The Domestic Dog

The domestic dog we know today has a huge diversity of size, shape and coat texture. From the giant St Bernard to the tiny Chihuahua, from the noble Bloodhound to the Toy Poodle with its fancy haircut - never has the choice been so vast. In fact it has been said that the dog owner often resembles their dog in appearance, so maybe our choice of dog is not as haphazard as it seems! (Although I am not saying I look like my Welsh Springer Spaniel!)

The first domestic dog appeared 10,000 - 15,000 years ago. All domestic dogs belong to the same family, Canis Familiaris, and are descendants of the wolf, Canis lupus. A 17th century fable concerns a wolf which, while out looking for its next meal, happens upon a farm dog. The dog is happy and well-fed in comfortable surroundings and the wolf asks how it is that the dog has such a lifestyle. The dog replies that he and his Master have an agreement - the Master feeds him and gives him a bed and, in return, the dog guards the Master's household and looks after his livestock. The wolf then notices the dog's collar and is curious as to its function. The dog explains that the collar allows a rope to be attached so that he can be tied up - the wolf turns tail and flees, praying that no friend of his would ever be in such a plight!

The oldest European dog ever discovered was found in Star Carr, Yorkshire and is believed to date from around 7500 BC. The domestic dog has been represented in art for centuries, the earliest being sculptures of dogs found in Iraq dating back to 6500 BC.

By 7000 BC, breeding of dogs was widespread. It is likely that the first 'dog' resembled a greyhound, developed for its speed in hunting. Eventually dogs were bred with more specialist skills for the hunt such as keen sight or sense of smell. As time went by, dogs were bred according to their intended use, for example, with shorter legs as in the Terrier group used to hunt vermin. By the time of the Roman Empire , most of the general breeds we see today were recognizable.

Sled dogs such as Huskies were invaluable to the way of life in the far North where the people are still dependent upon them for protection, companionship, hunting, trapping and transportation. The sled dogs enabled early explorers to travel the frozen wasteland of two continents and played a vital role in bringing transportation to snowbound areas of the world.

Dogs of war include the Mastiff and Airedale Terriers. During the first world war, dogs were used as messengers, sentries and guard dogs. A steady supply of dogs came from centres for unwanted dogs such as the Battersea Dog's Home in London. These animals were considered so important that men in the trenches were forbidden to interfere with a dog on an errand. The use of these dogs saved many lives as they had better chances of survival than human runners. Sadly it is thought that around 7,500 dogs were killed in action.

The first dog show to be organised in the UK was held in the Town Hall, Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 28th and 29th June 1859 and there were sixty entries of Pointers and Setters. By 1870 it was decided that a controlling body was necessary to legislate in canine matters and, in 1873, the now world-famous Kennel Club was founded in London. One of the earliest undertakings of the newly formed Kennel Club was the compilation of a stud book with the first volume containing records of dog shows from 1859-1873.

Today the Kennel club recognizes 209 different breeds which are divided into 7 different breed groups:

Hound Group - breeds originally used for hunting either by sight or scent.

Gundog Group - originally trained to find and/or retrieve game.

Terrier Group - dogs originally bred for hunting vermin.

Utility Group - miscellaneous breeds, mainly of non-sporting origin e.g. the Poodle

Pastoral Group - herding dogs associated with working cattle, sheep and reindeer.

Working Group - guards and search and rescue dogs e.g. the Boxer and St. Bernard.

Toy Group - small companion or lap dogs.

If you have enjoyed this brief overview of the domestic dog, please check our site regularly as we will add articles on the Kennel Club groups and individual breeds in the coming months.

Contributed by Sonia Bryant

Information gleaned from The Dog's Tale by Loyd Grossman and various websites including:-

www.thekennelclub.org.uk ,

www.cais-soas.com/CAIS/Animals/dog.htm

www.petwebsite.com/dogs/dog_history.htm

www.countrysportsandcountrylife.com/sections/pedigree_dog/history_of_dog/history.htm

www.purina.co.uk

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Bedfordshire/wardogs.html