Help Dogs
A dog has been man’s best friend for millennia. Now, are we dogs’ best friends?
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Dogs, our true and loyal friends, have been with us for 14 000 years.
The **domestic dog **(Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris) is a canine which has been man's favorite companion since about the end of the last Ice Age. i.e. for some 14 000 years. There are more than 900 million dogs worldwide (of which 200 million are strays) and their population is still growing. There are about 77 million dogs in the USA. About 3.3 million dogs enter American shelters each year *.
Gray Wolf – the closest relative of the dog. Source: Unsplash
The current domestic dog is a descendant of the now extinct Wolf. Today its closest relative is the Gray Wolf (Canis lupus). It differs from the dog at most by 0.2 % of the Mitochondrial DNA sequence. The existence of a domestic dog is confirmed with certainty from the findings of the oldest known grave of a dog which is 12 000 - 14 000 years old from Bonn-Oberkassel (Germany). Slightly at odds with the DNA study is the oldest skeleton found attributed to a dog, which is about 33 000 years old, coming from the Russian Altai Mountains.
For millennia, dogs have been selectively bred for their nature, abilities and physical characteristics. The dog performs for man the roles of hunter, guard dog, sheep herder, protector, assistant to the police and army, companion, therapist and helper to the disabled.
General Description The dog, like his wolf relative, has a slender muscular body with a massive chest, muscular neck and a head with an extended muzzle. The eyes are smaller, the ears are more noticeable – originally erect and pointed, in some breeds they can be tilted and drooping. The limbs are built for endurance in walking and running. The dog is digitigrade - it walks on flexible foot pads, which are horny hairless formations on the paws. Its claws are firm, blunt and inflexible. The dog has five toes on the fore limbs (the big toe (dewclaw) is stunted and does not touch the ground). There are usually only four toes on the hind limbs. The tail of the dog is usually medium-long and is seldom completely straight. It is usually saber-shaped, crescent-shaped or its end is curled upwards. The body of the dog is usually covered with fur of various lengths and structure.
A Wolf called Romeo, compared to a labrador’s size. Source: Imgur
From the original Wolf ancestor we can derive five original European types of dogs, from which 400 - 800 dog breeds have evolved to the present day. The reason for the inaccuracy in the number is the categorization of the official organization Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI) and other organizations that recognize other breeds. There are huge differences in size and weight among individual breeds. The smallest dog is the Chihuahua, weighing 3.3 - 6.6 lb. and 5.9 - 9 in in height. The largest dog is the Irish Wolfhound with a withers’ height of at least 31.1 in. However, the record is held by the Great Dane, Zeus, with a height at the withers of 44 in. In terms of weight, the record holders are the St. Bernard and English Mastiff, weighing more than 220 lb.
Dogs have a very developed sense of smell. Source: Pixabay
Canine Sense of Smell Smell is the most developed and most important sense of the dog. It is estimated that it can be up to 100 000 times more sensitive than a human's sense of smell and can sense odors as old as a few days. Dogs perceive and discover the surrounding world mainly by smell.
Dogs can tilt, rotate, lift or lower their ears. Source: Pixabay
Canine Sense of Hearing Dogs can pinpoint the direction of sound, thanks to movable ears. There are more than 18 muscles that help the dog's ears to tilt, rotate, lift or lower. The dog can identify the position of sound much faster than a human and hears it at a distance of about 4 times greater.
Dogs do not see well in the distance. Source: Pixabay
Canine Sense of Sight Dogs do not see well in the distance and do not even have the ability to quickly focus on nearby objects. Dogs are even color blind. But that doesn't mean they do not see any colors. They do not distinguish between orange, yellow and green and probably perceive them as shades of yellow, and they see red as brown-gray or black. They perceive blue, but do not distinguish it from purple. Compared to humans, dog eyesight is better in low light and, for example, Greyhounds have a larger field of view - up to 270 ° (compared to 180 ° in humans), so they will not miss any moving object.
Dogs have less developed taste than humans. Source: Pixabay
Canine Sense of Taste The taste of a dog is not as developed as in a human. This is because they have about 1 700 taste buds (man has about 9 000).The tongue also has a cooling function in dogs, because water evaporates on the tongue.
Dog hairs detect air currents, gentle vibrations and objects in the dark. Source: Pixabay
Canine Sense of Touch Like cats, dogs have tactile hairs known as vibrissae (whiskers). These are above the eyes, under the jaw and on the mouth. They can detect air currents, gentle vibrations and objects in the dark.
Magnetic Sensitivity Over the course of two years, researchers examined 70 dogs representing 37 breeds and found that, under calm magnetic field conditions, dogs preferred to excrete with the body aligned along the North-South axis and completely avoided the East-West direction. Some studies suggest that dogs can sense the magnetic field of the Earth.
Dogs in Marrakech, Maroc. Source: Unsplash
Dog Categories Many people confuse the names when it comes to dogs with or without an owner. Let’s create some order in the terminology:
Owned Dogs This is a family dog that has an owner who can be identified and traced. They are socialized and do not stray.
Free-ranging Owned Dogs These are usually village dogs. They also have an owner, but most of the time they are outdoors. These include farm dogs or herding dogs.
Free-ranging Unowned Dogs Or stray dogs - these are dogs that are not socialized and, if they can, they avoid people. They live close to people in urban areas and feed on leftovers or in community feeding places.
Feral Dogs The term "feral" is best understood in dogs that have been domesticated, but have returned to the wild. They have never had a close social relationship with a person, not even at the beginning of life. These dogs avoid humans and do not even look for the food people provide.
"Wild" Dogs A truly Wild Dog is one that has never undergone domestication and has always been independent of humans. Some experts classify the Australian Dingo as a Wild Dog.
Every year, 1.6 million dogs get to shelters. 20 % are euthanized.
**Almost 25 % of dogs that reach shelters are purebred. **Stray dogs, or street dogs, are a product of a society that did not take care of its pets and left them to their fate on the street when they could no longer take care of them, or simply did not want them. These dog populations create specific problems that reduce the quality of life of humans and the dogs themselves.
Three puppies living on the street. Source: Unsplash
Did you know… about 1.6 million dogs reach shelters every year and about 20 % of them are euthanized?
However,** only about 10 % of stray dogs reach shelters**. The rest still live on the streets - they freeze in the winter and suffer heat exhaustion in the summer.
If a dog is put into a shelter, it still has not won. This is because not all shelters in the United States are "No-Kill" and so about 20 % of shelter dogs are euthanized.
Almost 25 % of dogs that reach shelters are purebred. Most of these pedigree dogs in shelters are Pitbulls. Unfortunately, this breed is one of the least sought-after dog for adoption in the United States.
**Did you know… ** almost 93 % of the Pitbulls in shelters are euthanized? Only about 1 in 600 Pitbulls will find new homes.
If the dog strays uncontrolled outdoors, it can cause accidents with cars or cyclists. This then leads to injuries to the dog, people and also damage to property.
Hunting is the hobby of free-ranging dogs – whether for food or just for fun. They can endanger other domestic animals, such as guinea pigs and rabbits, as well as livestock. There is a high probability that farmers will shoot such a dog.
Did you know… 1 unsterilized bitch and her puppies can produce 67 000 more dogs in just 6 years!
Due to the creation of larger populations of dogs, there is also a greater threat of attacks by packs than by individuals, and they can also reproduce uncontrollably and expand the populations of Wild Dogs.
In cities, homeless dogs open trash bags in search of food. Trash then pollutes the streets and can attract other animals and rodents.
Stray dogs tend to foul the surroundings by feces, because there is no one to clean up the mess after them.
Did you know… according to the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), about 20 000 people die from Rabies in India each year?
Unfortunately, not all dogs are gentle and unconfrontational. So there is a risk that they can bite a person, exacerbated by the risk of transmitting diseases, e.g. Rabies. Rabies is nearly always fatal to humans. Although Rabies can be transmitted by other animals, dogs are considered to be the world's most common carrier of the disease.
The way to help stray dogs is adoption and supporting local shelters.
There are various ways to help stray dogs find a safe and loving home again. How can we do it?
Support Shelters Shelters are one of the cornerstones of the solution of abandoned animals. It is a place where animals in need receive medical care and food. Shelters provide a springboard for adoption in new homes. Their function is supported by governmental and non-governmental organizations, but mainly with the participation of volunteers who have their hearts in the right place.
Sterilization Programs In order to prevent the uncontrolled reproduction of dogs and the constant increase in their numbers, it is necessary to proceed with sterilization. Statistics state that only about 10 % of the animals reaching shelters have been sterilized.
All that dogs need is our love. And they love us in return. Source: Pixabay
Adoption Programs If a future owner decides to buy a dog, he should know that there is a better option of adoption. It is therefore necessary to raise awareness of the possibility of adopting a dog from a shelter. A large number of celebrities who are not indifferent to the fate of abandoned animals are also supporting the "Adopt, Don't Shop" project. At the same time, adoptions can interrupt the demand for supplies from “puppy mills”, where dogs are kept in poor conditions only for breeding and the sale of puppies.
Support the "No-Kill" Initiative It is important to fight for every abandoned animal to have the chance of a new home. That's why the No-Kill shelter initiative was created in San Francisco. Such shelters are expected to save at least 90 % of the animals received, who will not be euthanized simply because there is no room for them. Because, as Nathan Winograd wrote in 2010, "It does not matter if the animals are old, blind, deaf, missing limbs, or traumatized. All of these animals are worthy of our compassion, all of them can find homes, and all of them deserve to."
Chipping The vast majority of dogs are not microchipped, which makes it difficult for the dog to be returned to its owner after going astray. If the dog has a microchip, the chances of him being returned to his home are about 2.5 times greater than if he does not have a chip.
Everyone can get involved:
Adopt, Don't Shop! Thousands of dogs are waiting for a new owner in shelters across the United States – and worldwide. If you want to have a dog companion, give a chance to one from a shelter. Thus you will not support the uncaring people who just breed dogs for profit.
Sterilize If you have a dog, have it neutered. A neutered dog has a longer life. Sterilization can also prevent more serious diseases, such as cancer.
Every Small Donation Helps A little money can make a big difference. You can support a dog shelter in your area, which provides food and medical care to abandoned dogs. A few dollars per month. It's nothing to you, but it can dramatically change the lives of dogs.
Dedicate your Time Shelters and other non-profit organizations often run programs where volunteers can join hands. You can help in clinics or in the field. Every dog waiting for a new home will be very happy for the company and time you spend with it.
Spread Awareness Use the power of social networks and tell your friends and acquaintances how important it is to help abandoned dogs. Perhaps your friends or acquaintances are looking for a new doggie friend, so let them know that the far more humane option is to adopt one from a shelter.
