Saturday, April 28, 2012

How Dogs Became Man's Best Friend

By Jennifer Bowers


Most specialists believe dogs descended from wild wolves. These wolves were the first domesticated animals. Early man started this by bringing home wolf cubs and raising them as pets. With the threat of larger wild animals, pet wolves also served to protect early humans. Ancient Egyptians, in specific, bred hunting dogs that would eventually be known as Salukis. Documentation shows evidence of other popular breeds in these early days, like Dalmatians and Greyhounds.

The passing of time has seen the dog become a very functional animal. Dogs have been used to move heavy things, for herding sheep and cows, and more importantly, to protect their masters from danger. There have even been oddball uses of dogs, like the miniature "lap dogs" of the Ancient Greeks. Non-conventional bulldogs were developed in the past, possessing slightly different facial characteristics that would allow them to grasp a bull's throat successfully. The sight-challenged have benefited as of late from specially trained seeing eye dogs. Most police forces have dogs specially trained to find drugs and/or other dangerous substances, like explosives.

There are very few dogs these days that still resemble the wolf in appearance. Older breeds, like German Shepherds and Husky dogs, still have some wolf-like features that make them look similar to their predecessors. In fact, there are so many different breeds of dog, ranging from short-haired breeds like the Beagle and Boston Terrier to longer-haired Scottish Terriers. Most prefer rustic-looking and active dogs like Collies for country living, while Beagles and Poodles make great city dogs. Standing around three feet tall, Great Danes and Irish Wolfhounds are the tallest dogs. These dogs are best suited for an environment with a lot of outside space for their active personalities.

In America, figures show that one out of three families are dog owners. A dog's lifespan is usually between eight and fifteen years. A dog exactly one year old is comparable to a human aged fifteen. Dogs are considered color blind, despite the fact they can detect some colors. But in a dimly lit area, a dog can see much better than a human. Dogs make good help to law enforcement because they have strong smelling capacities. Dogs can smell objects really well - up to a million times better than we do.

A dog, most of all, is considered man's best friend from the animal kingdom due to its loyalty and companionship, just as it was ages ago. Treat your dog properly and give it the right amount of care, attention and love that it needs.




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