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Responsible
Dog Ownership
People thinking about obtaining a dog should carefully
consider whether their lifestyle and finances are compatible with a
considerable commitment of time, effort and money over a long
period. Potential dog owners should consider the type of dog best
suited to them. The responsibilities of owning a dog are significant
and long-term. Dog ownership should be considered a privilege and
not a right. Acquiring a dog should not be the result of a
spontaneous or unplanned action. It should be the result of careful
planning and a clear understanding of all the legal and other
responsibilities involved. Therefore the decision to own a dog
should be an informed one, with acknowledgment by prospective owners
of the commitment and responsibility involved in caring for dogs.
Dogs -
Background
The dog (Canis lupus familiaris) is a
subspecies of the wolf, a mammal of the Canidae family of the order
Carnivora. The term encompasses both feral and domestic variants. It
is also sometimes used to describe wild canids of other subspecies
or species.
Over time, the dog has developed into hundreds of breeds with a
great degree of variation. For example, heights at the withers range
from just a few inches (such as the Chihuahua) to roughly three feet
(such as the Irish Wolfhound); colors vary from white through grays
(usually called blue) to black, and browns from light (tan) to dark
("red" or "chocolate") in a tremendous variation of patterns; and
coats can be anything from very short to several centimeters long,
from coarse hair to something akin to wool, straight or curly, or
smooth.
Dogs - Mans
"Best Friend"
Dogs, like humans, are highly social animals
and this similarity in their overall behavioral pattern accounts for
their trainability, playfulness, and ability to fit into human
households and social situations. This similarity has earned dogs a
unique position in the realm of interspecies relationships.
The loyalty and devotion that dogs demonstrate as part of their
natural instincts as pack animals closely mimics the human idea of
love and friendship, leading many dog owners to view their pets as
full-fledged family members. Conversely, dogs seem to view their
human companions as members of their pack, and make few, if any,
distinctions between their owners and fellow dogs. Dogs fill a
variety of roles in human society and are often trained as working
dogs. For dogs that do not have traditional jobs, a wide range of
dog sports provide the opportunity to exhibit their natural skills.
In many countries, the most common and perhaps most important role
of dogs is as companions.
Dogs have lived with and worked with humans in so many roles that
their loyalty has earned them the unique sobriquet "man's best
friend".[6] However, some cultures consider dogs to be unclean. In
some parts of the world, dogs are raised as livestock to produce dog
meat for human consumption. In many places, consumption of dog meat
is discouraged by social convention or cultural taboo.
Interpreting Your Dogs Body Language
It is important to note that while many gestures and actions have
common, stereotypical meanings, researchers regularly seem to find
that animal communication is often more complex and subtle than
previously believed, and that the same gesture may have multiple
distinct meanings depending on context and other behaviors. So
generalizations such as "X means Y" are often, but not always
accurate. For example, even a simple tail wag may (depending on
context) convey many meanings including:
* Excitement
* Anticipation
* Playfulness
* Contentment/enjoyment
* Happy self-confidence
But also:
* Anxiety
* Questioning another animal or a human as to intentions
* Tentative role assessment on meeting another animal
* Reassurance ("I'm hoping to be friendly, are you?")
* Uncertainty/apprehension
* Submissive placation (if worried by a more dominant animal)
Combined with other body language, in a specific context, many
gestures such as yawns, direction of vision, and so on all convey
meaning. Panting may mean "Too hot"; it might also mean either
emotional anxiety or happiness too. Thus statements that a
particular action "means" something should always be interpreted to
mean "often means" something. As with human beings, who may smile or
hug or stand a particular way for multiple reasons, many animals
reuse gestures too.
Descriptions in this article are therefore best viewed as common
generalizations, to which a more experienced observer will be able
to add further detail or understanding.
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