The dog is one of the most popular pets in the world. It ordinarily remains loyal to a considerate master, and because of this the dog has been called man's best friend. Class distinctions between people have no part in a dog's life. It can be faithful companion to either rich or poor.
Dogs have been domesticated for most of human history and have thus endeared themselves to many over the years. Stories have been told about brave dogs that served admirably in war or that risked their lives to save persons in danger. When Pompeii - the Roman comunity destroyed by Mount Vesuvius in AD 79 - was finaly excavated, searchers found evidence of a dog laying across a child, apparently trying to protect the youngster. Perhaps few of the millions of dogs in the world may be heroic, but they are still a source of genuine delight to their owners.
A dog fits easily into family life. It thrives on praise and affection. When a master tells a dog that it is good, the animal happily wags its tail. But when a master scolds a dog, it skulks away with a sheepish look and with its tail tucked between its legs.
People in the city as well as those in other areas can enjoy a dog. Medium-size or small dogs are best suited for the confines of the city. Large dogs need considerable exercise over a large area.
Dogs are not always well thought of, however. In recent years dogs in the city have been in the center of controversy. Some people have critisized dog owners for allowing their pets to soil sidewalks and lawns, although in some cities laws oblige owners to walk their dogs along street curbs. In turn, dog owners have argued that the animals serve as protection against vandals and burglars ans thus protect their detractors as well as their owners.
When a person decides to own a dog, he should be prepared to care for it properly. For a dog to stay healthy it must be correctly fed and adequately groomed, and its medical needs must be met. For a dog to be well-mannered it must be properly trained. It should never be ill-treated or misshandled. Otherwise, it will bite in its own defence.
The wild ancestors of all dogs were hunters. Wolves and other wild relatives of the dog still hunt in packs for their food. Dogs have retained the urge to be with the pack. This is why they do not like to be left alone for long. Some breeds of dogs still retain the hunting instinct.
Dogs exist in a wide range of sizes, colors, and temperaments. Some, such as the Doberman pinscher and the German shepherd, serve as alert and aggressive watchdogs. Others, such as the beagle and the cocker spaniel, are playful family pets, even though they were bred for hunting. Still others, such as the collie and the Welsh corgi, can herd farm or range animals. Each of the dogs just mentioned is a purebred. A mongrel dog, however - one with many breeds in its background - can just as easily fit into family life.
Dogs have been with humans since prehistoric times. Over the years they have performed various services. They have pulled sleds over snowy tracts. They have delivered messages, herded sheep and cattle, and even rescued persons trapped in the snow. Dogs have served as a source of food, too. The ancient Romans are said to have prized certain kinds of dog stew. The Aztecs of ancient Mexico raised tiny dogs, thought to be the forebears of the chihuahua, to feed the large carnivores in the private zoos of the Aztec rulers. In the past dogs have even been worshiped as gods. Recently, they have been used in drug research, medical experimentation, and space science. Soviet scientists launched dogs into space to test the ability of mammals to survive the rigors of space travel before people were sent up.
Dogs are trained as guard dogs in peacetime by the United States Army and other military services. Because of their keen sense of smell, dogs are by police at times to track down escaped prisoners. Law enforcement agencies also rely on the dog's acute sense of smell to uncover illegal drugs. And specially trained dogs serve as the "eyes" of the blind, guiding the steps of their sightless masters around obstacles and hazards.
THE BODY OF A DOG
Dogs grow to various sizes. The Irish wolfhound, for example stands about 32 inches high at the withers, or top of the shouldess. The chihuahua, however, stands about 5 inches.
The color of a dog's coat, or hair cover, also ranges widely, even within a breed. Some dogs are all black. Others are all white. Some have light markings on portions of their bodies and darker coloration elsewhere. Or, they may have a solid color other than black. All dogs have some hair cover, even the so-called hairless ones.
The shape of a dog is determined by 3 major structures. - the head, the body, and the legs - The size and form of these structures vary greatly as do, for example, coloration and hair characteristics.
THE HEAD
There are two basic head shapes - a narrow skull with a long face and a wide skull with a short face - plus several intermidiate head shapes. Long-faced dogs, such as the German shepherd and the cocker spaniel, may have jaws 8 inches long. By contrast, the nose of small-faced dogs, such as the Pekingese and the pug, may be less than 1 inch from the eyes.
Dogs have 42 teeth. 6 pairs of sharp incisor teeth are in front of the mouth, flanked by 2 pairs of large canine ("dog") teeth. The other teeth are premolars and molars. The incisors and the canines are very important because the dog bites and tears at its food with these teeth.
Air breathed in through the dog's nose passes on its way to the lungs throught the 2 nasal cavities behind the nose. These cavities are lined by a mucous membrane containing many nerve endings stimulated by odors. Smell is the dog's most acute sense. A dog continually sniffs the air, the ground, and nearby objects to learn what is happening around it. The indentation in the dog's forehead just above eye level is called the stop. The stop in some dogs is deeper than in others.
The fairly thin tongue is used mainly for guiding food to the throat, for licking the coat cleen, and for perspiration. When a dog is overheated, it cools off by haging its tongue out and panting. As it pants, the evaporation of perspiration from its tongue cools the animal. The dog also sweats through the pads on its paws and - slightly - through its skin.
A dog's ears either stick up or hang down. The earliest dogs probably had erect ears, but the ears bagan to droop in smaller, later breeds because of excessive ear skin. Dogs have a fine sense of hearing. They can hear sounds at frequencies too high for people to hear. This is why dogs can respond to "silent" whistles.
Each eye of a dog has three eyelids, the main upper and lower lids and a third lid hidden between them in the inner corner of the eye. The third eye lid can sweep across the transparent cornea of the eye and clean it like a windshield wiper.
The head and body of a dog are connected by its neck. The neck may be long or short, depending on the size of the seven bones that support it. The lenght of the vocal cords in the neck is a factor influencing the pitch and the loudness of a dog's voice - its barks, grunts, and howls.
THE BODY
The body of a dog contains most of its vital organs. The heart, lungs, stomach, and intestines are located there. So too are its sex organs, kidneys, and bladder. The 13 ribs of the dog's chest wrap around the heart and lungs. Since the organs influence the animal's speed and stamina, chest size can be an indication of these traits.
All dogs have 27 bones from the skull to the point where the tail begins. The number of tailbones, however, and therefore the length of the tail varies from breed to breed.
The body may be converted with straight or with wavy hair. Hair shafts emerge from tiny follicles in the skin. The shafts are connected to tiny muscles that cause the dog's hair to stand up, or bristle when they contract.
During times of stress, a dog raises its hackles - the hair along the neck and spine. Special sensory hairs called whiskers are near the nose, but their usefullness is doubtful because a dog rarely relies on the sense of touch.
THE LEGS
The front legs and back legs of a dog are also called the forelimbs and hind limbs. A dog uses its legs for movement, for scratching, and, in some breeds, for digging.
Each of the forelimbs is connected to the body by a long, narrow scapula, or shoulder blade. Its lower part, in turn, forms a shoulder joint with the humerus, the upper forelimb bone. The lower forelimb bones, the radius and the ulna, are fused at two points and act as a single bone.
The foot, or paw, has 5 toes. One of them - the dewclaw - is too high to be of any use. It is a vestigial part and is often surgically removed from puppies. The toes of the foot are composed of a number of bones. A toenail, or claw, emerges from the end of each toe and 2 larger pads farther up the paw. Dogs perspue through their pads.
Each of the 2 hind limbs is connected to the body at the pelvie bone. The upper portion of the femur, or tighbone, fits into a socket in the pelvic bone to form the hip joint. The tibia and the fibula are beneath. They make up the lower thigh. The joint where their upper portions link with the femur is called the stifle. The joint where their lower portions link with the foot bones of the hind limbs is called the hock. Like the forefeet, the hind feet have pads and 4 functional toes, although a dewclaw is sometimes present.
LIFE HISTORY OF A DOG
The normal life span of a small or medium-sized dog is about 15 years. A large dog lives only about 10 years, however. On the average, a 10 month-old is sexually mature. Smaller bitches go into their 1st heat (become responsive to their 1st mating) at an earlier age than larger ones.
Fetal puppies grow in their mother's womb before they are whelped, or born. Whelping is usually a painless task. After each of her litter is whelped, she licks the pup as dry as she can. The newborn, hungry puppies snuggle by the teats on the bitch's underside, where she nurses them.
The puppies draw nourishing milk from their mother until they are weaned, or given food more solid than milk to eat. The time of weaning depends on the size of the litter and the amount of milk in the bitch. Sometimes it occurs as early as 3 weeks. Puppies should not be weaned, however, any later than their 7th week.
The puppy's eyes, which are closed at birth, open when it is between 1 and 2 weeks old. It then begins to see. Its 1st teeth, the puppy or milk teeth, erupt through the gums during the 3rd to 6th week of its life. Puppy teeth are mostly incisors and canines. By the 3rd month, the first of the permanent teeth work through, and by the 7th month they all do. By the time it reaches its 1st birthday, a puppy is considered a dog.
Although sexually mature beforehand, a dog ordinarily does not attain full growth until its 1st birthday or even later. By this time, however, it is capable of a wide range of responses to its environment. When it meets another dog, its ear position indicates how interested it is in the newcomer. If its ears are erect, it is concentrating on the other. If its ears are pointing forward, it is on the alert. If the dog holds its tail high and wags it, the animal is happy and confident. If it droops its tail down and remains still, the dog is apprehensive. If it pulls its tail between its legs, the dog is afraid. If on meeting a person or another dog it pulls back its lips and growls, it is making a threat. If it bares its teeth without growling, the dog is ready to attack and bite. A male dog establishes a territory by marking the boundaries with urine, scent from the anal glands, or even feces. The dog will then defend that territory againsed intruders. Every 6 or 7 months a female dog goes into heat and will mate with nearly any available male within the 3-week length of her heat.
When a dog reaches old age, its eyes begin to weaken. Cataracts may also form in the lenses of its eyes. The hair on its muzzle turns gray. The old dog begins to feel numerous aches and pains and might become easily irritated and snap at members of the family. Its body systems are breaking down, and it can no longer behave as it did when younger.
BREEDS OF DOGS
Several hundred dog breeds exist. For a puppy to be a purebred dog, its sire and dam (father and mother) both must be of the same breed, as must its ancestors dating back to the establishment of the breed. Kennel clubs set their own standards. In the United States the American Kennel Club (AKC) determines the standards for breeds it recognizes.
The AKC recognizes 6 groups: sporting dogs, hounds, working dogs, terriers, toys, and non-sporting dogs. Sporting dogs hunt, locate (point), and retrieve game birds. Hounds hunt all game except birds. Working dogs can do such jobs as herding farm animals, pulling sleds and carts, and guarding life and property. Terriers were once bred to ferret out rodents but are now bred as house pets. Toys are tiny dogs mainly bred as pets. Non-sporting dogs are those purebreds not included in the other categories.
CHOOSING A DOG
An important thing to consider when buying a dog is whether it will fit comfortably into your quarters when it reaches adult size. The presence of young children in the family should also be a factor in selection. A dog for a growing family must be able to stand rough treatment. A toy dog would be a poor choice for such a family because its tiny bones are fragile enough to break when children handle it roughly. In general larger dogs, such as Labrador retrievers or German shepherds, are better adapted both physically and temperamentaly for a young family.
A dog can be acquired from a number of sources. It can be bought from a reputable pet shop or from a kennel. Newspaper advertisements describe pups for sale from private parties. Local humane societies have dogs available, too. From whatever source you get a dog, however, make certain it is healthy. Ask for proof, if possible, that it has received all the necessary immunizing shots.
It is also advisable to get a written reminder of whatever shots and other care the pup will need after you take it home. Even if a puppy has had shots against distemper and hepatitis, it will need booster shots. Later, it will need a rabies shot. A reputable pet shop or kennel ordinarily will have taken care of these details, but get a signed verification from a veterinarian anyway.
Males are usually larger, stronger, and more aggressive, and they make excellent watchdogs. On the other hand, females are usually more affectionate and gentle, and if they are purebred dogs and are mated with males of their breed, their pups can be sold for profit. The female has a strong maternal instinct and will guard children as well as she does her own pups. Dogs of either sex, however, can be neutered. Castration, the removal of the testes, makes a male dog infertile and more docile. Spaying, or removal of the ovaries, makes a female dog infertile.
Should one buy a purebred or a mongrel? This question is hard to answer because a purebred dog sometimes turns out to be less desirable than expected, while a mongrel often makes an alert, intelligent, and delightful family pet.
As a rule, a purebred pup inherits the traits of its breed. As a result, few surprises in body form and temperament arise when the pup reaches adulthood. If you want to buy a purebred but are unfamiliar with the breed, first look at a full-grown dog of the breed. The puppy will grow to resemble it. If you want to buy a mongrel, try to see its sire and dam. The sire and dam will display any unwanted trait that may lie hidden in the puppy.
Ideally, children and puppies should grow up together. Caution should be taken, however, when dog owners bring a newborn baby home. Pampered dogs sometimes resent the newcomer because the baby receives most of the parents' attention. They should make an effort to pay attention to the dog, too.
A puppy should be at least eight or nine weeks old before it is taken from its home kennel. By this time it will have been weaned and eating regular food. At first, the puppy must be fed four times a day. By the time it is mature, feedings should be down to twice a day or even once a day in the case of a dog that gets little exercise. Diet and feeding instructions should accompany the puppy. If it was eating a prepared dog food at the kennel, the same diet should be maintained until the puppy shows its dislike of it by "going off its feed," or refusing to eat. Several types of dog food may have to be tried before the dog settles on a favorite. If it refuses all the choices offered, however, consult the breeder or a veterinarian for help.
CARING FOR A DOG
Dog owners are responsible for feeding, housebreaking, and cleaning their pets. They should also oversee the health of their dogs. It's best to consult a veterinarian at the first sign of a dog ailment.
A dog can be fed either the dry meal, biscuit, semimoist and cellophane-wrapped, or canned type of dog food. Whichever type is selected must contain the carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals, and vitamins essential for the animal's well-being. As a rule, the cost of feeding a large dog can be kept low by giving it the inexpensive dry meal type.
A puppy should be housebroken as soon as possible. When the puppy takes its first water or food, note how long it takes for the puppy to urinate or defecate. When you discover the schedule, take the pup outside when the prescribed time has elapsed after feeding or drinking. Soon, the puppy will associate the outdoors with toilet function and will no longer soil the house or the newspapers that have been spread around its living area.
Young puppies should not be excessively groomed. A daily brushing with a soft brush is sufficient to remove surface
dust and dirt. Some authorities believe that to conserve its natural skin oils a pup should not be completely bathed until its first birthday. Mud and deep dirt in its coat, however, can be removed with a damp, warm washrag. Afterward, the puppy should be completely dried with a rough towel. A dog can then have a complete bath when it is old enough, but it must be kept in the house until thoroughly dry, especially during winter. Dog nails should be trimmed periodically. Cut only the transparent part of the nail past the foot pads. Close clipping can cut into the "quick"--the portion of nail that has nerves and blood vessels--and hurt the animal. Special clippers can be purchased for trimming dog nails.
CANINE PESTS AND DISEASES
The flea is the dog's most common pest. Washing the dog with special soap can remove fleas. Flea-preventive collars are also available to protect dogs with thin coats. Flea collars, however, should not be used on short-haired, single-coated dogs--such as greyhounds, whippets, and pointers--because of skin irritation.
The tick poses a greater danger to the dog. This pest attaches itself to the dog's skin and sucks its blood. It also carries certain canine and human diseases. An owner can remove ticks from his dog by first dabbing alcohol on the infested area and then picking the parasites off with tweezers, making sure that the entire tick is removed.
Worms and other intestinal parasites often infest puppies. A puppy's fecal stools should be checked periodically for them. If worms are detected, take a sample of the infested stool to a veterinarian so that the type of parasite can be determined and the proper treatment rendered. Commercial deworming medicines should be avoided unless prescribed by a veterinarian.
A dog is obviously sick when it becomes listless and eats without enthusiasm. Its bowel movements may be irregular. It might also have pale, whitish gums and tongue, dull eyes, and a dry coat. A sick dog often runs a fever. A dog's temperature is best taken with a rectal thermometer. Normal body temperature of a dog is 101.5 degres F. A dog's pulse can be taken by pressing your finger against the blood vessel in the V formed where the undersides of the hind legs attach to the body. Normal pulse rate of a dog is between 75 and 100 beats per minute.
A dog can be infected by several viruses, including those that cause distemper, canine hepatitis, and rabies. A spirochete-caused ailment called leptospirosis is also common among dogs. Puppies should be vaccinated against each of these diseases. If any of them should arise, however, the suffering dog must be taken to a veterinarian for treatment.
Distemper affects the mucous membranes of the dog's respiratory tract. The symptoms resemble those of human influenza. Distemper causes the dog's temperature to rise two to three degrees above normal. Canine hepatitis affects the dog's liver and abdominal organs. It is marked by a fever as high as 105 degres F, thirst, diarrhea, and vomiting. A dog with hepatitis may hump its back and try to rub its belly against the floor to relieve the pain.
Rabies is a disease that can pass to humans who have been bitten by infected dogs. Rabies is almost always fatal when the virus gets to the brain. Brain inflammation causes the erratic behavior that is sometimes seen in a rabid dog. Leptospirosis is sometimes confused with hepatitis. However, leptospirosis is characterized by discolored and abnormal-smelling urine. At the onset of the disease, the dog's body temperature might soar as high as 105 degres F.
TRAINING A DOG
Any young dog can be trained to understand commands and to do simple tricks. When correctly trained, it is conditioned to respond to your commands, noises, or gestures.
Once an owner decides to train his puppy, however, he must be willing to stick with the job until the puppy learns the task. First, the owner should select a simple "call" name for the animal. The call name should be used frequently so the puppy can learn to recognize the sound of it.
A training session is best begun when the puppy is hungry because it is more alert at that time. Also, the owner can reinforce the dog's correct responses to commands with a dog biscuit or meat tidbit. The hungry dog is more apt to associate the correct performance of a task with a food reward.
To get the puppy into a collar at first, entice it to you by extending your open hands, pet it and say "good dog" (and include its name) when it comes, and finally slip the collar around its neck. Then attach a leash to the collar. If the puppy has confidence in you, it will walk along with you even though it is wearing the leash. A metal chain leash is usually best because the puppy will not be able to chew and play with it.
Wait until a puppy is at least six months old before trying to teach it tricks, but do teach it the meaning of "no" at an earlier age. The young dog must be corrected vocally each time it does something that you disapprove of. If you are consistent, it soon learns by your tone of voice what pleases you and what displeases you. Formal training sessions should entail no more than ten minutes of work at a time, and they should never tire the dog.
To teach the command "sit," keep the dog on your left side and pull up on its leash with your right hand while gently but firmly pushing its hindquarters to the floor. While doing this, say the command "sit" with authority. Reinforce its correct actions with a tidbit.
To teach the command "stay," work with the puppy after it has learned to sit. While it is sitting, raise your palm to the dog and order it to "stay." It will probably try to get up, so tell it "no." Whenever it remains in the sitting position after you have given the "stay" command, reward the dog with a tidbit.
More effort might be needed to teach the command "come." When the dog has learned to stay, command it to "come" and call it by name. When it comes to you, lavish the dog with praise and give it a snack. A very stubborn dog might have to be pulled with a cord tied around its collar while the command is given. If this is necessary, be firm but accompany the command with a friendly hand gesture. Many tugs may be necessary until the reluctant dog learns the meaning of "come." Do not be impatient with a puppy when teaching it simple tricks, and never get angry. If the training sessions are not going well, break them off and resume them later in the day or even on another day. In addition, give praise and tidbits to the dog only when they are earned.
DOG SHOWS
When their dogs are effectively trained, owners of purebred, pedigreed dogs may enter them in shows sponsored by local kennel clubs, under the auspices of the American Kennel Club (AKC). Winners are awarded points based on how well they conform to breed standards. Five points is the top mark a dog can win in any single show. To gain the coveted title "Champion," a dog must have accumulated 15 points in a series of shows, with at least two major wins (three points or more). Dog shows are usually called bench shows because the dogs wait in raised stalls or benches before being judged in the show ring. Obedience trials may be held separately or as part of a larger show. These trials test how well dogs can perform various tasks. The top mark in obedience trials is 200 points. Field trials judge the hunting abilities of sporting dogs and hounds in realistic outdoor settings. Such skills as tracking, pointing, flushing, and retrieving are tested in these trials.
EVOLUTION OF THE DOG
The dog traces its ancestry back to a five-toed, weasellike animal called Miacis, which lived in the Eocene epoch about 40 million years ago. This animal was the forebear of the cat, raccoon, bear, hyena, and civet, as well as of the wolf, fox, jackal, and dog. Miacis, undoubtedly a tree climber, probably also lived in a den. Like all den dwellers, it no doubt left its quarters for toilet functions so that the den would remain clean. The ease of housebreaking a modern dog probably harks back to this instinct. Next in evolutionary line from Miacis was an Oligocene animal called Cynodictis, which somewhat resembled the modern dog. Cynodictis lived about 20 million years ago. Its fifth toe, which would eventually become the dewclaw, showed signs of shortening. Cynodictis had 42 teeth and probably the anal glands that a dog still has. Cynodictis was also developing feet and toes suited for running. The modern civet--a "living fossil"--resembles that ancient animal (see Civet). After a few more intermediate stages the evolution of the dog moved on to the extremely doglike animal called Tomarctus, which lived about 10 million years ago during the late Miocene epoch. Tomarctus probably developed the strong social instincts that still prevail in the dog and most of its close relatives, excluding the fox. The Canidae, the family that includes the true dog and its close relatives, stemmed directly from Tomarctus. Members of the genus Canis--which includes the dog, wolf, and jackal--developed into their present form about a million years ago during the Pleistocene epoch.
THE PARTNERSHIP OF DOG AND HUMAN
Authorities agree that the dog was the first of man's domesticated animals. How and when this domestication took place, however, remains unknown. A 50,000-year-old cave painting in Europe seems to show a doglike animal hunting with men. But most experts believe the dog was domesticated only within the last 15,000 years. Moreover, fossil remains that would substantiate the presence of dogs with humans have not yet been unearthed for periods earlier than about 10,000 BC. One theory holds that humans took wolf pups back to their camp or cave, reared them, allowed the tame wolves to hunt with them, and later accepted pups of the tame wolves into the family circle. Another theory suggests that dogs were attracted to food scraps dumped as waste near human living sites. As they scavenged and kept the site clean, the dogs rendered a service to the humans. In turn, the humans would accept the presence of the scavengers and would not drive them away. Still other theories maintain that the dog was domesticated to pull sleds and other conveyances bearing the heavy game killed by humans, to provide a ready source of food, or to act as a sacrificial animal for magical or religious purposes.
Studies of primitive human societies still in existence tend to substantiate some of these theories. Whatever the ultimate reason for the domestication of the dog, however, the final submission must have been the consequence of thousands of years of caution and "deliberation" by the dog before it would cast its lot with humans. Also, the dog, itself a hunter, had to suppress its desire to kill the other animals domesticated by humans. Instead, it had to learn to protect them.
Some feral dogs live today; that is, they have returned to the wild state. The dingo of Australia, for example, spends only a portion of its time with humans. When the mating urge seizes it, the dog runs off to the wild. Another, the dhole of India, is reputed to be a fierce, untamable dog.
The partnership between dog and master has long been shown in paintings and other art forms and in writings. Prehistoric paintings done about 15,000 years ago on the walls of Spanish caves show doglike animals accompanying humans on a hunt. Dogs are amply illustrated in the sculptures and pottery of ancient Assyria, Egypt, and Greece. The ancient Egyptians worshiped Anubis as the god of death. Anubis was portrayed with the head of a jackal or a dog. The Egyptians were great lovers of dogs and were responsible for developing many breeds by crossing dogs with jackals, wolves, and foxes.
Homer, the Greek author of the 'Odyssey' in the 9th century BC, is believed to be one of the first to write about dogs. They were mentioned often in his classic epic. The ancient Greeks believed that the gates of the underworld were guarded by a savage three-headed dog named Cerberus. The belief might have been derived from the widespread practice in Greece of using watchdogs. The ancient Romans relied on watchdogs, too. So many dogs were kept in the larger Roman cities that any house with a watchdog was required to have a sign warning "Cave Canem" (Beware the Dog). The Romans also used dogs for military purposes, some as attack dogs and some as messengers.
During the 400 years of the Han Dynasty of China, which began in the 3rd century BC, dogs were portrayed in many pieces of pottery. These were effigy pieces that symbolized the burial of favored dogs with their masters. Toy dogs were also popular among the ancient Chinese: the little animals were used to provide warmth when carried in the wide sleeves of their gowns.
Many of the European hound breeds were developed in the Middle Ages, when coursing was popular with the nobility. In coursing, the prey is pursued until exhausted. Then it is killed. Coursing was eventually replaced by fox hunting, which was considered less cruel.
Throughout the years dogs have been bred for many reasons, such as for hunting, for herding, and for guarding. Breed histories and pedigrees, however, were not methodically compiled until the 19th century with the establishment of the first kennel clubs. The world's first dog show took place in Great Britain in 1859. The first all-breeds show in the United States was held in Detroit, Mich., in 1875, although Chicago, Ill. was the site a year earlier of a show exclusively for sporting dogs. In 1884 the AKC was organized in New York City. Today's breeds are a standardization of the desirable traits of the older breeds, especially those characteristics that have proved useful over the centuries. Dog breeders try to perpetuate those traits while maintaining a friendly disposition in a dog, a trait so important for a family pet.
People have been amply repaid for this long partnership and rapport with the dog. Care and love have been exchanged for loyalty, companionship, and fun.
SOME NOTEWORTHY DOGS IN HISTORY