Most people know something about dogs, and if you have found your way to the PlexiDor page you probably know a lot about them. Besides being good company, they make excellent conversation starters. Here are five fun trivia-facts about dogs you might not know.

5. New Zealand town has buildings shaped as sheep and dogs

Tirau is a small town on New Zealand’s north island. The town was traditionally a farming community, but has started to make money as a tourist attraction. They have a tradition of using old, discarded, corrugated iron to create art, and they have a craft store shaped as a sheep along with an information center shaped like a dog.

Sheep and dog building, image from strange buildings.

4. Who cleans up after a seeing eye dog?

These dogs are highly trained professionals. They guide their handler through complex environments, traffic, and more. They only do their business on command, and the males are taught not to lift their leg when peeing. This makes it possible for a handler to pet the dog once it’s doing its stuff and figure out what’s going on. If the dog’s back is rounded, cleanup will be required.

3. Seeing eye dog was first dog to become a “Million Miler”

Speaking of seeing eye dogs, service dogs are allowed everywhere open to the public. That includes planes. Nesbit was a seeing eye dog who earned over one million Delta airline miles in his life. He even had his own frequent flier card.

2. Stray dogs in Afghanistan saved 50 soldiers

The troops made friends with a few stray dogs, and when a suicide bomber tried to enter the soldiers’ quarters to kill the 50 men inside, the dogs attacked. One of the dogs was killed in the incident, but the others were celebrated as heroes. It turned out to be pretty expensive and difficult to bring the dogs to the US, so a Facebook group raised $21,000 to fly the dogs to America.

1. The average dog knows math

Most dog owners think their pooches are smart, but few people know exactly how smart. One Border Collie understands a vocabulary of over 1,000 words, and has shown a grasp of grammar. The average dog can understand up to 250 words and gestures, can count at least up to five, and perform simple mathematical calculations.

Bonus trivia:

While pet “holes” have existed almost as long as cats and dogs have accompanied humans, Sir Isaac Newton is credited with inventing the modern pet door.