Human being would not have got very far it if weren’t for there humble companion and lifelong friend the good old Dog. Yes, they maybe descended from Wolves, but it didn’t take us long to be able to domestic them and bring them into our homes and communities. Dogs have played an essentially part in protecting us, warning us and even providing friendly solace in our darkest hours. A friendly bark, a wag of the tale and a not always welcome lick of the face let us know that we are loved and needed beyond many other animals. They can be working animals, decorative or and help us keep fit and active and even help with our mental wellbeing, all hail the wonderful Dog.

How did we get this far with our relationship with dogs? Their domestication goes back further than Cows and Sheep. Early humans noticed that Wolves would trail along after human groups looking for easy scraps of food. The friendly wolves were welcomed by the humans and in turn they helped to hunt. This mutual corporation spawned a warm affection and, more interestingly the dog evolved WITH us. This means that we have a much deeper understanding with them more than any other animal. We’ve always had each other’s back.

Dogs love treats and praise. Scientific studies consistently show that that they are “hyper social with humans”. To prove this point, a dog will look at the object a human is pointing at rather than the human hand itself. Any example of this is the work of the gun dog. Its natural instinct is to eat the bird but with training and affection shown by the human it will return it as it knows and trusts that it will get a reward and a share of the spoils. Dogs also appear able to recall the faces of owners from photos which means that dogs can store and show emotion and connect with us on a much deeper level. It’s not just on the dog’s side. Studies have also shown that if you stare into our dog’s eyes we start to feel the same responses as if we were looking at babies. It’s no surprise then when people feel the loos of a dog very deeply and will naturally grieve.

We’ve come a long the both of us. Dogs may not help with the hunting as they did, but they are still working as hard as they ever did. They provide us with sight, hearing, mental wellbeing even helping children to learn to read. We owe them so much our best animal friends.

If you want to know how to keep your furry best friend healthy take a look at WebMD’s article. If you want to help prevent having an Itchy Dog take a look at https://www.stinky-stuff.co.uk/product-cat/dog-remedies for an idea on their natural products.