GOING TO THE DOGS?

Dogs can do math, such as understanding ratios and making simple approximations, according to an English study. No kidding. Like: "You have about 10 treats, so give me about 10 treats." –courtesy of M. R.., Winooski, Vermont

Trapped in a running car that his owner had locked himself out of, a dog named Max seized the opportunity to put the vehicle in reverse and do doughnuts for an hour around a Port St. Lucie, Florida, cul-de-sac until it finally stopped. "They should give that dog a license," said a neighbor. "He drives better than some people I've seen on the roads here." –G. T., Jensen Beach, Florida, from the South Florida Sun-Sentinel 

A study in Frontiers in Zoology has shown that dogs prefer to poop in alignment with Earth's magnetic field, or when they're facing either north or south. (That's all we're saying about this.) –courtesy of W. Y., Grand Junction, Colorado

Predicting Weather With a Hole

Might be worth a try . . .

According to the late Prof. Elmar Reiter, esteemed atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University, you can predict rainfall patterns months in advance by using a hole. Just dig one 40 inches deep and take the ground's temperature. Nine times out of 10 . . .

• Warm winter soil means a wet spring.

• Cool summer soil means a dry fall.

• Warm fall soil means a wet winter.

• Cool fall soil means a dry winter.

–The Old Farmer's Almanac, 1986

Send your contribution for The 2022 Old Farmer's Almanac by January 22, 2021, to "A & P," The Old Farmer's Almanac, P.O. Box 520, Dublin, NH 03444, or email it to AlmanacEditors@yankeepub.com (subject: A & P).