“Man’s Best Friend”

“Man’s best friend.”  I am not sure who created the quote, “Man’s best friend,” but it has become a common phrase.  Of course when I talk about mans best friend I am talking about the dog.  Anyone who would like to argue that cats are man’s best friend should know that, “Your either a animal lover, or a cat person.” Cats are not your friends, they are simple acquaintances that only arrive when they need something and vanish when you need them.  Dogs truly are paragons that no other animal can truly match.  The bond between humans and dogs has been around since the cavemen.  Dogs deserve tribute and love for the centuries that they have stuck by us.

Led Zeppelin 1971

Paul McCartney from The Beetles with his sheepdog.

There are hundreds of interesting facts about humans and dogs intertwining history. One interesting fact is that the bible mentions dogs 14 times. People show their love and affection for dogs in a unique ways.”  Led Zeppelin named one of their popular songs “Black Dog”, after a black Labrador retriever walked into the Headley Grange studios while they were recording an unnamed song.  The dog sat around for the song and then left. “At the end of the Beatles’ song “A Day in the Life”(1967), a high-pitched dog whistle was recorded by Paul McCartney for his sheepdog.” In 1957, the first life form went into space.  This life form was a dog named Laika.  Laika was sent up in space in an earth satellite.  In 1912, three dogs survived the sinking of the Titanic.  Two of the dogs were small.  One was a Pomeranian, the other a Pekinese.  The other dog was a Newfoundland, a rather large dog.  George Washington, Americas first President, had thirty-six foxhounds.  Before the eighth century in China, Pekingese were very popular. They were used as Lap or Sleeve Dogs. Most commonly it was the puppies that were kept in the sleeves and the older dogs were Lap dogs.  Long sleeves became very popular and so did the Pekingese. In the imperial palace eight different types of Pekingese were being bred.  In the nineteenth century the Empress had over 100 Pekingese as pets. Her dogs were guarded fiercely.  After China’s war with England in 1860, Pekingese were brought to Queen Victoria of England. The oldest dog breed is believed to be the Saluki.  The Saluki was trained by the Egyptians to help track down game.

The earliest fossil of a dog can be dated to 10,000 B.C.E. Ironically this was over 12,000 years ago and humans have kept dogs as pets during those 12,000 years. Cavemen were the first to domesticate dogs.  Pets are important to many people. “An estimated 1,000,000 dogs in the U.S. have been named as the primary beneficiaries in their owner’s will.”  That is a lot of dogs receiving a lot of money.  More than one in every three families in America own a dog.  Many dog owners have multiple dogs. The limit before a person has to obtain a kenneling license in California is three dogs.  For each dog there is a ten-dollar license fee plus all immunizations.  If the dog is not fixed the price for a license can be over 125 dollars. There are more than 5,000,000 puppies born in the United States every year.  Not every puppy receives a loving home.

Dogs have been very loyal to humans for 12,000 years.  Some people have abused the trust of “man’s best friend.”  There has been dog fighting, debarking, torturing, and beating of dogs.  There has been neglect for our companions.  Many dog owners get a dog without being fully prepared for a dog.  People think that having a dog is nothing, but dogs call for attention and love.  If you do not really want a dog then you should not have a dog.  Christmas is a time when many people become dog owners.  Kids still receive dogs for Christmas along with their toys. Be prepared for the mischief that a little puppy can bring when not a creature is stirring through the house.  A special time of the year is coming and I hope that you do not put your dog outside or in a kennel for Christmas. They are a part of the family and they have been there since 10,000 B.C.E. alongside man, woman, and child.

Sources: http://www.thefoundbin.com/lost-and-found-articles/102-weird-facts-you-never-knew-about-dogs

http://www.dogcardart.com/pekingese/