Recently, I was scanning the bookstore for some interesting reads and I cam across this intriguing title... Why Do Dogs Drink Out of the Toilet? I have been wondering the same thing for years actually, so I picked up a copy. The book is a question and answer book, addressing "101 of the most perplexing questions" about dogs. The funny and informative answers are given by Marty Becker, DVM and Resident Vet on "Good Morning America", and Gina Spadafori. Here are just a few of the fun questions from the book and snippets of the answers.

Why do dogs drink out of the toilet? Is it safe to let them?

"Dogs consider the toilet an incredible, spring-fed porcelain fountain. From a dog's point of view, toilet water is better because it's fresher, cooler and hasn't been standing around in a little bowl for hours and hours. It's magically changed, refreshed, renewed with every push of the handle."

Why does my dog take so long to poop?

"In some dogs, delaying is a learned behavior. They've figured out that as soon as they're done, the outing is over - so they'll delay as long as possible. Give your dog a little extra walking time, perhaps with a fun game thrown in, and she won't feel do urgent to carefully schedule her poop."

How strong is a really strong dog?

"According to the Saint Bernard Club of Alaska, on August 11, 1974, the Saint Bernard Kashwitna set a world record pulling 6,000 pounds on wheels and won the title of World's Strongest Dog in the Guinness Book of World Records."

Can a grown dog recognize her mother or littermate if she meets them again?

"No one can say for sure, but many a longtime reputable breeder has noted that dogs not only seem to recognize others of their breed, but also seem to have some natural affinity for close relatives."

Is a dog's mouth really cleaner than a human's?

"We're sorry, but...yuk! You don't have to be an oral hygiene expert to know that any animal who eats cat poop, horse doo and garbage, who licks his own genitalia and is fascinated by rear ends of other dogs, isn't exactly going to have a clean mouth. It's hard to imagine how such an idea ever got started, especially when you consider that we humans routinely floss and brush our teeth, gargle, visit the dentist and worry about germs that cause bad breath."

Do dogs sweat?

"Compared to their owners, dogs have very few sweat glands. There are some in the paws pads, so dogs do sweat from their feet and from other relatively less furry regions of their bodies. But the primary way dogs cool off is by panting."

Can dogs get sunburned?

"The risk of overexposure to the sun can, indeed, be a problem for many dogs. not only can they get sunburned, they can also get skin cancer."

Are Border Collies really the smartest dogs?

"Want to pick a fight? Tell the owner of an Afghan Hound that her dog is dumb as a rock. And yet, that was the conclusion of Stanley Coren's bestselling book, The Intelligence of Dogs, which ranked most dog breeds based on how they performed on tests and various canine sports. At the top? The Border Collie, a dog considered so quick to learn and driven to perform that the brighter ones could probably do your taxes for you."

The book has many more questions (93 to be exact),from controversial to common knowledge. The answers will make you go "hmmmmm." Check it out! The author also wrote a similar book about cats called, Why Do Cats Always Land on Their Feet?