I.

Introduction

Domestic Dog, carnivorous mammal, generally considered the first domesticated animal. The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) 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.

II.

Breeds

Like other members of the dog family, Canis familiaris exhibits great genetic variability; selective breeding by humans and the process of natural evolution have resulted in the development of the hundreds of breeds found throughout the world today.

A.

Breed Distinctions

The breeds differ sharply in appearance, function, and size. Weights vary from that of the smallest lap dogs (680 g/1y lb) to that of the huge working breeds (90 kg/200 lb); heights, usually measured at 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 the smallest toy dogs produce no more than two puppies, the larger breeds may have litters of more than ten.

Dog breeds are classified in groups; in Britain, the groups are the gundog group; hound group; pastoral group; terrier group; toy group; utility group; and working group. Such classifications, and the breeds recognized within them, vary slightly from country to country. The Kennel Club officially recognizes around 200 breeds classified in the 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.

B.

Recognizing Established Breeds

Standards of desired sizes, colours, and conformation for each breed are drawn up by committees elected by members of the various kennel clubs specializing in each breed. The standards represent an ideal dog and are used as guides for breeders and dog-show judges in evaluating the 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.

III.

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 lifestyle, 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 pedigree.

A.

The New Puppy

Reputable kennels inform prospective buyers if a puppy is healthy and has had its preliminary vaccinations, and 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 be made effectively.

Food, dishes, toys, a collar and lead, 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.

B.

Role of the Vet

A checkup by a vet within two or three days 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, in some countries, rabies, which affects the nervous system; infectious canine hepatitis, which attacks the liver; and the highly contagious intestinal disease caused by the parvo virus. Inoculations against leptospirosis, a bacterial infection, are also essential. At the initial visit the vet also checks 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 essential for dogs.

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 used for breeding.

C.

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 breed club, where members share their interest in and knowledge of dogs.

IV.

Showing and Judging Dogs

Pedigree dogs are eligible for competition at dog shows, which rate appearance, obedience trials, and field trials, which test hunting skills. Previously, quarantine laws prevented dogs from other parts of the world from competing in Great Britain, but the introduction of pet passports in Europe, and further afield, has eased the movement of dogs from country to country.

V.

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 artefacts and written records—verify the role of dogs in early cultures in all parts of the world.

VI.

Dogs in Art and Literature

Many painters and sculptors managed to capture and reproduce the beauty and spirit of dogs in their masterpieces. The English artists Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, 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.