Can You Answer These Questions Every Dog Owner Should Know?

By: Gavin Thagard
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Answer These Questions Every Dog Owner Should Know?
Image: R A Kearton / Moment / Getty IMages

About This Quiz

From preparing your home with the proper items to understanding diet and nutrition, there is a lot that goes into owning a dog. This makes owning one of these cute animals a much more laborious process than many people realize when they get the hankering to purchase a furry pet. Are you ready to be a dog owner? Find out with this quiz! 

On the surface, dogs seem like simple creatures. You feed them and take them to the restroom, then they are good to go. In reality, that is far from the case. Dog ownership takes a lot of time and patience, and before someone invests in a pet, they should know exactly what goes into caring for a dog. 

After all, when you get a dog, you are committing years of your life to live alongside an animal. That's a big responsibility and should be taken very seriously, so if you're thinking about being a dog owner, make sure you take the time to know exactly what you are getting into. 

Luckily, we've got this quiz to help you out. If you're thinking about getting a dog or just want to know what it takes, get started with this quiz and see just how prepared you are to give a dog a home! 

How often should you feed a puppy that's less than 12 weeks old?
Once a day
Twice a day
Three times a day
Four times a day
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many states have laws about how old puppies can be before they are adopted. For most states, such as Arizona and California, puppies have to be at least eight weeks old.

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Which of the following can cause dogs to form bad eating habits?
Treats
People food
Eating in the morning
Eating in the afternoon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You may think your dog loves those juicy, uncooked steaks sitting on your stove. However, in reality, those steaks could hold bacteria that may poison your dog.

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What should you purchase before bringing a dog home?
Training crate
Dog house
Dog door
Diapers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A dog crate should be large enough for the dog to stand up and turn around. If your dog is still a puppy, it's best to buy a crate that can house the dog when it's fully grown.

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Which of the following factors plays into how much exercise a dog should get?
Food intake
Amount of water they drink
Breed
Time of the year
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dogs should be trained in stages if you intend to take them running with you. As you start your exercise regiment, slowly increase the amount of time you spend running with them, and make sure you bring plenty of water.

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How often should you feed an adult dog?
Once a day
Twice a day
Three times a day
Four times a day
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dog food can be checked for feed-grade ingredients. Feed-grade ingredients aren't suitable for human consumption, and ideally, you should avoid giving them to your dog as well.

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Exercise will help keep dogs from doing what?
Peeing inside
Chewing furniture
Burying bones
Sleeping
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A stormy day shouldn't keep a pet owner from helping their dog get exercise. When weather conditions are poor, they can try running their dog up and down the stairs or hide treats around the house and encourage the dog to search for them.

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What can you mix dog food with to make it more appealing for your animal?
Broth
Sugar
Orange juice
Tomatoes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Broth can help a sick dog who is having trouble eating dry dog food. It not only makes the food soft and easy to digest, but it also tastes amazing and will be much more appealing.

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Which of the following is important for a dog that sheds?
Iron vitamin
Hair dye
Flea medicine
Brushing
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A dog's coat is important to the dog's overall health. The hair protects the dog's skin but also serves to control the dog's body temperature.

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Where's the best place to find a new dog?
Pet store
Someone's house
Shelter
The street
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Around 6.5 million animals are brought to the shelter each year. Of those animals, nearly 1.5 million are euthanized before they ever make it to a home.

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What's the average annual cost for owning a large dog?
$200
$800
$1,500
$2,200
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first year of owning a dog is the most expensive. Aside from dog food, much of the money goes into preparing your home for an animal and veterinarian​ costs.

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What do you do to female dogs to keep them from reproducing?
Spay
Neuter
Vasectomy
Birth control pills
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spaying your dog can help improve their overall health. The surgery not only reduces​ the dog's chances of catching a urine infection but also reduces their vulnerability to breast tumors.

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When should you get your dog spayed or neutered?
If they're aggressive
If they have a disease
If they sleep all the time
Always
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

One common problem with male dogs who aren't neutered is that they are constantly looking for a mate that's in heat. If the dog can smell a female, they will find creative ways to break away from your home to search the female dog out.

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A game of fetch can help relieve a dog's need to do what?
Pee
Poop
Chase
Bark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We all heard the stories of dogs who love to chase after the mailman. This behavior is ingrained into the biological makeup of a dog from their time in the wild, but as with most behavior, with proper training it can be harnessed and released in a more productive manner.

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What should you check your dog for daily during warm weather?
Pimples
Bad breath
Growth
Fleas
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dogs may bring fleas into your home, but once they're there, the fleas spread like wildfire. Fleas and their larvae live in rugs, carpet, beds and furniture, making them very difficult to remove.

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Ideally, a dog should be spayed or neutered by what age?
8 weeks​
6 months
2 years
5 years
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Female dogs who are spayed will no longer go into heat. Without the ability to go into heat, other male dogs will stay away, and the female will go into urination frenzies less often, which is common with a dog in heat.

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What do you need to check your dog for, especially if you live near the woods?
Moths
Beetles
Ants
Ticks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of other animals. They attach to another animal's skin and can remain there for nearly two weeks sucking blood.

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What disease can a dog get from a tick?
Otitis media
Mycosis
Lyme disease
Rabies
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lyme diseases can last up to five months after a dog is infected. The disease will cause a lack of energy in dogs as well as a fever and enlarged lymph nodes. The disease can be treated with antibiotics.

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You should bathe your dog a few times each what?
Year
Week
Month
Lifetime
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dogs should be bathed in lukewarm water rather than hot water. One of the main reasons is their skin, which is much more sensitive, but large dogs are also prone to overheating.

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Which of these human foods is toxic to dogs?
Cheese
Chocolate
Turkey
Cashews
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chocolate contains theobromine, a component that dogs have a hard time metabolizing. Theobromine can easily build up in a dog's body, causing tremors, seizures and eventually, a heart attack.

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When does a dog's hair get the thickest?
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A dog's hair is quite different than that of a human. One of the main differences is the hair follicle: Where humans grow one hair per follicle, dogs grow multiple hairs in a single follicle.

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Which of the following is a skin disease on dogs?
Neoplasm
Tremors
Mange
Syncope
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Animals can develop several different types of mange, all of which are harmful. A few of the common types are demodectic, sarcoptic and cheyletiella.

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What should you put on your dog's collar?
A treat
Identification tag
A weight
A bow
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dog collars can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians. In fact, Egypt was one of the first civilizations to create dog collars for decoration rather than for restraint.

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To keep dogs from reproducing, what do you do to males?
Vasectomy
Birth control pills
Neuter
Spay
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Many owners believe that neutering a dog will cause the dog to gain weight. In fact, it's actually overfeeding and a lack of exercise that is causing the problem.

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What causes mange to develop on a dog?
Poison ivy
Bacteria
Fungus
Mites
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The parasitic mites that cause mange live under the dog's skin and can be hard to identify. These mites breed and spread the longer they are ignored and cause very intense pain.

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How often should you brush your dog's teeth?
Once a year
Once a month
2-3 times a week
Everyday
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Puppies have two rows of 14 teeth, which they lose by around the time they are five months old. When dogs reach adulthood, they have 42 teeth with 20 on the top and 22 on the bottom.

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What color should a dog's gums be?
Black
Pink
White
Red
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Though dogs are less likely to develop cavities, they are not immune to​ gum disease. In fact, the most common dental problem for dogs is periodontal disease, which destroys gum tissue.

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Which of the following can help strengthen a dog's teeth?
Chew toy
Iron pill
Soft dog food
Clean water
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An adult dog has four categories of teeth: incisors, canines, molars and premolars. Most of those teeth are molars, which they have 10 of, and premolars, which they have 16 of.

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Which of the following is a sign that a dog has an ear infection?
Loss of balance
Swelling of the ear
Unusual eye movement
All of the above
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Depending on the breed, dogs have around 18 muscles in their ears. These muscles allow dogs to move their ears in various ways, which they use to express their mood. For example, raised ears mean​ the dog is alert.

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How do you groom your dog's nails?
Clip them
Walk the dog on concrete
Take the dog running
You don't
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An owner has to be careful when trimming a dog's nails because of how far out the quick extends. Accidental clipping a dog's quick can be painful, since they contain nerves and blood vessels.

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Dog crates take the place of what?
Burrows
Nests
Dens
Hives
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wild dogs are genetically designed to be den animals, which is where a training crate can be beneficial. If a dog is properly trained, they will treat the training crate as a home rather than as a prison.

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What's the maximum time that a puppy should stay in a crate?
1 hour
4 hours
8 hours
12 hours
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dogs should never feel pressured to have to use the restroom inside their crate. Using a crate as a restroom alters a dog's perception of a crate as a den.

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Do NOT use a crate for what?
When you step out of the house
A dog who urinates on the carpet
A place for the dog to sleep
Punishment
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Dogs should be comfortable and trust the safety of their crates. If a dog is skeptical about a crate at first, an owner can use treats or dog food to slowly integrate the dog with the crate.

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When a dog is outside for long periods of time, you should never do what?
Leave water
Tie them up
Provide a shaded area
Fence in your yard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Laws on tethering a dog vary from state to state. In some states, such as California, a dog cannot be tethered to any stationary object. Other states, like Connecticut, require owners to provide a certain amount of room for the dog to move around.

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Never leave your dog where?
In your house
In your yard
In your car
On an enclosed porch
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

During the summer, an enclosed car can heat up very quickly, often within minutes, leaving animals overheated and dehydrated. In states like Wisconsin, a person can legally break a car window if a dog is left unattended in a car.

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What do you have to do when taking your dog out to the park?
Let them roam free
Bathe them
Shave their fur
Scoop their poop
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The best way to dispose of dog poop is to flush it down the toilet without the bag. This method helps keep public spaces clean as dog feces contains harmful bacteria.

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