 Domestic Dog DOG, DOMESTIC, carnivorous mammal, one of the 38 species of the dog family (q.v.). Canis familiaris, generally considered the first domesticated animal, has coexisted with human beings as a working partner and household pet in all eras and cultures since the days of the cave dwellers. It is generally believed that the direct ancestor of the domestic dog is the wolf, originally found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. Remains of a dog, estimated to be 10,500 years old, have been found in Idaho.
BREEDS Like other members of the dog family, C. familiaris exhibits great genetic variability; selective breeding by humans and the process of natural evolution have resulted in the development of more than 140 breeds of the species found throughout the world today.
Breed Distinctions. The breeds differ sharply in appearance, function, and size. Weights vary from that of the smallest companion dogs (680 g/1.5 lb) to that of the huge working breeds (90 kg/200 lb); heights, usually measured from the shoulder, range from 20 cm (8 in) to 94 cm (37 in). Litter sizes vary correspondingly. Gestation time in all breeds is nine weeks; although toy dogs generally produce no more than two puppies, the larger breeds may have litters of up to ten.
The breeds can be conveniently classified in groups; such classifications, and the breeds recognized within them, vary slightly from country to country. In the U.S., the American Kennel Club (q.v.), or AKC, officially recognizes 130 breeds classified in 7 groups, as shown in the accompanying table; from time to time, as certain unofficially recognized breeds become established, they are promoted from a miscellaneous class to official status.
Recognizing Established Breeds. Standards of desired sizes, colors, and conformation for each breed are drawn up by committees elected by members of the various kennel clubs specializing in each breed. In the U.S. these standards are then approved by the AKC. The standards, issued since 1929, represent an ideal dog and are used as guides for breeders and dog-show judges in evaluating the degree of quality of each dog. Standards may differ from country to country not all dogs are developed to serve the same purposes or are judged according to the same rules.
CARE AND TRAINING OF FAMILY PETS Proper food, a dry bed, sufficient exercise, and affectionate care are necessary to keep a dog a happy, healthy member of the family. To make certain it will please everyone and fit into the family's life-style, a dog should be selected only after a family conference has determined the desired size and possible function of the dog, and whether it is to be long-haired or short-haired, male or female, mixed breed or purebred.
The New Puppy. Reputable kennels will inform prospective buyers if a puppy is healthy and has had its preliminary shots, and will also guarantee pedigree. In general, puppies should be acquired at the age of between six and eight weeks after they have been weaned and have attained full psychological development so that a bond with human beings can effectively be made.
Food, dishes, toys, a collar and leash, and a bed should be purchased before the arrival of a new puppy. Owners should learn how to pick up a dog correctly: one hand under the front legs and the other supporting the hindquarters. Puppies require daily supplementary feedings up to the age of about 4 months. (Dogs reach full maturity at about 2 years of age and generally live to be 12 or 13 years old.)
All members of the family should share equally in feeding, walking, and playing with the new dog so that it will not become too attached to any one member of the household. All states require that dogs wear licenses; the fee required is minimal. A license attests that a dog has had rabies and distemper shots and states when they were administered, and it ensures identification if a dog is lost.
Role of the Veterinarian. A veterinary checkup within 24 hours of purchase is necessary to confirm a dog's health and to set up a schedule for vaccinations against the devastating viral diseases most common to canines: canine distemper and rabies, which affect the nervous system; infectious canine hepatitis, which attacks the liver; and the highly contagious intestinal disease caused by the parvo virus, first detected in the U.S. in 1978. Inoculations against leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, are also essential. At the initial visit the veterinarian will also check the dog for any anatomical defects that might interfere with proper development, usefulness, or future breeding and for internal and external parasites (worms, fleas, ticks, or lice). Annual checkups are as essential for dogs as they are for humans.
Dogs reach sexual maturity within their first year; thereafter the decision may be made whether females are to be spayed (removal of the ovaries) and males castrated (removal of the testes), or whether pets are to be bred.
Training Your Dog. There are few things a dog would rather do than please its owner. Obedience training ensures good manners, and when correctly taught using the reward system and never punishment dogs enjoy working on the obedience exercises. Many books and manuals describe proper basic training with step-by-step instructions. Dog-training classes, sponsored by local kennel clubs and various community organizations, are also available. The ideal source of instruction and information concerning all phases of responsible dog ownership is a kennel club, where members share their interest in and knowledge of dogs.
SHOWING AND JUDGING DOGS Purebred dogs are eligible for competition at dog shows, which rate appearance, and field trials, which test hunting skills. In the U.S. the AKC records pedigrees and litter registrations on each of the recognized breeds and records points earned toward championship titles based on wins in the conformation classes at dog shows throughout the country. Although quarantine laws prevent dogs from other parts of the world from competing in Great Britain, dogs may attain international and world championships elsewhere under the rules and regulations of the Fédération Cynologique Internationale, the ruling body for dogs and dog shows in many countries.
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND DOGS The first dogs that joined forces with the cave dwellers were used for their keen hunting instincts and abilities, as a means of procuring food and skins for clothing, and for protection against predators. Civilizations that subsequently developed in both the eastern and western hemispheres depended on dogs and their cunning in the struggle for survival. Asians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, and Romans used dogs as guards, companions, and hunters and in times of war. Archaeological discoveries cave drawings and wall paintings, ancient artifacts and written records verify the role of dogs in early cultures in all parts of the world. Native Americans, both in North and South America, had several distinct dog breeds of their own before the first Europeans arrived.
DOGS IN ART AND LITERATURE Many great painters and sculptors managed to capture and reproduce the beauty and spirit of dogs in their masterpieces. The English artists Thomas Gainsborough, William Hogarth, and Sir Edwin Landseer, perhaps the greatest of all animal painters, are notable among the masters who routinely included pets in their family portraits and working dogs in their outdoor hunting or pastoral scenes.
Legends and myths based on the versatility and heroism of dogs abound; the subject of dogs is one of the most popular in world literature from the classics to modern comic strips.  Site Index
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