Until recently archaeologists believed that dogs and humans had been sharing their lives for about 10,000 years.
We have a Shared History and Development
However, recent advances in mitochondrial DNA have discovered transitions from wolf towards dog as far back as 100,000 years. It is not yet known if the partnership between man and dog started this change but it has certainly been accepted that dogs and people have been close companions far longer than originally thought and that our developments have gone hand in hand.
The Effect of our Shared Develpopment
Due to this close relationship dogs have, like humans, a ‘left gaze bias’ but only when scanning human faces and not other dog faces. They use exactly the same method to look at a human face as humas and this is thought to be our method of reading emotion. They are the only creature in the animal kingdom to do this. Dog owners often say that their dog understands them and we now have the independent evidence to back that up.
Hormone Bonding with Oxytocin
People also say that companionship with a dog makes them ‘feel’ better. This has now been backed by research which has found that when humans interact with dogs they and the dog experience a release of oxytocin which is the hormone linked to breastfeeding, romantic love and ‘bonding’. This may be partly attributed to eye gaze and goes back to the beginnings of domestication.
Health and Wellbeing Benefits to Dog Ownership
Studies have identified health benefits. Dog owners take more exercise, dogs can lower blood pressure, reduce depression, and they have found a reduction in anti-social behaviour when used therapeutically. Children brought up with animals receive all sorts of benefits from increased self-esteem to better social competence.
Assistance and Hero Dogs
We have dogs that perform all sorts of functions for us that keep us safe and dramatically improve the quality of our lives. We have assistance dogs for the deaf, blind, disabled, and epileptic. We have PAT dogs, herding dogs, sniffer dogs and search and rescue dogs. We have hero dogs that have done extraordinary things - the PDSA are currently commemorating hero dogs of the Second World War. We have companion dogs that make the lives of the housebound and lonely worth living and we even have dogs that sniff out cancer.
The Importance of our Relationship is Underestimated and Threatenned
We have shared our lives for many thousands of years and it is not surprising that we have developed a close reciprocal relationship. However, as we become more alienated from the land and develop more and more as an urban species are we in danger of underestimating the importance of that relationship and of degrading it?
The Ostracizing of Dogs from Society
Perhaps we are focusing too much on dangers associated with rogue owners and ignoring the overwhelming benefits that dog ownership bring. In addition to this our obsession with hygiene is turning the dog into some sort of health hazard. Dogs are becoming ostracized from society as we focus on those disasters that are of our own making through irresponsible breeding and ownership. Even a county agricultural show has recently decided to ban dogs when one would expect an agricultural show to be one of the few places certain to welcome them. Is it time to stand up for dogs against the damage being done by irresponsible owners?
Dog Identification
In France all dogs must be registered and identifiable. No individual has the right to keep a dog that has not been tattooed or microchipped by a vet and any dog without legal identification can be immediately seized. The pet passport documentation is used as registration document and that is already available in this country. Rabies inoculations are only done if the dog is to travel.
Dog Registration
In the UK Stray dogs are set to become more and more a problem as people are unable to afford to keep them. In addition, loose and stray dogs along with irresponsible ownership makes the lives of others in urban areas unbearable. Also, the free movement of dogs around Europe is becoming more prevalent. Animal organizations are calling for a registration scheme and national data base. We already have pet passport documentation, some smaller databases in operation and a network of rescue centres throughout the country. A registration scheme would start to take rogue dogs off the street, make owners traceable and give confidence to the general public. Animal welfare organisations such as the RSPCA are calling for a scheme to be implemented.
Our obsession with the rogue dogs caused by human neglect and ill-treatment and our refusal to do anything about irresponsible owners is starting to degrade our attitude to dogs. It is time to take back the domestic dog from those who want to tear apart the relationship that has existed for thousands of years? We should be doing more to protect our companions from those who want to breed canine weapons and completely devalue the wonderful relationships we share. Dogs are our victims – not the monsters we portray.
Frances Williams - Frances is an Autism specialist with post graduate qualifications but has had to take a career break. She is now a freelance writer. ...
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