Dogs

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 far 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.

Much of dog behavior can be correlated to pack behavior. Being pack animals, dog instinctively need to be around other animals. Due to this behavior, dogs will submit to humans and obey commands. This is probably why they have thrived so much in our society.

Dogs are very energetic as pups, particularly between 3 months and 1 year old, and some remain nearly as active and playful all their lives. Puppies love to play with toys and run, which helps muscle and bone development and improves their cardiovascular condition.

Interactions between Dogs and Humans

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. In healthy relationships, where the dog is expected to obey its human, the human is more often than not the alpha or leader.

Dogs as working partners

Many breeds of dogs 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 that capitalize on their sensory prowess 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.

Dogs as hunting and sporting partners

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.

Dogs have been used as hunting companions since prehistory; hunting and guarding are probably the oldest uses for dogs.[9] Today, hunting dogs are still widely used in many capacities, for finding, tracking, chasing, retrieving, or killing game, and dozens of breeds have been specialized to do certain types of hunting tasks very well. For example, scent hounds excel at following a trail using their noses; retrievers excel at bringing back birds that a hunter has shot; and there are many other specialties.

Dogs as pets

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 their 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.

Attacks on humans and livestock

Humans have a tendency to anthropomorphize animals, particularly pets such as dogs, which are generally portrayed as being "man's best friend". Because of this, people often mistakenly expect a dog to react to situations and scenarios in much the same way as a human would, sometimes leading to unfortunate circumstances.

After thousands of years of domestication and selective breeding for dogs whose aggression towards humans often 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 unobvious 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 killed 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.

Abandoned dogs

Wild dogs are often shot by farmers in an effort to protect livestock. Bodies are sometimes tied to fences as warning to other dogs, especially in rural North America. 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.