Page 94 - SHOWSIGHT - JULY 2020
P. 94

                PUPPY PERSONALITY AT DAY 35
     It is, however, universally accepted that since the begin- ning of recorded world history, the dog has served mankind. A recent gravesite unearthed in Illinois revealed three dogs buried with humans over 10,000 years ago, which brings the Clovis Culture of North America into dispute.
Was it a “wolf” that first crept up to a “human” campsite? Or were dogs co-created to serve humans and to set an exam- ple of unwavering love and loyalty? There is not one scrap of evidence that dogs evolved from wolves. None at all. Bet you didn’t know that...but you will quickly realize that “may have” and “probably” indicate speculation, not fact.
Wikipedia is our best source of peer-reviewed information because it is open to dispute. The most accurate description of canine history may be, “The archaeological record and genetic analysis show the remains of the Bonn–Oberkassel dog buried beside humans 14,200 years ago to be the first undisputed dog, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.” ~ ref 3
As for purebred dogs, we accept that they developed early in the Victorian era (the period of Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1837 until she died in 1901), but centuries earlier dogs were
selected according to discernable talent for finding game and with a growing awareness of their usefulness as protectors. As an informed reader, you will agree that the ancient bond between the dog and mankind is unequalled in the animal kingdom and unri- valed in human history. When a puppy’s eyes first open and focus it will not only accept a human hand, it will lick it. A wolf cub
will not.
Any livestock breeder will agree
that a month-old calf or colt will
References
ANY LIVESTOCK BREEDER WILL AGREE THAT A MONTH-OLD CALF OR COLT WILL ‘BLOW’ OR SHOW SIGNS OF FEAR WHEN FIRST CONFRONTED WITH A HUMAN. A FELINE WILL HISS AND PUFF UP.
SIGNIFICANTLY, A PUPPY WILL WIGGLE AND WAG!
“blow” or show signs of fear when first confronted with a human. A feline will hiss and puff up. Significantly, a puppy will wiggle and wag!
Beyond that first sign of being canine, the domestic dog seeks out human companionship. Quit feeding your cat and it moves on. Ditto with your cow or horse. Call any domestic animal when it is not feeding time. It will ignore you.
Call your dog when he’s snoozing with a full belly and he will come to you.
This is not new knowledge but, if it is new to you, I hope it gives you pause for thought. Hand a puppy to the most sophisticated urbanite who never touched a dog and if he or she breathes puppy breath something amazing happens. If it doesn’t...walk away.
Scientists can put a man on the moon, but they can’t explain mankind’s affinity for puppy personality. Sure, we know about the Odendaal study that noted the release of oxy- tocin (the bonding hormone) when we pet a dog, but no one— no scientist or theologist—can explain why that happens...
If you have bred a litter from what old-timers call a pur- pose-bred dog, you are nodding in agreement. If you adopted a shelter puppy, you are equally amazed at the inborn affinity between dog and man.
So take special note of your puppy’s personality which will begin to display by day 42. Through the following week, breed character begins to emerge. A Terrier puppy will instinctively shake a little stuffed toy. A Retriever breed will proudly carry it. A Toy breed will snuggle it. A Working breed will protect it, etc.
Don’t take that miracle for granted! Canis familiaris is unique in the animal kingdom!
  92 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JULY 2020
1 The Wolf In Your Dog, http://www.thedogplace.org/Genetics/wolf-in-your-dog-bja-1711.asp 2 Taxonomy - Canis Lupus Familiaris, https://www.uniprot.org/taxonomy/9615
3 Origin of the Domestic Dog, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Origin_of_the_domestic_dog
         











































































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