The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a type of canine, a
mammal in the order Carnivora. The term includes both wild (feral) and domestic
variants, but commonly excludes other canids such as wolves.
Over time, the dog has developed into hundreds of breeds with a great degree of
variation. For example, heights at the withers range from just a few inches
(such as the Chihuahua) to roughly three feet (such as the Irish Wolfhound);
colors vary from white through grays (usually called blue) to black, and browns
from light (tan) to dark ("red" or "chocolate") in a tremendous variation of
patterns; and coats can be anything from very short to several centimeters long,
from coarse hair to something akin to wool, straight or curly, or smooth.
Dogs were domesticated from wolves as recently as 15,000 years ago,[1] or
perhaps as early as 100,000 years ago based upon recent genetic, fossil and DNA
evidence.[2] Other research suggests that dogs have only been domesticated for a
much shorter amount of time and were domesticated from populations of wild dogs,
which had previously diverged from wolves.[3][4]
New evidence suggests that dogs were first domesticated in East Asia, possibly
China,[5] and the first peoples to enter North America took dogs with them from
Asia. Genetic research has identified 14 ancient dog breeds, with the oldest
being the Chow Chow, Shar Pei, Akita Inu, Shiba Inu and Basenji. Because many of
the 14 breeds are associated with China and Japan, the theory that the dog
originated in Asia seems to be likely.[5]
As humans migrated around the planet a variety of dog forms migrated with them.
The agricultural revolution and subsequent urban revolution led to an increase
in the dog population and a demand for specialization. These circumstances would
provide the opportunity for selective breeding to create specialized working
dogs and pets.
Human relationships
Dogs, like humans, are highly social animals and this similarity in their
overall behavioral pattern accounts for their trainability, playfulness, and
ability to fit into human households and social situations. This similarity has
earned dogs a unique position in the realm of interspecies relationships.
The loyalty and devotion that dogs demonstrate as part of their natural
instincts as pack animals closely mimics the human idea of love and friendship,
leading many dog owners to view their pets as full-fledged family members.
Conversely, dogs seem to view their human companions as members of their pack,
and make few, if any, distinctions between their owners and fellow dogs. Dogs
fill a variety of roles in human society and are often trained as working dogs.
For dogs that do not have traditional jobs, a wide range of dog sports provide
the opportunity to exhibit their natural skills. In many countries, the most
common and perhaps most important role of dogs is as companions.
Dogs have lived with and worked with humans in so many roles that their loyalty
has earned them the unique sobriquet "man's best friend".[6] However, some
cultures consider dogs to be unclean. In some parts of the world, dogs are
raised as livestock to produce dog meat for human consumption. In many places,
consumption of dog meat is discouraged by social convention or cultural taboo.
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