Dog Breeds
Throughout history and even in modern times the only animal which has been most preferred by mankind is the dog. Dogs have been kept as pets for a variety of reasons, and being a faithful companion tops the list. Dogs are also used for hunting, pulling sleds, for protecting property and life, for detecting various substances by their keen sense of smell and for many more jobs. They have proved to be of immense help for the blind and for people suffering from other types of handicaps. Dogs are also used in psychological therapies where their companionship has proved to have cured or prevented depression and other kinds of mental disorders. There are also many different sporting events for dogs and a lot of money is gambled on dog races.
Dogs have been around for centuries and if we look at the many ancient scriptures and artifacts, dogs have been prominently mentioned or drawn in almost all the ancient cultures from around the world. It is very difficult to determine the actual origin of the partnership between man and dog, but recent studies conducted on the DNA of the dog suggests that dog has evolved from the wolf into a different species about a hundred thousand years ago. Also, one of the oldest dog skull discovered in Belgium, shows signs of transition of the dog from the wolf.
As for ancient evidence of partnership of dog and man, it can be found in Germany on an ancient burial site. This site contains the grave of a human and dog buried together. The date of the burial can be approximated to be around fourteen thousand years ago. Also other burial sites in China and Sweden suggests that dog and man partnership started around the same time. However the process of domesticating a dog is presumed to have started much earlier as much as thirty thousand years ago.
Dogs have now become such an integrated part of human society that you can take them to church and have them blessed. Many people do this particularly on the day of St. Francis as he is considered the patron saint for animals. In many places of worship it is also not uncommon to find the priests conducting different religious rituals over dogs, including even a wedding ceremony.
There is an amazing variety of dogs in the world and they come in all sizes and shapes. It is quite stunning to see the diversity which is there in one species of animal. The different types of dogs are categorised for easy referencing and are divided into different breeds. As the name suggests the breed of a dog will tell of its ancestral lineage and there will be a set of distinguishing features which will set it apart from other breeds. Categorisation of a dog by its breed has now undergone many changes and a dog is classified by its ancestry, its subtype, by kennel clubs that specialise in certain breeds and so on. Also the categories among breeds of dogs include groups such as terriers, hounds and so on. These groups are divided by the dog type like working dog, toy dog and so on. A working dog can also be a companion dog and vice versa, and so the differentiation can be a bit blurred sometimes.
Breeds of dogs have constantly been evolving and there are many new breeds which have come up by cross breeding the ancient breeds of dogs. New lines of breeds also keep evolving as many of the modern breeds are also cross bred. Categorisation among the different breeds is based on groups. These groups divide the dogs based on the purpose for which they were bred originally. There are various authorities for this classification and one of them is AKC (American Kennel Club) which categorises the dog breeds into seven groups.
The first group among the dog breeds is the hound group and these dogs are known for their hunting skills. In this group there are different types of dogs which have different physical characteristics which make them good hunters. Some have an acute sense of smell that can track the prey over long distances, while some have a very good eyesight and agility of body to locate and catch the prey. These dogs have a good stamina and do not give up easily.
The dogs which come under the working group have a powerful and large build. They are mainly used for pulling sleds, in search and rescue missions and protecting life and property. These dogs are known for their intelligence coupled with their strength.
The smaller sized dogs with appealing appearances are categorised in the toy group, and are known to have distinct personalities. Although small in size they have a lot of energy and can be very good watch dogs who can raise an alarm whenever necessary.
The dogs in the terrier group are also small in size but very sturdy. They are known for their capabilities in tracking vermin and digging for them, when hunting. They look charming and are quite feisty and many prefer them as pet dogs.
The sporting group consists of dogs which have hunted with men since ancient times. They are proficient in driving the prey into nets and also track down and retrieve the prey which has been shot by the hunter. These dogs form a strong bond with their masters and are very affectionate.
Dogs have assisted men in herding animals and taken care of flocks of cattle and sheep while they have grazed. These dogs are categorised under the herding group as they have very good herding instincts and will protect their herds from predators.
There were certain dogs which were bred as working dogs and through time their work has become redundant and now have no particular role to play in any helping endeavours. These dogs also are not used in any sporting events and have been placed in the utility group. There is also a separate miscellaneous group, for dogs which have not yet received a full recognition to be placed in any of the other groups.
Throughout history and even in modern times the only animal which has been most preferred by mankind is the dog. Dogs have been kept as pets for a variety of reasons, and being a faithful companion tops the list. Dogs are also used for hunting, pulling sleds, for protecting property and life, for detecting various substances by their keen sense of smell and for many more jobs. They have proved to be of immense help for the blind and for people suffering from other types of handicaps. Dogs are also used in psychological therapies where their companionship has proved to have cured or prevented depression and other kinds of mental disorders. There are also many different sporting events for dogs and a lot of money is gambled on dog races.
Dogs have been around for centuries and if we look at the many ancient scriptures and artifacts, dogs have been prominently mentioned or drawn in almost all the ancient cultures from around the world. It is very difficult to determine the actual origin of the partnership between man and dog, but recent studies conducted on the DNA of the dog suggests that dog has evolved from the wolf into a different species about a hundred thousand years ago. Also, one of the oldest dog skull discovered in Belgium, shows signs of transition of the dog from the wolf.
As for ancient evidence of partnership of dog and man, it can be found in Germany on an ancient burial site. This site contains the grave of a human and dog buried together. The date of the burial can be approximated to be around fourteen thousand years ago. Also other burial sites in China and Sweden suggests that dog and man partnership started around the same time. However the process of domesticating a dog is presumed to have started much earlier as much as thirty thousand years ago.
Dogs have now become such an integrated part of human society that you can take them to church and have them blessed. Many people do this particularly on the day of St. Francis as he is considered the patron saint for animals. In many places of worship it is also not uncommon to find the priests conducting different religious rituals over dogs, including even a wedding ceremony.
There is an amazing variety of dogs in the world and they come in all sizes and shapes. It is quite stunning to see the diversity which is there in one species of animal. The different types of dogs are categorised for easy referencing and are divided into different breeds. As the name suggests the breed of a dog will tell of its ancestral lineage and there will be a set of distinguishing features which will set it apart from other breeds. Categorisation of a dog by its breed has now undergone many changes and a dog is classified by its ancestry, its subtype, by kennel clubs that specialise in certain breeds and so on. Also the categories among breeds of dogs include groups such as terriers, hounds and so on. These groups are divided by the dog type like working dog, toy dog and so on. A working dog can also be a companion dog and vice versa, and so the differentiation can be a bit blurred sometimes.
Breeds of dogs have constantly been evolving and there are many new breeds which have come up by cross breeding the ancient breeds of dogs. New lines of breeds also keep evolving as many of the modern breeds are also cross bred. Categorisation among the different breeds is based on groups. These groups divide the dogs based on the purpose for which they were bred originally. There are various authorities for this classification and one of them is AKC (American Kennel Club) which categorises the dog breeds into seven groups.
The first group among the dog breeds is the hound group and these dogs are known for their hunting skills. In this group there are different types of dogs which have different physical characteristics which make them good hunters. Some have an acute sense of smell that can track the prey over long distances, while some have a very good eyesight and agility of body to locate and catch the prey. These dogs have a good stamina and do not give up easily.
The dogs which come under the working group have a powerful and large build. They are mainly used for pulling sleds, in search and rescue missions and protecting life and property. These dogs are known for their intelligence coupled with their strength.
The smaller sized dogs with appealing appearances are categorised in the toy group, and are known to have distinct personalities. Although small in size they have a lot of energy and can be very good watch dogs who can raise an alarm whenever necessary.
The dogs in the terrier group are also small in size but very sturdy. They are known for their capabilities in tracking vermin and digging for them, when hunting. They look charming and are quite feisty and many prefer them as pet dogs.
The sporting group consists of dogs which have hunted with men since ancient times. They are proficient in driving the prey into nets and also track down and retrieve the prey which has been shot by the hunter. These dogs form a strong bond with their masters and are very affectionate.
Dogs have assisted men in herding animals and taken care of flocks of cattle and sheep while they have grazed. These dogs are categorised under the herding group as they have very good herding instincts and will protect their herds from predators.
There were certain dogs which were bred as working dogs and through time their work has become redundant and now have no particular role to play in any helping endeavours. These dogs also are not used in any sporting events and have been placed in the utility group. There is also a separate miscellaneous group, for dogs which have not yet received a full recognition to be placed in any of the other groups.
