Dogs are Man's best friend! But why??

The history behind it. 

Out of all domestic animals, dog's are most likely to be chosen my humans as their companions. It was first thought that dog's became mans best friend by the farmers of East Asia 15,000 years ago. However scientist now believe that the relationship between humans and dog's began back in the ice age. This would make our relationship with dog's go back 19,000 to 32,000 years ago. Wolf and man became a hunting team in the ice age. The wolves being the better tracker would lead them to the prey and man being the better killer would kill the prey and leave some for the wolves. The wolves were tamed and became a friend to the people and have been with us since. Your domestic dog now see's the family as it's pack and will try to please and protect it just like they did in the ice age. 

Relationships.

Domestic dogs are one of the few animals that will make eye contact with us and show attention to things we are looking or pointing too. Scientist believe that domestic dogs have even developed more communication skills with humans than with their own kind. They think of us as there pack and use a range of ways to communicate with humans. If you think about it how many sounds have you heard you dog make when around other dogs? My Lab only makes two noises around other dogs, one being a high pitched noise he only makes just before he says hello to a dog or wants to play. The other being a yelp if they are too rough. Indoors with us he makes many more noises and gestures. Over the years I have learnt what they mean. If he wants me to open the door it is a quiet short bark. If he wants me to get something or wants a toy I am holding it tends to be a louder park, or he will do a number of the tricks he knows to try and earn it. When he wants a cuddle he buries his head into me and makes what can only be described as a loud, deep purring noise. If he wants to go out for a walk he will go up to his lead, moan and then look at me. If we wants water or food he bangs his bowl getting louder the longer I take to do it. I'm sure your dog will do many of these things and more. It's this sort or communication we have between human and dog that gives us such a strong bond. Because we have an understanding of each other and our emotions it makes it easier to relate to them.

Taking to your dog.

Studies show that dogs can understand up to 165 words. Most dogs understand sit, stay, wait, lay down, drop it and other commands. They can also learn the names of objects, for example, my dogs knows what his lead is and knows that if I tell him to get it we are going for a walk. He knows what dinner means and when I say it will go to his bowl. Although most of the time when we are talking to them they are just trying to figure out our mood by the tone of our voice. If you were to say "I love you" but in an angry voice they would think you were mad at them. On the other hand if your were to say "you naughty boy" with a happy tone they would take it as praise. 

Dogs use our tone of voice and gestures to figure out what we mean much like children do. They figure know that when they do something wrong they will not get the attention they want and when they do something good they get a reward. This is why my dog now brings me the post every morning to get a treat and sometimes tries to bring it individually to get more. Although he sometimes tried to open my post too and tears it into 50 pieces, his intentions are good. He also knows that if he brings me post and I say "give it to Dad" along with me pointing in his direction, he needs to take it too my Dad. My hamster never did that... 

This is why dog's are man's best friend.

It's your turn! Please leave your thoughts and experiences on this topic in the comments section below.

Thanks for reading. Bye for now. 

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