Dogs Are Man's Best Friend
Wendy Yeager
Dogs are believed to be descendants of wild wolves. They were the
first wild animal to be tamed. Ancient man probably brought home
cub wolves to raise as pets. The pet wolves were also useful in
driving away bears and other wild animals. One of the oldest
known breed of dogs is the Salukis, which were bred by Egyptians
thousands of years ago as hunting dogs. Greyhounds and Dalmatians
are also among the oldest breeds documented.
Over the centuries, people have found many ways for dogs to be
useful. Dogs helped to pull loads, herd cattle and sheep, and
guard their master and the master’s property. The Ancient Greeks
developed tiny lap dogs, which were meant to be held in a lady’s
lap to help keep her stomach warm. Bulldogs with huge jaws and
short noses were developed so they could hang onto the throat of
a bull and still be able to breathe. In more recent years, dogs
have been trained as seeing eye dogs for the blind. Dogs have
also been recruited to work with law enforcement to detect drugs
and explosives.
Today many dogs, such as the Poodle or Chihuahua, no longer
resemble the wolf. Other dogs, such as the Siberian Husky and the
German Shepherd still show a strong resemblance to the wolf.
There are many different breeds in existence today, from the
short haired Beagle and Boston Terrier to the long haired Cockers
and Scotties. The Beagle may be better suited to live in the
city, while Setters or Collies may be more comfortable in the
country. The tallest dogs are Great Danes and the Irish
Wolfhound. They would probably be more comfortable in a place
where they had a lot of room to run and play.
In the United States, one out of three families owns one or more
dogs. Most dogs live anywhere from eight to fifteen years. When
dogs are one year old, they are as physically mature as a 15 year
old human. Dogs can see some color but not as vividly as humans,
thus they are considered color blind. Yet, dogs can see much
better in dim light than us. Dogs have us beat in the category of
smell, also. Their sense of smell is up to one million times
greater than humans!
Regardless of which kind of dog you choose- big, little, smooth
haired, shaggy, fast, slow, playful or dignified, dogs make
wonderful companions. Enjoy their companionship and remember they
need plenty of love, attention, and petting to be happy!
Published by: Wendy Yeager
http://www.wenmarcorp.com/dogs-go2
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