Interesting Canine Facts - The Origins of Dog Phrases & Expressions

• The expression "three dog night" originated with the Eskimos and means a very cold night - so cold that you have to bed down with three dogs to keep warm
• The phrase "raining cats and dogs" originated in 17th Century England when many dogs and cats drowned during heavy downpours of rain and when rivers burst their banks. Their bodies would be seen floating in the rain torrents that raced through the streets giving the appearance that it had literally rained "cats and dogs"
• The term "Dog Days" dates back to Roman times, when it was believed that Sirius, the Dog Star, added its heat to that of the sun from July 3 to August 11 and created exceptionally high temperatures. The Romans called the period "dies caniculares"  or "Days of the Dog."