This page will contain discussion groups about puppies, as they become available.Dog |
| Trinomial name |
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| Canis lupus familiaris (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The dog is a canine mammal of the Order Carnivora. Dogs were first domesticated from wolves at least 15000 years ago[1] but perhaps as long as 150,000 years ago based on recent genetic fossil evidence and DNA evidence[2]. In this 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), and colors range from white to black, with reds, grays (usually called blue), and browns occurring in a tremendous variation of patterns.
Dogs, like humans, are highly social animals and pack hunters; this similarity in their overall behavioral pattern accounts for their trainability, playfulness, and ability to fit into human households and social situations. 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 sobriquet "man's best friend." Conversely, some cultures consider dogs to be unclean. In other cultures, some dogs are used as food.
Dog, in common usage, refers to the domestic pet dog, Canis lupus familiaris (originally classified as Canis familiaris by Linnaeus in 1758, but reclassified as a subspecies of the wolf, Canis lupus, by the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists in 1993). The word is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae (as in "the dog family"), such as wolves, foxes and coyotes.
Many additional terms are used for dogs that are not purebred; see Terms for mixed-breed dogs.
Although selective breeding has changed the appearance of many breeds, all dogs retain the basic ingredients from their distant ancestors. Like most other predatory mammals, the dog has powerful muscles, a cardiovascular system that supports both sprinting and endurance, and teeth for catching, holding, and tearing. Its skeleton provides the ability to run and leap. They have small, tight feet, and walk on their toes.
Among dog lovers, dogs are generally valued for their intelligence. Anecdotal evidence suggests that dogs have a reasonably high intelligence. For a detailed discussion on what dog intelligence is, see dog intelligence.
Presently, there is academic discussion as to whether domestic dogs are omnivores or carnivores. The classification in the Order Carnivora does not necessarily mean that a dog's diet must be restricted to meat. Unlike an obligate carnivore, such as a cat, a dog is not dependent on meat protein in order to fulfill its dietary requirements. Dogs are able to healthily digest a variety of foods including vegetables and grains, and in fact can consume a large proportion of these in their diet. Wild canines not only eat available plants to obtain key amino acids, but may also obtain nutrients from vegetable matter from the stomach contents of their herbivorous prey. Domestic dogs can survive healthily on a reasonable and carefully designed vegetarian diet, particularly if eggs and milk products are included. Some sources suggest that a dog fed on a stict vegetarian diet may develop dilated cardiomyopathy since it lacks L-carnitine.[3]
In the wild these diets are typically pursued in the absence of available meat. It has also been noted that extremely stressful conditions, such as the Iditarod race and scientific studies of similar conditions, suggest that high-protein diets including meat help prevent damage to muscle tissue. This research is also true of other mammals.
Dogs sometimes eat grass, a harmless activity. Explanations abound, but rationales such as that it neutralizes acid are just guesses. Eating grass might make the dog vomit, so one explanation is that dogs eat grass to remove unwanted content from their stomachs.
Many dogs consider anything given to them directly by hand to be a treat, even the food they are accustomed to at meal time. Such dogs might consider anything dropped by humans, including small but indigestible objects (such as marbles, coins, rings, etc.), to be treats as well, which could be dangerous to the dogs when ingested.
For a discussion on one use of treats in training, see clicker training.
Some foods commonly enjoyed by humans are dangerous to dogs, including chocolate (Theobromine poisoning), onions, grapes and raisins, Macadamia nuts, and hops. Some human medications, such as acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol), are highly toxic to dogs. Alcoholic beverages pose much the same temptation and hazard to dogs as to humans. Dogs also may find some poisons attractive, including antifreeze and snail bait.
Among professional breeders, dogs are only allowed to mate for a specific purpose. Sometimes dogs are bred to create puppies to sell, or sometimes to carry on an award-winning purebred line. Breeders who do this are usually experienced in this process. Dog breeders have access to records which allow them to accurately guess which characteristics will "breed true" in a particular dog. Dog breeders also have accurate information on the complexities of the reproductive process for the breed of dog that they are accustomed to handling. Dog owners may accidentally allow their pets to breed without regard to bloodlines.
As with most domesticated species, one of the first and strongest effects seen from selective breeding is selection for cooperation with the breeding process as directed by humans. In domestic dogs, one of the behaviours that is noted is the abolition of the pair bond seen in wild canines. The ability of female domestic dog to come into estrus at any time of the year and usually twice a year is also valued. The amount of time between cycles varies greatly among different dogs, but a particular dog's cycle tends to be consistent through her life. This is also called in season or in heat. Conversely, undomesticated canine species experience estrus once a year, typically in late winter.
Most bitches come into season for the first time between 6 and 12 months, although some larger breeds delay until as late as 2 years. Like most mammals, the age that a bitch first comes into season is mostly a function of her current body weight as a proportion of her body weight when fully mature. The different rates of maturation are responsible for the menarche, not the chronological age.
A general rule of thumb is that a mammal will produce half as many offspring as the number of teats on the mother. This rule is altered in domesticated animals since larger litters are often favoured for economic reasons. Dogs bear their litters roughly 9 weeks after fertilization. An average litter consists of about six puppies, though this number may vary widely based on the breed of dog. Since a mother can only provide nutrients and care to a limited number of offspring, humans must assist in the care and feeding when the litter exceeds approximately eight puppies. Some breeds have been developed to emphasize certain physical traits beyond the point at which they can safely bear litters on their own. For example, the Bulldog often requires artificial insemination and almost always requires cesarean section for giving birth.
Spaying or neutering refers to the removal of the male testicles or the female ovaries and uterus, in order to remove the capability to procreate, and to kill the libido.
Dog experts advise that dogs not intended for further breeding should be spayed or neutered so that they do not have undesired puppies. Unwanted puppies are abandoned, eaten, or sometimes disposed of in an inhumane fashion. It is also common for adult stray dogs who are placed in animal shelters to be euthanized due to lack of space and resources.
Spaying and neutering can also help prevent hormone-driven diseases such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as undesired hormone-driven behaviors. The hormonal changes involved are sure to change the animal's personality somewhat, and some object to this angle as the sterilization in itself could be carried out without the excision of organs.
Contrary to myth, it is not required for a female dog to either experience a heat cycle or have puppies before spaying, and likewise, a male dog does not need the experience of mating before neutering; these myths are responsible for numerous unnecessary health problems and unwanted puppies. A female dog can become pregnant on her first heat cycle (which can take place as early as six months), and should be kept away from intact male dogs, including littermates, over the age of 4 months. Many veterinarians recommend that owners neuter/spay their pets around the age of 5 months.
Modern dog breeds show more variation in size, appearance, and behavior than any other domestic animal. Within the range of extremes, dogs generally share attributes with their wild ancestors, the wolves. Dogs are predators and scavengers, possessing sharp teeth and strong jaws for attacking, holding, and tearing their food.
Dogs were thought to be dichromats and thus, by human standards, color blind.1, 2 New research is now being explored that suggests that dogs may actually see some colour, but not to the extent that humans do. It has also been suggested that dogs see in varieties of purple/violet and yellow shades. Because the lenses of dogs' eyes are flatter than humans', they cannot see as much detail; on the other hand, their eyes are more sensitive to light and motion than humans' eyes. Some breeds, particularly the best sighthounds, have a field of vision up to 270° (compared to 100° to 120° for humans), although broad-headed breeds with their eyes set forward have a much narrower field of vision, as low as 180°.1, 2
Dogs detect sounds as low as the 16 to 20 Hz frequency range (compared to 20 to 70 Hz for humans) and as high as 70,000 to 100,000 Hz (compared to 20,000 Hz for humans)2, and in addition have a degree of ear mobility that helps them to rapidly pinpoint the exact location of a sound. They can identify a sound's location much faster than a human can, and they can hear sounds up to four times the distance that humans can.
Dogs have nearly 220 million smell-sensitive cells over an area about the size of a pocket handkerchief (compared to 5 million over an area the size of a postage stamp for humans). Some breeds have been selectively bred for excellence in detecting scents, even compared to their canine brethren. What information a dog actually detects when he is scenting is not perfectly understood; although once a matter of debate, it now seems to be well established that dogs can distinguish two different types of scents when trailing, an air scent from some person or thing that has recently passed by, as well as a ground scent that remains detectable for a much longer period. The characteristics and behavior of these two types of scent trail would seem, after some thought, to be quite different, the air scent being intermittent but perhaps less obscured by competing scents, whereas the ground scent would be relatively permanent with respect to careful and repetitive search by the dog, but would seem to be much more contaminated with other scents. In any event, it is established by those who train tracking dogs that it is impossible to teach the dog how to track any better than it does naturally; the object instead is to motivate it properly, and teach it to maintain focus on a single track and ignore any others that might otherwise seem of greater interest to an untrained dog. An intensive search for a scent, for instance searching a ship for contraband, can actually be very fatiguing for a dog, and the dog must be motivated to continue this hard work for a long period of time.
It has been observed that a lost dog can often find its way home, sometimes traveling over long distances.
Dogs also have the ability to sense inclement weather (mainly thunderstorms) many miles away. This is due to their keen ability to detect fluctuations in barometric pressure and can explain a dog's anxiety before and during a storm. The evolutionary ability of sensing weather can be traced back to when wolves used it to move the pack into proper shelter before a dangerous storm. For example, during the tsunami in Southern Asia recently, many animals were seen days before fleeing to the hills. It is said that the animals, not just dogs, could sense the tsunami and could therefore flee for life.
Further information: Category:Dog health
Dogs are susceptible to various diseases, ailments, and poisons, some of which affect humans in the same way, others of which are unique to dogs.
Diseases commonly associated with dogs include rabies (hydrophobia), canine parvovirus, and canine distemper, and pulmonic stenosis, although there are many others.
Common external parasites are various species of fleas, ticks, and mites. Internal parasites include hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and heartworms.
Some breeds of dogs are also prone to certain genetic ailments, such as hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, cleft palate, blindness, or deafness. Dogs are also susceptible to the same ailments that humans are, including diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and arthritis. Gastric torsion and bloat is a dangerous problem in some large-chested breeds.
All dogs have a tremendous capacity to learn complex social behavior and to interpret varied body language and sounds, and, like many predators, can react to and learn from novel situations. The requirements of coordinating complex social behavior requires that canines have the ability to sense and deliver a wide variety of cues via body language, more so than for even humans, who can use language for the same purpose. Physiologically, this correlates with such features as a large number of nerves innervating the facial muscles of dogs, allowing subtle control of a wide variety of facial expressions; in contrast to cats, for instance, who have many fewer nerves governing their facial muscles, resulting in a smaller repertoire or "vocabulary" of expressions. This ability to read and deliver nonverbal cues makes dogs expert at reading human beings, as well, often even more so than other humans are, who rely on language. Most dog owners have a large collection of stories about their dogs recognizing individuals by their footsteps outside the door, and so on.
The relationship between dogs and humans is rooted in history and dogs coexist with humans in a variety of ways. Dogs thrive in small social groups or packs which, from their viewpoint, can include humans. Dog society can be thought of as dog packs characterized by a companionate hierarchy, in which each individual has a rank, and in which there is intense loyalty within the group. Dogs thrive in human society because their relationships with humans mimic their natural social patterns. The dog is always aware of its rank relative to other individuals in the group. An assertive dog may consider itself the alpha animal, considering its human master to be subordinate.
Many breeds of dogs, but not least German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, and Border Collie are commonly used as working dogs. There are service dogs, guard dogs, hunting dogs, and herding dogs. Dogs have served as guides for the blind, as commandos, and have flown into outer space. Most modern working dogs are put in positions which capitalize on their sensory or strength and endurance advantages over normal humans. Dogs are also used for searching for or rescuing people and animals, such as in avalanches, at disaster sites, and for missing people or pets.
Many people compete with their dogs in a variety of dog sports, including agility, flyball, and many others. This often strengthens the bond between human and dog, since they must trust one another in a variety of environments and must learn how the other works and thinks.
Setters in particular have a long history as upland gun dogs. They have a native ability to discover and "hold" upland game birds; to freeze them momentarily on the ground with their silent, elongated pointing stance. Once the hunter approaches, at his command they will flush the birds to fly and for the hunter to shoot at.
As water dogs, the retrievers are unsurpassed. They can spend long hours in a duck blind and, after the hunter has fired at multiple ducks or geese, they can visually spot and remember the location of downed birds. At command, they dive into the icy water, swim out and retrieve the birds one by one. They can follow hand, verbal, and whistle commands at great distance as the hunter directs them to the downed bird. They typically have large, gentle muzzles to mitigate any potential damage to the game.
When trained, beagles are particularly adept at chasing through thick briars and brush after rabbits. Many hound breeds are excellent at treeing raccoons during hunting season.
Hunters with dogs report the satisfaction that the dogs seem to exhibit. Excitement is evident as they see the hunters load weapons, take to the field, and begin the hunt.
Relationships between humans and dogs are often characterized by strong emotional bonds. Consequently, dogs are popular as pets and companions, independent of any utilitarian considerations. Many dog owners consider having unconditional acceptance from a friend who is always happy to see them to be quite utilitarian, particularly if the dog also leads them to regular exercise. Empirically, dogs are quite dependent on human companionship and may suffer poor health in its absence. Many dogs are reported to have separation anxiety if their owner is away for an extended period of time.
Some research demonstrates that dogs are able to convey a depth of emotion not seen to the same extent in any other animal; this is purportedly due to their closely-knit development with modern man, and the survival-benefits of such communication as dogs became more dependent on humans for sustenance.
Nevertheless, it is often unwise to anthropomorphize the responses of dogs. Despite understandably positive interpretations by dog owners, it is questionable whether these animals are truly capable of feeling emotions on a human level. More research is needed to determine the intelligence level of dogs, and the motivations behind their responses to their masters.
Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals, particularly pets such as dogs, which are generally portrayed as being "man's best friend". Animals are often given attributes such as "loyal", "cute", and "guardian", but these all have the potential to lure people into a false sense of security.
After thousands of years of domestication and selective breeding for dogs whose aggression towards humans goes no further than a ferocious bark that strongly indicates dislike of a human behavior, most dogs are unlikely to attack people. However, their sharp teeth and claws can inflict injury in an attack; a large dog can knock a human down. Provocation can range from something as seemingly innocuous as a toddler pulling a dog's tail, in which case the dog might nip to discourage the behavior, to something completely inobvious to humans, such as an odor or a movement that sets a dog off, to blatant human aggression or violence towards a dog, causing it to defend itself. There are hundreds of shades of provocation that may or may not lead to an attack upon a human. Canine aggression upon humans is ordinarily not tolerated, but any human aggression against an animal having formidable means of self-defense is foolhardy in the extreme.
With formidable skills and weapons as hunters as well as large and unfussy appetites, dogs often menace livestock and wildlife. In most jurisdictions, dogs are destroyed for killing other creatures, so dogs should be prevented from any encounter with livestock or wildlife that might lead to a predatory response. The same creatures that wolves, coyotes, and foxes attack as prey, especially sheep and poultry, are similarly attractive prey to dogs.
Wild dogs are shot by farmers in an effort to protect livestock. Bodies are sometimes tied to fences as warning to other dogs, especially in rural United States and Canada. Abandoned domestic dogs who become feral are particularly dangerous; they lack the survival skills of wild canines, as well as the genetic and learned fear of the humans' world. Feral dogs often form predatory packs that attack livestock and occasionally also prove dangerous to humans.
In the UK, it is illegal to kill dogs, even if they are on your private land; you are required to contact your local Police Force, DogsTrust, or the local branch of the RSPCA, who will arrange its collection.
Molecular systematics indicate that the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) descends from one or more populations of wild wolves (Canis lupus). As reflected in the nomenclature, dogs are a subspecies of wolf and are thus still able to interbreed.
The relationship between man and canine has deep roots. Wolf remains have been found in association with hominid remains dating from 400,000 years ago. Converging archaeological and genetic evidence indicate a time of domestication in the late Upper Paleolithic close to the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, between 17,000 and 14,000 years ago. Fossil bone morphologies and genetic analysis of current and ancient dog and wolf populations have not yet been able to conclusively determine whether all dogs descend from a single domestication event, or whether dogs were domesticated independently in more than one location. Domesticated dogs may have interbred with local populations of wild wolves on several occasions (so-called introgression).
The earliest dog fossils, two crania from Russia and a mandible from Germany, date from 13,000 to 17,000 years ago. Their likely ancestor is the large northern Holarctic wolf, Canis lupus lupus. Remains of smaller dogs from Mesolithic (Natufian) cave deposits in the Middle East, dated to around 12,000 years ago, have been interpreted as descendants of a lighter Southwest Asian wolf, Canis lupus arabs. Rock art and skeletal remains indicate that by 14,000 years ago, dogs were present from North Africa across Eurasia to North America. Dog burials at the Mesolithic cemetery of Svaerdborg in Denmark suggest that in ancient Europe dogs were valued companions.
Genetic analyses have so far yielded divergent results. Vilà, Savolainen, and colleagues (1997) concluded that dogs split off from wolves between 75,000 and 135,000 years ago, while a subsequent analysis by Savolainen et al. (2002) indicated a "common origin from a single gene pool for all dog populations" between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago in East Asia. Verginelli et al. (2005), however, suggest both sets of dates must be reevaluated in light of recent findings showing that poorly calibrated molecular clocks have systematically overestimated the age of geologically recent events. On balance, and in agreement with the archaeological evidence, 15,000 years ago is the most likely time for the wolf-dog divergence.
Verginelli examined ancient DNA evidence from five prehistoric Italian canids carbon-dated to between 15,000 and 3,000 years old, 341 wolves from several populations worldwide, and 547 purebred dogs. Their results indicate multiple independent origins of dogs and/or of frequent interbreeding between early proto-dogs and wolves throughout a vast geographic range. The detailed history remains unexplored and until further evidence is available, the following section on wolf ancestors must be considered purely speculative.
Although all wolves belong to the species Canis lupus, there are (or were) many subspecies that had developed a distinctive appearance, social structure, and other traits. For example, the Japanese wolf and the Eastern Timber Wolf posses different distinctive colouration, hunting and social structures.
The Indian Wolf is thought to have contributed to the development of more breeds of dogs than other subspecies. Many of today's wild dogs, such as the dingo, the dhole and pariah dogs, are descended from this wolf.
The Indian wolf is also thought to have bred with descendants of the European wolf to create the Mastiffs and eventually leading to the development of such diverse breeds as the Pug, the Saint Bernard, and the Bloodhound. The Tibetan Mastiff is an example of an ancient breed.
The European wolf, in turn, may have contributed many of its attributes to the Spitz dog types, most terriers, and many of today's sheepdogs. The Chinese wolf is probably ancestor to the Pekingese and toy spaniels, although it is also probable that descendants of the Chinese and European wolves encountered each other over the millennia, contributing to many of the oriental toy breeds.
The Eastern Timber Wolf is a direct ancestor to most, if not all, of the North American northern sled dog types. This interbreeding still occurs with dogs living in the Arctic region, where the attributes of the wolf that enable survival in a hostile environment are valued by humans. Additionally, unintentional crossbreeding occurs simply because dogs and wolves live in the same environment. The general reproductive isolation which is required to define dogs and wolves as separate species is purely a result of lack of opportunity, stemming from a general mutual unfamiliarity, suspicion, mistrust, and fear.
The phenotypic characteristic that distinguish a wolf from a dog are tenuous. Wolves typically have a "brush tail" and erect ears. While some dog breeds possess one of these characteristics, they rarely possess both.
Current research indicates that domestication, or the attributes of a domesticated animal, can occur much more quickly than previously believed. Domestication of a wild dog may occur within one or two human generations with deliberate selective breeding. It is also now generally believed that initial domestication was through mutual desire. Wild canines who scavenged around human habitations received more food than their more skittish or fearful counterparts. Canines who attacked people or their children were likely killed or driven away, while those more friendly animals survived. Canines would have been beneficial by chasing away other vermin or scavengers. With their sharp senses, they would also be valuable as an alarm against marauding predators. The relationship is theorized to have developed in this way.
In a number of countries around the world, apart from being kept as pets, certain breeds of dogs are slaughtered as a source of meat and specifically raised on farms for that purpose.
There are numerous dog breeds, over 800 being recognized by various kennel clubs worldwide. As all dog breeds have been derived from mixed-breed dog populations, the term "purebred" has meaning only with respect to a certain number of generations. Many dogs, especially outside the United States and Western Europe, belong to no recognized breed.
A few basic breed types have evolved gradually during the domesticated dog's relationship with man over the last 10,000 or more years, but most modern breeds are of relatively recent derivation. Many of these are the product of a deliberate process of artificial selection. Because of this, some breeds are highly specialized, and there is extraordinary morphological diversity across different breeds. Despite these differences, dogs are able to distinguish dogs from other kinds of animal.
The definition of a dog breed is a matter of some controversy. Some groups use a definition that ultimately requires extreme inbreeding to qualify due to the low gene pool. Dogs that are bred in this manner often end up with severe health or behavioural problems. Other organizations define a breed more loosely, such that an individual may be considered of one breed as long as 75% of its parentage is of that breed. These considerations come into play among breeders who enter their dogs in dog shows. Even prize-winning purebred dogs sometimes possess crippling genetic defects due to inbreeding. These problems are not limited to purebred dogs and can affect mixed-breed populations. The behavior and appearance of a dog of a particular breed can be predicted fairly accurately, while mixed-breed dogs show a broader range of innovative appearance and behavior.
In February 2004, the Canine Studies Institute in Aurora, Ohio, arranged recognized breeds of dogs into ten categories.
Mixed-breed dogs or Mongrels are dogs that do not belong to specific breeds, being mixtures of two or more in variant percentages. Mixed breeds, or dogs with no purebred ancestry, are not inherently "better" or "worse" than purebred dogs as companions, pets, working dogs, or competitors in dog sports. Sometimes mixed-breed dogs are deliberately bred, for example, the Cockapoo, a mixture of Cocker Spaniel and Miniature Poodle. Such deliberate crosses may display hybrid vigor and other desirable traits, but can also lack one or more of the desired traits of their parents, such as temperament or a particular color or coat. However, without genetic testing of the parents, the crosses can sometimes end up inheriting genetic defects that occur in both parental breeds. Deliberately crossing two or more breeds is also a manner of establishing new breeds.
This rapid evolution of dogs from wolves is an example of neoteny or paedomorphism. As with many species, the young wolves are more social and less dominant than adults; therefore, the selection for these characteristics, whether deliberate or inadvertent, is more likely to result in a simple retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood than to generate a complex of independent new changes in behavior. This is true of many domesticated animals, including human beings themselves, who have many characteristics similar to young bonobo. This paedomorphic selection naturally results in a retention of juvenile physical characteristics as well. Compared to wolves, many adult dog breeds retain such juvenile characteristics as soft fuzzy fur, round torsos, large heads and eyes, ears that hang down rather than stand erect, etc.; characteristics which are shared by most juvenile mammals, and therefore generally elicit some degree of protective and nurturing behavior cross-species from most adult mammals, including humans, who term such characteristics "cute" or "appealing".
The example of canine neoteny goes even further, in that the various breeds are differently neotenized according to the type of behavior that was selected.
Of course, dogs in general possess a significant ability to modify their behavior according to experience, including adapting to the behavior of their "pack leaders"—again, humans. This allows them to be trained to behave in a way that is not specifically the most natural to their breed; nevertheless, the accumulated experience of thousands of years shows that some combinations of nature and nurture are quite daunting, for instance, training whippets to guard flocks of sheep.
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This allows them to be trained to behave in a way that is not specifically the most natural to their breed; nevertheless, the accumulated experience of thousands of years shows that some combinations of nature and nurture are quite daunting, for instance, training whippets to guard flocks of sheep. Notable players who have moved on to the NHL:. Of course, dogs in general possess a significant ability to modify their behavior according to experience, including adapting to the behavior of their "pack leaders"—again, humans. Coaches. The example of canine neoteny goes even further, in that the various breeds are differently neotenized according to the type of behavior that was selected. Forwards. Compared to wolves, many adult dog breeds retain such juvenile characteristics as soft fuzzy fur, round torsos, large heads and eyes, ears that hang down rather than stand erect, etc.; characteristics which are shared by most juvenile mammals, and therefore generally elicit some degree of protective and nurturing behavior cross-species from most adult mammals, including humans, who term such characteristics "cute" or "appealing". Defensemen. This paedomorphic selection naturally results in a retention of juvenile physical characteristics as well. Goaltenders. This is true of many domesticated animals, including human beings themselves, who have many characteristics similar to young bonobo. Other achievements:. As with many species, the young wolves are more social and less dominant than adults; therefore, the selection for these characteristics, whether deliberate or inadvertent, is more likely to result in a simple retention of juvenile characteristics into adulthood than to generate a complex of independent new changes in behavior. Personal awards by SM-sarja and SM-liiga:. This rapid evolution of dogs from wolves is an example of neoteny or paedomorphism. Other awards for the club:. Deliberately crossing two or more breeds is also a manner of establishing new breeds. Immonen, a long-time Jokerit player but rookie head coach, was moved from the job in November and Curt Lindström hired to salvage the team. However, without genetic testing of the parents, the crosses can sometimes end up inheriting genetic defects that occur in both parental breeds. The spree of departures, combined with rookie coach Waltteri Immonen's coaching debut, led Jokerit to an abysmal early season, with a win-loss-tie record of 5-11-4 after 20 games. Such deliberate crosses may display hybrid vigor and other desirable traits, but can also lack one or more of the desired traits of their parents, such as temperament or a particular color or coat. The last departure occurred just one day before regular season play started, when goaltender Tim Thomas signed with the Boston Bruins. Sometimes mixed-breed dogs are deliberately bred, for example, the Cockapoo, a mixture of Cocker Spaniel and Miniature Poodle. When the NHL lockout ended in 2005, many players were lost to NHL teams and to other teams in Europe: Campbell, Väänänen, Selänne, Metropolit, Pasi Häkkinen, Valtteri Filppula and Tomi Mäki. Mixed breeds, or dogs with no purebred ancestry, are not inherently "better" or "worse" than purebred dogs as companions, pets, working dogs, or competitors in dog sports. After the NHL lockout. Mixed-breed dogs or Mongrels are dogs that do not belong to specific breeds, being mixtures of two or more in variant percentages. The two teams faced off in the finals, with Jokerit losing three games to one and having to settle for the silver. In February 2004, the Canine Studies Institute in Aurora, Ohio, arranged recognized breeds of dogs into ten categories. With a strong team, Jokerit looked set to win the regular season and take the championship when an inexplicable late-season collapse allowed Kärpät to take and keep the regular season lead. The behavior and appearance of a dog of a particular breed can be predicted fairly accurately, while mixed-breed dogs show a broader range of innovative appearance and behavior. Teemu Selänne officially joined the Jokerit lineup in December, but he spent the spring rehabbing his injured knee and was unable to play any games for the team. These problems are not limited to purebred dogs and can affect mixed-breed populations. As the NHL lockout was extended, Jokerit hired Brian Campbell, and Ossi Väänänen returned to his hometown team from the Colorado Avalanches in December. Even prize-winning purebred dogs sometimes possess crippling genetic defects due to inbreeding. Thomas played in every game of the season bar two with a save percentage of 94.59% and a record-breaking 15 shutouts, for which he won the "Kultainen kypärä" MVP award. These considerations come into play among breeders who enter their dogs in dog shows. Another important Jokerit acquisition was goalie Tim Thomas from the Boston Bruins organization. Other organizations define a breed more loosely, such that an individual may be considered of one breed as long as 75% of its parentage is of that breed. Metropolit became a firm fan favorite, and many were sorry to see him leave the Finnish league after the 2004-05 season. Dogs that are bred in this manner often end up with severe health or behavioural problems. In the spring of 2003 Jokerit acquired forward Glen Metropolit from the Washington Capitals organization; despite his unimpressive NHL record, Metropolit became scoring leader of Jokerit in both the 2003-04 regular season and playoffs, as well as the 2004-05 regular season. Some groups use a definition that ultimately requires extreme inbreeding to qualify due to the low gene pool. The 2002-03 and 03-04 seasons yielded no medals for Jokerit. The definition of a dog breed is a matter of some controversy. Jokerit won their sixth Finnish championship in 2002. Despite these differences, dogs are able to distinguish dogs from other kinds of animal. In the 2000s, the management have regained what the supporters consider more reasonable an attitude by concentrating back on SM-Liiga, but the line-ups have had a notable turnover rate between seasons - a distinct core has not developed or been preserved. Because of this, some breeds are highly specialized, and there is extraordinary morphological diversity across different breeds. To the next millennium. Many of these are the product of a deliberate process of artificial selection. However, despite having sparkling line-ups, their performance fluctuated, ending up winning "only" Finnish bronze in 1998 and silver in 2000, and repeatedly having no success in European Hockey League (which turned out as a major flop in itself). A few basic breed types have evolved gradually during the domesticated dog's relationship with man over the last 10,000 or more years, but most modern breeds are of relatively recent derivation. As they set foot at Hartwall Areena, the club signed several star reinforcements seen to be required to win the two professional leagues and to replace the now slightly aged core. Many dogs, especially outside the United States and Western Europe, belong to no recognized breed. Most of these plans did not meet with success, but the new venue turned out to be a gold-mine for the club's business. As all dog breeds have been derived from mixed-breed dog populations, the term "purebred" has meaning only with respect to a certain number of generations. They focused on the new European Hockey League expecting it to evolve into a competition more money-making than SM-Liiga, and sought various other ways to expand. There are numerous dog breeds, over 800 being recognized by various kennel clubs worldwide. Ownership was reformed into Jokerit HC Oyj, a public limited company. In a number of countries around the world, apart from being kept as pets, certain breeds of dogs are slaughtered as a source of meat and specifically raised on farms for that purpose. His efforts yielded Jokerit their own home venue Hartwall Areena in 1997 - first such privately owned in Europe. The relationship is theorized to have developed in this way. Harkimo further converted the club from semi-professionalism towards his ideal of professional sports entertainment, which was unmistakably adopted from NHL. With their sharp senses, they would also be valuable as an alarm against marauding predators. Together with the above-mentioned junior champions they formed a core of a dynasty of thriving times: Jokerit won Finnish championship in 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1997, and European Cup in 1995 and 1996, plus Finnish silver once and European bronze once. Canines would have been beneficial by chasing away other vermin or scavengers. Several successful acquisitions were signed, most memorably Otakar Janecky, who manned the first line center for several seasons, becoming the club's all-time best point scorer; Petri Varis, who became the club's best goal scorer of the 1990s; and forward Antti Törmänen. Canines who attacked people or their children were likely killed or driven away, while those more friendly animals survived. Thus, they were able to reinforce the team with first class talent. Wild canines who scavenged around human habitations received more food than their more skittish or fearful counterparts. In a few years, Jokerit were the wealthiest Finnish sports club. It is also now generally believed that initial domestication was through mutual desire. This proved to be the final stroke of luck the club needed: the disagreements vanished once and for all and Harry Harkimo established himself as an efficient businessman, being able to conduct a rapid recovery of the economy. Domestication of a wild dog may occur within one or two human generations with deliberate selective breeding. He appointed himself the chairman of the board, discontinued all managerial positions and nominated his wife Leena Harkimo the managing director (who held the task up to her election to the Parliament of Finland in 1999). Current research indicates that domestication, or the attributes of a domesticated animal, can occur much more quickly than previously believed. In 1991 an investor withdrew and board member Harry Harkimo got credentials to a double majority of shares. While some dog breeds possess one of these characteristics, they rarely possess both. The Harkimo era. Wolves typically have a "brush tail" and erect ears. But once again, despite the phenomenal boost in popularity supported by the prominent scorer Selänne and other young star players, the owners ran into severe financial problems, caused by incompetent management and disagreements within the board. The phenotypic characteristic that distinguish a wolf from a dog are tenuous. The team, reinforced with the junior champions, orchestrated a quick promotion back to the top level, now called SM-liiga. The general reproductive isolation which is required to define dogs and wolves as separate species is purely a result of lack of opportunity, stemming from a general mutual unfamiliarity, suspicion, mistrust, and fear. Kalervo Kummola, who played the leading role assembling the company, sat in its board up to 2002. Additionally, unintentional crossbreeding occurs simply because dogs and wolves live in the same environment. They established Jokeri-Hockey Oy and became the first limited company based sports club in Finland. This interbreeding still occurs with dogs living in the Arctic region, where the attributes of the wolf that enable survival in a hostile environment are valued by humans. Now that the club was spiced with such promising, new willing owners turned up to save them. The Eastern Timber Wolf is a direct ancestor to most, if not all, of the North American northern sled dog types. In 1988 their 20-year-olds won the Finnish junior championship with several prospective stars: defenceman Waltteri Immonen would be captain of the team 1991-1999; Mika Strömberg the club's all-time best-scoring defenceman; Ari Sulander the main goaltender 1993-1998; forward Keijo Säilynoja a goal scorer and a penalty-shot specialist; and Teemu Selänne the NHL record-breaker. The Chinese wolf is probably ancestor to the Pekingese and toy spaniels, although it is also probable that descendants of the Chinese and European wolves encountered each other over the millennia, contributing to many of the oriental toy breeds. In the middle of the bleakest hour of their history, with Jokeriklubin Tuki Ry seeking to discontinue their association, new blood was rushed into Jokerit. The European wolf, in turn, may have contributed many of its attributes to the Spitz dog types, most terriers, and many of today's sheepdogs. Jokerit faced the imminent relegation in 1987. The Tibetan Mastiff is an example of an ancient breed. Few others, apart from the longtime goaltender Rauli Sohlman, remained. The Indian wolf is also thought to have bred with descendants of the European wolf to create the Mastiffs and eventually leading to the development of such diverse breeds as the Pug, the Saint Bernard, and the Bloodhound. The first line was a shambles as wing Risto Kerminen departed and center Jari Lindroos almost did, but though he had signed elsewhere, the contract was illegitimately nullified. Many of today's wild dogs, such as the dingo, the dhole and pariah dogs, are descended from this wolf. Only a few years later, they had to avert bankruptcy twice, which struck a blow to their credibility, as a mass desertion of the players ensued. The Indian Wolf is thought to have contributed to the development of more breeds of dogs than other subspecies. However, the management ran into unexpected financial problems, and success soon withered. For example, the Japanese wolf and the Eastern Timber Wolf posses different distinctive colouration, hunting and social structures. They had a near-perfect season, losing only the 1983 finals extremely narrowly - and bitterly - to local rivals. Although all wolves belong to the species Canis lupus, there are (or were) many subspecies that had developed a distinctive appearance, social structure, and other traits. Having signed mainly outcasts of other clubs, they suddenly hit jackpot: Soviet Union's national team defenceman Nikolai Makarov was transferred to Jokerit. The detailed history remains unexplored and until further evidence is available, the following section on wolf ancestors must be considered purely speculative. Under new management, the club didn't instantly shake off its wobbliness, but then they peaked for one season. Their results indicate multiple independent origins of dogs and/or of frequent interbreeding between early proto-dogs and wolves throughout a vast geographic range. New owners, Jokeriklubin Tuki Ry, were a conventional association supervised by its board. Verginelli examined ancient DNA evidence from five prehistoric Italian canids carbon-dated to between 15,000 and 3,000 years old, 341 wolves from several populations worldwide, and 547 purebred dogs. When a replacement candidate turned up in 1980, Mäkinen retired from the ownership, though he went on in the club's junior organisation up to the 1990s. On balance, and in agreement with the archaeological evidence, 15,000 years ago is the most likely time for the wolf-dog divergence. With Mäkinen's controversial manner of management added to these, the club turned into a center of turbulence. (2005), however, suggest both sets of dates must be reevaluated in light of recent findings showing that poorly calibrated molecular clocks have systematically overestimated the age of geologically recent events. Success slowly declined and Jokerit had to qualify against relegation several times. Verginelli et al. He started downsizing the team's budget by methodically replacing departing stars with junior players. (2002) indicated a "common origin from a single gene pool for all dog populations" between 40,000 and 15,000 years ago in East Asia. Despite winning Finnish championship silver in 1971 and gold in 1973, Jokerit didn't develop financially profitable for Mäkinen. Vilà, Savolainen, and colleagues (1997) concluded that dogs split off from wolves between 75,000 and 135,000 years ago, while a subsequent analysis by Savolainen et al. Kanada-sarja didn't survive the 1970s, but Jokerit benefitted from it through a steady flow of emerging talent including Jari Kurri, and by gaining a strong popular base in the outer urban zones of Helsinki. Genetic analyses have so far yielded divergent results. Mäkinen also enhanced the club's junior organisation by launching a competition of their own, called Kanada-sarja, with 500 participating junior players, a figure that cumulatively tripled in a few years. Dog burials at the Mesolithic cemetery of Svaerdborg in Denmark suggest that in ancient Europe dogs were valued companions. This became the trademark of Jokerit that stuck all the way to the late 1990s. Rock art and skeletal remains indicate that by 14,000 years ago, dogs were present from North Africa across Eurasia to North America. He guided the team, with success, towards a play that demanded technique and clever tactics. Remains of smaller dogs from Mesolithic (Natufian) cave deposits in the Middle East, dated to around 12,000 years ago, have been interpreted as descendants of a lighter Southwest Asian wolf, Canis lupus arabs. Lampainen, however, reckoned physical play unsuitable for the line-up at hand (consider nallipyssyketju). Their likely ancestor is the large northern Holarctic wolf, Canis lupus lupus. SM-sarja underwent a tactical revolution as physical, mean play became a means to success. The earliest dog fossils, two crania from Russia and a mandible from Germany, date from 13,000 to 17,000 years ago. In 1969, IIHF had loosened amateur rules by permitting bodychecking anywhere in the rink (old rules allowed bodychecking only in defensive end). Domesticated dogs may have interbred with local populations of wild wolves on several occasions (so-called introgression). Other mentionworthy reinforcements, that came later, were forward Jouko Öystilä and defenceman Timo Saari, and finally, head coach Matti Lampainen. Fossil bone morphologies and genetic analysis of current and ancient dog and wolf populations have not yet been able to conclusively determine whether all dogs descend from a single domestication event, or whether dogs were domesticated independently in more than one location. Among them were the national team regulars defenceman Ilpo Koskela with forwards Henry Leppä and Timo Sutinen, whose relationship with the club lasted long. Converging archaeological and genetic evidence indicate a time of domestication in the late Upper Paleolithic close to the Pleistocene/Holocene boundary, between 17,000 and 14,000 years ago. Immediately after the promotion was secured, Mäkinen began an aggressive acquisition of star players. Wolf remains have been found in association with hominid remains dating from 400,000 years ago. Promotion to the highest level, SM-sarja, took place two years later. The relationship between man and canine has deep roots. With him, Pentti Hiiros and Timo Kyntölä would form nallipyssyketju ("cap gun line", referring to their lack of height - Hiiros was the tallest at 172 cm) until 1975, when the latter retired. As reflected in the nomenclature, dogs are a subspecies of wolf and are thus still able to interbreed. Even though dramatic changes in the line-up did not appear directly, only a few players from Töölön Vesa saw prolonged employment: Timo Turunen would be the most distinguished, remaining even today as the club's all-time goal scoring leader. Molecular systematics indicate that the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) descends from one or more populations of wild wolves (Canis lupus). Mäkinen did not intend his new club to loiter in the lower series. In the UK, it is illegal to kill dogs, even if they are on your private land; you are required to contact your local Police Force, DogsTrust, or the local branch of the RSPCA, who will arrange its collection. Their home venue was Helsingin jäähalli. Feral dogs often form predatory packs that attack livestock and occasionally also prove dangerous to humans. The insignia, winking jester, was adapted from jokers of various card decks and drawn by graphic designer Jorma Hinkka. Abandoned domestic dogs who become feral are particularly dangerous; they lack the survival skills of wild canines, as well as the genetic and learned fear of the humans' world. The club's sole owner Mäkinen chose to wield sovereign power, becoming in practice also the board and managing director. Bodies are sometimes tied to fences as warning to other dogs, especially in rural United States and Canada. Officially Jokerit were established on October 27th 1967 at their constitutional meeting. Wild dogs are shot by farmers in an effort to protect livestock. Master-builder Aimo Mäkinen seized the opportunity to establish a semi-professional sports club of his own, and for the price of half of Vesa's ice hockey debts the new ice hockey club inherited everything, including junior players and the vacant position in second highest Finnish series, Suomen sarja. The same creatures that wolves, coyotes, and foxes attack as prey, especially sheep and poultry, are similarly attractive prey to dogs. Jokerit would not exist without the debts-incurred ice hockey branch of Töölön Vesa amateur sports club, who were faced with having to discontinue their resource-demanding ice hockey activities in 1967. In most jurisdictions, dogs are destroyed for killing other creatures, so dogs should be prevented from any encounter with livestock or wildlife that might lead to a predatory response. Early history. With formidable skills and weapons as hunters as well as large and unfussy appetites, dogs often menace livestock and wildlife. . Canine aggression upon humans is ordinarily not tolerated, but any human aggression against an animal having formidable means of self-defense is foolhardy in the extreme. They play in Helsinki, Finland at the Hartwall Areena. There are hundreds of shades of provocation that may or may not lead to an attack upon a human. Jokerit are an ice hockey team in the Finnish SM-liiga. Provocation can range from something as seemingly innocuous as a toddler pulling a dog's tail, in which case the dog might nip to discourage the behavior, to something completely inobvious to humans, such as an odor or a movement that sets a dog off, to blatant human aggression or violence towards a dog, causing it to defend itself. 91 Otakar Janecky. However, their sharp teeth and claws can inflict injury in an attack; a large dog can knock a human down. 24 Waltteri Immonen. After thousands of years of domestication and selective breeding for dogs whose aggression towards humans goes no further than a ferocious bark that strongly indicates dislike of a human behavior, most dogs are unlikely to attack people. 5 Esa Tikkanen. Animals are often given attributes such as "loyal", "cute", and "guardian", but these all have the potential to lure people into a false sense of security. Sean Bergenheim (Jokerit 2001-2004; New York Islanders 1st round pick in the 2002 draft, #22 overall). Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals, particularly pets such as dogs, which are generally portrayed as being "man's best friend". Ossi Väänänen (Jokerit 1996-2000; Phoenix Coyotes 2nd round pick in the 1998 draft, #43 overall). More research is needed to determine the intelligence level of dogs, and the motivations behind their responses to their masters. Kari Lehtonen (Jokerit 1999-2003; Atlanta Thrashers 1st round pick in the 2002 draft, #2 overall). Despite understandably positive interpretations by dog owners, it is questionable whether these animals are truly capable of feeling emotions on a human level. Teemu Selänne (Jokerit 1988-92; Winnipeg Jets 1st round pick in the 1988 draft, #10 overall). Nevertheless, it is often unwise to anthropomorphize the responses of dogs. Jari Kurri (Jokerit 1977-80; Edmonton Oilers 4th round pick in the 1980 draft, #69 overall). Some research demonstrates that dogs are able to convey a depth of emotion not seen to the same extent in any other animal; this is purportedly due to their closely-knit development with modern man, and the survival-benefits of such communication as dogs became more dependent on humans for sustenance. forward Glen Metropolit (2003-05). Many dogs are reported to have separation anxiety if their owner is away for an extended period of time. forward Petri Varis (1993-97, 1999-2002, 2003-05). Empirically, dogs are quite dependent on human companionship and may suffer poor health in its absence. forward Juha Lind (1990-97, 98-99, 2004-05). Many dog owners consider having unconditional acceptance from a friend who is always happy to see them to be quite utilitarian, particularly if the dog also leads them to regular exercise. Sami Helenius (2003-04). Consequently, dogs are popular as pets and companions, independent of any utilitarian considerations. Juha Lind (1991-99, 2004-2005). Relationships between humans and dogs are often characterized by strong emotional bonds. Petri Varis (September-November 2005). Excitement is evident as they see the hunters load weapons, take to the field, and begin the hunt. Marko Jantunen (November 2005-). Hunters with dogs report the satisfaction that the dogs seem to exhibit. 94 - Teemu Kuusisto. Many hound breeds are excellent at treeing raccoons during hunting season. 72 - Roman Vopat. When trained, beagles are particularly adept at chasing through thick briars and brush after rabbits. 61 - Tommi Oksa. They typically have large, gentle muzzles to mitigate any potential damage to the game. 44 - Riku Rahikainen. They can follow hand, verbal, and whistle commands at great distance as the hunter directs them to the downed bird. 39 - Jesse Uronen (juniors). At command, they dive into the icy water, swim out and retrieve the birds one by one. 38 - Arto Kuki. They can spend long hours in a duck blind and, after the hunter has fired at multiple ducks or geese, they can visually spot and remember the location of downed birds. 30 - Esa Kivistö. As water dogs, the retrievers are unsurpassed. 23 - Petri Varis. Once the hunter approaches, at his command they will flush the birds to fly and for the hunter to shoot at. 22 - Tommi Santala. They have a native ability to discover and "hold" upland game birds; to freeze them momentarily on the ground with their silent, elongated pointing stance. 20 - Petri Pakaslahti. Setters in particular have a long history as upland gun dogs. 18 - Ilari Filppula. This often strengthens the bond between human and dog, since they must trust one another in a variety of environments and must learn how the other works and thinks. 16 - Toni Dahlman. Many people compete with their dogs in a variety of dog sports, including agility, flyball, and many others. 15 - Arto Koivisto. Dogs are also used for searching for or rescuing people and animals, such as in avalanches, at disaster sites, and for missing people or pets. 13 - Hannes Hyvönen. Most modern working dogs are put in positions which capitalize on their sensory or strength and endurance advantages over normal humans. 11 - Tomek Valtonen. Dogs have served as guides for the blind, as commandos, and have flown into outer space. 9 - Tony Virta (injured). There are service dogs, guard dogs, hunting dogs, and herding dogs. 77 - Martti Järventie. Many breeds of dogs, but not least German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, and Border Collie are commonly used as working dogs. 61 - Tero Konttinen. An assertive dog may consider itself the alpha animal, considering its human master to be subordinate. 40 - Sami Lepistö. The dog is always aware of its rank relative to other individuals in the group. 26 - Jan Latvala. Dogs thrive in human society because their relationships with humans mimic their natural social patterns. 25 - Kari Martikainen. Dog society can be thought of as dog packs characterized by a companionate hierarchy, in which each individual has a rank, and in which there is intense loyalty within the group. 21 - Kevin Kantee. Dogs thrive in small social groups or packs which, from their viewpoint, can include humans. 14 - Ville Uusitalo. The relationship between dogs and humans is rooted in history and dogs coexist with humans in a variety of ways. 12 - Markus Kankaanperä. Most dog owners have a large collection of stories about their dogs recognizing individuals by their footsteps outside the door, and so on. 7 - Mikko Kalteva. This ability to read and deliver nonverbal cues makes dogs expert at reading human beings, as well, often even more so than other humans are, who rely on language. 4 - Samuli Jalkanen. Physiologically, this correlates with such features as a large number of nerves innervating the facial muscles of dogs, allowing subtle control of a wide variety of facial expressions; in contrast to cats, for instance, who have many fewer nerves governing their facial muscles, resulting in a smaller repertoire or "vocabulary" of expressions. 63 - Tom Askey. The requirements of coordinating complex social behavior requires that canines have the ability to sense and deliver a wide variety of cues via body language, more so than for even humans, who can use language for the same purpose. 29 - Steve Passmore. All dogs have a tremendous capacity to learn complex social behavior and to interpret varied body language and sounds, and, like many predators, can react to and learn from novel situations. 35 - Joonas Hallikainen. Gastric torsion and bloat is a dangerous problem in some large-chested breeds. 34 - Niko Hovinen (juniors). Dogs are also susceptible to the same ailments that humans are, including diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, and arthritis. In the 2004-05 season, Tim Thomas broke the SM-liiga shutout record with 15 shutouts during the regular season. Some breeds of dogs are also prone to certain genetic ailments, such as hip dysplasia, luxating patellas, cleft palate, blindness, or deafness. Best coach (since 1978): Reijo Ruotsalainen 1983, Raimo Summanen 2002. Internal parasites include hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms, and heartworms. Best plus/minus (since 1978): Arto Sirviö 1984, Waltteri Immonen 1992, Erik Hämäläinen 1993, Petri Varis 1996. Common external parasites are various species of fleas, ticks, and mites. Gentleman player (since 1954): Jari Kapanen 1975, Teemu Selänne 1991, Keijo Säilynoja 1992, Waltteri Immonen 1996, Ville Peltonen 2003. Diseases commonly associated with dogs include rabies (hydrophobia), canine parvovirus, and canine distemper, and pulmonic stenosis, although there are many others. Most goals in regular season: Timo Turunen 1973 and 1974 (shared), Teemu Selänne 1992, Petri Varis 1997, Pasi Saarela 1999. Dogs are susceptible to various diseases, ailments, and poisons, some of which affect humans in the same way, others of which are unique to dogs. Most points in regular season: Timo Turunen 1973, Timo Sutinen 1974 and 1975, Petri Varis 1997 and 2001. It is said that the animals, not just dogs, could sense the tsunami and could therefore flee for life. Best defenceman (since 1978): Nikolai Makarov 1983, Erik Hämäläinen 1993, Mika Strömberg 1996. For example, during the tsunami in Southern Asia recently, many animals were seen days before fleeing to the hills. Best goaltender (since 1978): Rauli Sohlman 1983, Ari Sulander 1996, Kari Lehtonen 2002 and 2003. The evolutionary ability of sensing weather can be traced back to when wolves used it to move the pack into proper shelter before a dangerous storm. Best player (Kultainen kypärä, since 1987): Teemu Selänne 1991, Tim Thomas 2005. This is due to their keen ability to detect fluctuations in barometric pressure and can explain a dog's anxiety before and during a storm. Aaro Kivilinnan muistopalkinto (best Finnish club age classes combined, since 1973): 1976, 1996, 1997 (shared), 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003. Dogs also have the ability to sense inclement weather (mainly thunderstorms) many miles away. three times silver and four times bronze. It has been observed that a lost dog can often find its way home, sometimes traveling over long distances. C-juniors (16-year-olds) 1976, 1977, 1978, 1997, 2000
The characteristics and behavior of these two types of scent trail would seem, after some thought, to be quite different, the air scent being intermittent but perhaps less obscured by competing scents, whereas the ground scent would be relatively permanent with respect to careful and repetitive search by the dog, but would seem to be much more contaminated with other scents. four times silver. What information a dog actually detects when he is scenting is not perfectly understood; although once a matter of debate, it now seems to be well established that dogs can distinguish two different types of scents when trailing, an air scent from some person or thing that has recently passed by, as well as a ground scent that remains detectable for a much longer period. A-juniors (20-year-olds) 1988, 1996, 1999, 2000
They can identify a sound's location much faster than a human can, and they can hear sounds up to four times the distance that humans can. bronze 1993. Dogs detect sounds as low as the 16 to 20 Hz frequency range (compared to 20 to 70 Hz for humans) and as high as 70,000 to 100,000 Hz (compared to 20,000 Hz for humans)2, and in addition have a degree of ear mobility that helps them to rapidly pinpoint the exact location of a sound. European Cup 1995, 1996
It has also been suggested that dogs see in varieties of purple/violet and yellow shades. Dogs were thought to be dichromats and thus, by human standards, color blind.1, 2 New research is now being explored that suggests that dogs may actually see some colour, but not to the extent that humans do. Dogs are predators and scavengers, possessing sharp teeth and strong jaws for attacking, holding, and tearing their food. Within the range of extremes, dogs generally share attributes with their wild ancestors, the wolves. Modern dog breeds show more variation in size, appearance, and behavior than any other domestic animal. Many veterinarians recommend that owners neuter/spay their pets around the age of 5 months. A female dog can become pregnant on her first heat cycle (which can take place as early as six months), and should be kept away from intact male dogs, including littermates, over the age of 4 months. Contrary to myth, it is not required for a female dog to either experience a heat cycle or have puppies before spaying, and likewise, a male dog does not need the experience of mating before neutering; these myths are responsible for numerous unnecessary health problems and unwanted puppies. The hormonal changes involved are sure to change the animal's personality somewhat, and some object to this angle as the sterilization in itself could be carried out without the excision of organs. Spaying and neutering can also help prevent hormone-driven diseases such as breast cancer and prostate cancer, as well as undesired hormone-driven behaviors. It is also common for adult stray dogs who are placed in animal shelters to be euthanized due to lack of space and resources. Unwanted puppies are abandoned, eaten, or sometimes disposed of in an inhumane fashion. Dog experts advise that dogs not intended for further breeding should be spayed or neutered so that they do not have undesired puppies. Spaying or neutering refers to the removal of the male testicles or the female ovaries and uterus, in order to remove the capability to procreate, and to kill the libido. For example, the Bulldog often requires artificial insemination and almost always requires cesarean section for giving birth. Some breeds have been developed to emphasize certain physical traits beyond the point at which they can safely bear litters on their own. Since a mother can only provide nutrients and care to a limited number of offspring, humans must assist in the care and feeding when the litter exceeds approximately eight puppies. An average litter consists of about six puppies, though this number may vary widely based on the breed of dog. Dogs bear their litters roughly 9 weeks after fertilization. This rule is altered in domesticated animals since larger litters are often favoured for economic reasons. A general rule of thumb is that a mammal will produce half as many offspring as the number of teats on the mother. The different rates of maturation are responsible for the menarche, not the chronological age. Like most mammals, the age that a bitch first comes into season is mostly a function of her current body weight as a proportion of her body weight when fully mature. Most bitches come into season for the first time between 6 and 12 months, although some larger breeds delay until as late as 2 years. Conversely, undomesticated canine species experience estrus once a year, typically in late winter. This is also called in season or in heat. The amount of time between cycles varies greatly among different dogs, but a particular dog's cycle tends to be consistent through her life. The ability of female domestic dog to come into estrus at any time of the year and usually twice a year is also valued. In domestic dogs, one of the behaviours that is noted is the abolition of the pair bond seen in wild canines. As with most domesticated species, one of the first and strongest effects seen from selective breeding is selection for cooperation with the breeding process as directed by humans. Dog owners may accidentally allow their pets to breed without regard to bloodlines. Dog breeders also have accurate information on the complexities of the reproductive process for the breed of dog that they are accustomed to handling. Dog breeders have access to records which allow them to accurately guess which characteristics will "breed true" in a particular dog. Breeders who do this are usually experienced in this process. Sometimes dogs are bred to create puppies to sell, or sometimes to carry on an award-winning purebred line. Among professional breeders, dogs are only allowed to mate for a specific purpose. Dogs also may find some poisons attractive, including antifreeze and snail bait. Alcoholic beverages pose much the same temptation and hazard to dogs as to humans. Some human medications, such as acetaminophen/paracetamol (Tylenol), are highly toxic to dogs. Some foods commonly enjoyed by humans are dangerous to dogs, including chocolate (Theobromine poisoning), onions, grapes and raisins, Macadamia nuts, and hops. For a discussion on one use of treats in training, see clicker training. Such dogs might consider anything dropped by humans, including small but indigestible objects (such as marbles, coins, rings, etc.), to be treats as well, which could be dangerous to the dogs when ingested. Many dogs consider anything given to them directly by hand to be a treat, even the food they are accustomed to at meal time. Eating grass might make the dog vomit, so one explanation is that dogs eat grass to remove unwanted content from their stomachs. Explanations abound, but rationales such as that it neutralizes acid are just guesses. Dogs sometimes eat grass, a harmless activity. This research is also true of other mammals. It has also been noted that extremely stressful conditions, such as the Iditarod race and scientific studies of similar conditions, suggest that high-protein diets including meat help prevent damage to muscle tissue. In the wild these diets are typically pursued in the absence of available meat. Some sources suggest that a dog fed on a stict vegetarian diet may develop dilated cardiomyopathy since it lacks L-carnitine.[3]. Domestic dogs can survive healthily on a reasonable and carefully designed vegetarian diet, particularly if eggs and milk products are included. Wild canines not only eat available plants to obtain key amino acids, but may also obtain nutrients from vegetable matter from the stomach contents of their herbivorous prey. Dogs are able to healthily digest a variety of foods including vegetables and grains, and in fact can consume a large proportion of these in their diet. Unlike an obligate carnivore, such as a cat, a dog is not dependent on meat protein in order to fulfill its dietary requirements. The classification in the Order Carnivora does not necessarily mean that a dog's diet must be restricted to meat. Presently, there is academic discussion as to whether domestic dogs are omnivores or carnivores. For a detailed discussion on what dog intelligence is, see dog intelligence. Anecdotal evidence suggests that dogs have a reasonably high intelligence. Among dog lovers, dogs are generally valued for their intelligence. They have small, tight feet, and walk on their toes. Its skeleton provides the ability to run and leap. Like most other predatory mammals, the dog has powerful muscles, a cardiovascular system that supports both sprinting and endurance, and teeth for catching, holding, and tearing. Although selective breeding has changed the appearance of many breeds, all dogs retain the basic ingredients from their distant ancestors. Many additional terms are used for dogs that are not purebred; see Terms for mixed-breed dogs. The word is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae (as in "the dog family"), such as wolves, foxes and coyotes. Dog, in common usage, refers to the domestic pet dog, Canis lupus familiaris (originally classified as Canis familiaris by Linnaeus in 1758, but reclassified as a subspecies of the wolf, Canis lupus, by the Smithsonian Institution and the American Society of Mammalogists in 1993). . In other cultures, some dogs are used as food. Dogs have lived with and worked with humans in so many roles that their loyalty has earned them the sobriquet "man's best friend." Conversely, some cultures consider dogs to be unclean. In many countries, the most common and perhaps most important role of dogs is as companions. For dogs that do not have traditional jobs, a wide range of dog sports provide the opportunity to exhibit their natural skills. Dogs fill a variety of roles in human society and are often trained as working dogs. Dogs, like humans, are highly social animals and pack hunters; this similarity in their overall behavioral pattern accounts for their trainability, playfulness, and ability to fit into human households and social situations. 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), and colors range from white to black, with reds, grays (usually called blue), and browns occurring in a tremendous variation of patterns. In this time, the dog has developed into hundreds of breeds with a great degree of variation. Dogs were first domesticated from wolves at least 15000 years ago[1] but perhaps as long as 150,000 years ago based on recent genetic fossil evidence and DNA evidence[2]. The dog is a canine mammal of the Order Carnivora. It too has the body plan of an adult canine predator. The least paedomorphic behavior pattern may be that of the basenji, bred in Africa to hunt alongside humans almost on a peer basis; this breed is often described as highly independent, neither needing nor appreciating a great deal of human attention or nurturing, often described as "catlike" in its behavior. Terriers similarly have adult aggressive behavior, famously coupled with a lack of juvenile submission, and display correspondingly adult physical features such as erect ears, although many breeds have also been selected for size and sometimes dwarfed legs to enable them to pursue prey in their burrows. This contrasts with sighthounds, who pursue and attack perceived prey on sight, and who maintain the mature canine body type with erect ears, lean bodies, and adult coats. Scenthounds maintain an intermediate body type and behavior pattern that causes them to actually pursue prey by tracking their scent, but tend to refrain from actual individual attacks in favor of vocally summoning the pack leaders (in this case, humans) to do the job. Their physical characteristics are closer to that of the mature wild canine than the sheepdog breeds, but they typically do not have erect ears, etc. Similarly, they seize dead or wounded prey and bring it back to the "pack", even though they did not attack it themselves, that is, "retrieving" behavior. They identify potential prey and freeze into immobility, for instance, but refrain from then stalking the prey as an adult predator would do next; this results in the "pointing" behavior for which such dogs are bred. Gun dog breeds used in hunting—that is, pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers—have an intermediate degree of paedomorphism; they are at the point where they share in the pack's hunting behavior, but are still in a junior role, not participating in the actual attack. (Compare to the physical appearance of the border collie, a sheep herding dog, whose physical configuration is closer to that of an adult wild canine and who therefore has a greater capacity to frighten sheep into a desired pattern of movement, along with the more adult aggressive temperament to do so). In addition, they retain very juvenile physical characteristics such as round bodies and heads, soft coats, ears that hang down, and so on, which do not elicit fear responses from the sheep in the way that an appearance similar to that of an adult wolf would. Livestock guardian dogs retain the most juvenile characteristics: they stay close to home with their foster "litter" (which might include a flock of sheep), rather than going out hunting, they have almost no predatory behavior (which would be disastrous in the vicinity of such a natural prey stimulus as sheep), they respond to perceived threats with a lot of vocalization and attempts to alert and engage the dominant individuals in their "pack" (i.e. humans) whenever possible, engaging in actual combat only as a last resort. Canine in common usage is a synonym for dog or an adjective meaning dog; for example, in the common expression "canine companion". Pooch, Poochie, Pup, Puppy, Doggy, Doggie are all informal and affectionate terms for a dog often used by children. Puppy is a juvenile dog. Pack is used to denote a group of dogs. Bitch is a female dog. Dog is also a term used by breeders to specifically denote a male domestic dog. |