But why? What drives a dog to give so much of themselves to their humans?
Archaeological evidence demon-
strates that the domestication of dogs oc- curred more than 15,000 years ago. It was thought that wolves, and their dog de- scendants, would have derived great ben- efit from living in human camps. Greater safety, more reliable sources of food, less caloric needs and more chance to breed are a few. They would have had access to a greater variety of food sources by working with humans. Humans stood upright and had different visual capabilities than dogs. Humans also had tools that would allow them to bring down larger prey items. These attributes would have meant there would have been a greater diversity and amount of food available. And, the dogs would have had to spend much less en- ergy to obtain it. Living with dogs would have great ben-
efits for humans. Using their acute sense of hearing, dogs would have increased the safety of a human camp by acting as an alert system if predators or strangers ap- proached. Dogs would have increased the sanitation by cleaning up scraps and waste around the camps. Research suggests dogs and humans may have worked together to ensure successful hunts and that the ben- efits of cooperative hunting was an im- portant factor in wolf/dog domestication. There is also research that shows that the human-dog partnership set both species on a new evolutionary course.
People and dogs are both pack ani-
mals. I can’t help but feel that the initial human-canine bond was more than just a utilitarian arrangement. I believe there was also an additional factor - a sense or feeling of connection between the two species. It’s very difficult to put this feeling into words, but if you have a deep bond with a pet, you’ll know what I mean. For many of us, we learn about this incredible connection during our childhood.
Growing up with pets Studies have shown that children who
grow up with pets have greater cogni- tive development and higher self-esteem. They also tend to score higher on empathy scales than non-pet owners. Our daughter is naturally drawn to both our dogs and cats. She loves to stare at them, pull on their hair and hold them close. The amaz- ing thing is to watch how our family pets allow her to do just about whatever she wants to them, all the while appearing to enjoy this moment as the best ever. In my life, growing up with dogs taught me un- conditional love and compassion as well as responsibility and leadership. When- ever I was scared, ill or just not feeling my- self, I could always find the open heart of a dog to comfort me.
An ounce of prevention Many studies have shown that own-
ing a pet has tremendous health benefits. Studies conducted at the University of California at Los Angeles and Cambridge
University in England found sharing your life with a pet corresponds to improved overall health and fewer visits to the doc- tor. A study of Medicare patients showed that dog ownership led to decreases in doctor’s visits as well. In this study, even the most highly stressed group of seniors had 21% less doctor’s visits. Some of the most common medical
www.naturalnutmeg.com
September 2010
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56