tasty treats for your dog. Be sure to remove any seeds first, though. Seeds, stems, and leaves can cause serious problems. These foods should not be fed to dogs: grapes, raisins, avocados, ice cream, milk products, yeast dough, alcohol, caffeine, macadamia nuts, bones, candy, gum, chocolate, fatty meats, peaches, plums (because of the pits) raw eggs, raw fish, raw meat, and Xylitol (a sweetener found in many sugar-free products).