Dogs From Around the World

Australia: Australian Cattle Dog

This breed from the outback has a history, tracing back to the now-extinct black bobtail, a slow, clumsy Australian herder. Once it was bred with the more agile, sheepdog-like Australian kelpie, the dalmatian, the Smithfield, and the dingo, among others, its shepherding skills were much improved.

Britain: English Springer Spaniel

A beloved pet and hunting dog, these dogs were bred to "spring" from cover and rouse prey so that the spaniels' masters could strike. "Springing spaniels" are in an ancient category of dogs that is believed to have originated in Spain, but those such breeds are now extinct.

Canada: Newfoundland

Gentle but gigantic, these sweet and loving dogs were bred in the rugged conditions of eastern Canada, where it is rightly known as a champion work and rescue dog. In 1919, one such dog famously pulled 20 shipwrecked sailors to safety in a lifeboat.

China: Shar-Pei

This breed’s name translates to "rough, sandy coat”. It is a native to the small village called Tai Li, in China's Kwantung Province. The breed has existed in southern China since at least the beginning of the Han Dynasty (c. 200 B.C.E).

Germany: Dachshund

In its native Germany, "dachshund" means "badger dog." The modern dachshund derives from the oldest breeds of German hunting dogs and, despite its size, is just as fearless and fierce while hunting badgers as its ancestors.

Japan: Japanese Chin

With its flat face, and sharing a common ancestor with other similar regional dogs, like the Pekingese and the pug, these small dogs stop growing at eight to ten inches. These toy dogs were once so revered that they commanded their own staffs of servants in the Japanese court, who, among other things, would fan them in hot weather.

Russia: Borzoi

The borzoi has been known in Russia since at least the 17th century, when it was the favored breed of the Tsar. It is said to have originated from a cross between a greyhound-type dog and a wolfhound. The result was a dog that was made for speed, a debt attributed to its aerodynamic face, and well suited to cold weather, with its beautiful full coat.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/dogs/worl-nf.html

http://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/

http://www.popsugar.com/pets/List-National-Dogs-From-Countries-Around-World-10556709

A History of Canines and Felines

Many mythologies and religions have paid homage to dogs and cats. While it may not have been like owning a pet in today’s world, there are many myths that speak of not just pets, but of gods that take the shape of dogs and cats.

Ancient Greece 

Cerberus: 

This enormous dog guards the entrance to Hades. Many have faced Cerberus, but very few lived to tell the tale. Hercules, one of the most famous Greek heroes, was sent to the Underworld to retrieve Cerberus as one of his twelve labors. Harry Potter fans will recognize Cerberus’s distinctive profile of three heads from the first book in the series, The Philosophers’ Stone.

Artemis:

The Ancient Greeks viewed Bast as a version of their lunar goddess Artemis, sister of Apollo and daughter of Zeus and Leto. Also known as Diana, Artemis is also the goddess of the Moon and the patron goddess of young maidens. Artemis is one of the most widely venerated goddess among those in the Greek pantheon.

Sphinx:

Although usually associated with Ancient Egypt, not least because of the statue at Giza, is actually shared with Ancient Greek ad Persian mythologies. This beautiful creature has the body of a lion and the head of a human. The main difference between the Greek and Egyptian portrayals is that the Greek Sphinx had a female head while Egyptian Sphinx has a male head. Legend has it that the Sphinx stood guard and told a riddle to any potential passers-through. If they gave the wrong answer, the Sphinx would eat them.

Ancient Egypt

Bast:

Also known as Bastet, this Egyptian beauty is the goddess of cats, and the Egyptians regarded cats as sacred. The first recorded appearances of Bast described her as having the head of a lioness, whereas later, she is agreed to have the face of a cat.

Mau

 “Mau”, Egyptian for “cat”, represents the sacredness of cats in ancient Egyptian society. Based on recent DNA comparisons of living species, it has been estimated that cats were first domesticated about 10,000 years ago in Egypt.

Anubis

Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the Underworld and the deity most prominently of death, is also associated with dogs. Anubis’s role was an usher   into the Underworld, and he also watches over the weighing of the heart, an Egyptian form of judgement between good and bad. On one side of the scales, Anubis would place the feather of Ma’at, or truth, on one scale, and the deceased’s heart on the other. Hearts heavier than the feather would be devoured by Ammit (the Soul Eater with a crocodile’s mouth) and souls lighter than the feather would ascend to a heavenly existence.

China

Zodiac

Shengxiao, meaning literally “birth likeness”, is known in English as the Chinese Zodiac. The dog is one of the 12 animals honored in Chinese astrology, and the second day of the Chinese New Year is considered to be the birthday of all dogs. Chinese people take care to be kind to dogs on that day.

Christianity

Black Cats/Familiars

We all know that black cats have been considered unlucky for centuries. When the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock, those aboard carried with them their devout faith in the Bible. And thus they considered black cats to be familiars, animal companions of witches. This wasn’t the first time this kind of superstition was observed, but only Christians seemed to believe in it.

Saints

Saint Gertrude of Nivelles, a seventh century abbess who founded the Benedictine Monastery in present-day Belgium. She is the patron saint of cats. Saint Roch (also called Saint Rocco), lived in the early 14th century in France, and is the patron saint of dogs. 

Islam

The domestic cat is a revered animal in Islam, admired for its cleanliness. However, the majority of both Sunni and Shi'a Muslim jurists consider dogs to be ritually unclean. It is uncommon for practicing Muslims to have dogs as pets.

Japan

Maneki-Neko (Beaconing Cat) incorrectly known as Chinese lucky cat, while they are truly Japanese in origin.

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http://www.touregypt.net/godsofegypt/bast.htm

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/559722/sphinx

http://www.theoi.com/Olympios/Artemis.html

http://www.theoi.com/Ther/KuonKerberos.html

What Can Dogs Do For Humans?

Aside from being “man’s best friend”, there are many positions that a dog can fill. Loved as they are by so many and so much, several fields have openings for the most faithful and trusted animals in the world, from the TSA to the military. The following occupations are those which only a dog could do.

LAW ENFORCEMENT

Sometimes referred to as K-9 (a homophone of “canine”), these fearless, specially trained dogs assist the police in several ways. Because dog’s noses are over ten thousand times stronger than humans’, these amazing animals are called in to do what humans can’t.

Illicit Substance Dogs:

The Transportation Security Administration has trained “sniffer dogs”, whose job it is to detect hidden weapons, explosives, and drugs. While the most common breeds chosen for this task are Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds, many other, smaller breeds receive training. These dogs are trained in obedience and focus along with recognizing the scents of drugs like heroin, cocaine, and marijuana. They are not limited to the TSA; they are called upon to sniff out drugs and explosives in buildings, vehicles, packages, and people.

Search and Rescue Dogs:

It takes a special kind of dog to be a search and rescue dog. These four-legged heroes are specially trained to pick up the scent of humans. There are a few different scenarios that require the work of one of these incredible canines, including but not limited to disaster response, tracking criminals, and searching for missing people. 

Cadaver Dogs:

Search and rescue dogs are trained to find living humans, but cadaver dogs are trained to recognize decomposition. They use their highly sensitive olfactories to locate human remains. This job is the most stressful and depressing for dogs. After the events of 9-11, several cadaver dogs were sent in to search for both survivors and victims. For days, these dogs found body after body. Their handlers noticed that the dogs were becoming sluggish and reluctant to go into the wreckage again. To help the dogs cope, several policemen and firefighters hid themselves among the debris so that the dogs thought that they had found a survivor.

SERVICE

These next few jobs are just as much heroes as the ones above. These are the canines who use their senses to help those who cannot. But while most places are by law required to allow guide dogs, some people complain about their presence. 

Guide Dogs

Also known as “seeing-eye” dogs, it is the job of these furry friends to see for an individual who is blind or visually impaired. Their training starts when they are mere puppies, and only after years of learning are they paired with a blind person. Along with leading their owners around obstacles, they are also taught not to obey an unsafe request. For example, they would refuse to let their owner to cross the street if there were cars coming. Since dogs are colorblind for red and green, they cannot read traffic signals. But can they stop and start for changes in elevation or overhead obstacles? Oh, yes they can.

Hearing Dogs

There are dogs who see for their owners, and there are dogs who hear for them. Hearing dogs are a type of assistance dog specially trained to help those who are deaf or hearing-impaired. These furry assistants help alert their owners to sounds inside their homes, like smoke alarms, ringing mobiles, alarm clocks, and doorbells. Outside of the house, they respond and help their owners respond to sirens, car horns, and others, including the sound of someone calling their owners’ name. Professionally, hearing dogs can be trained in as little as three months, but are usually taught for over a year.

Epilepsy Dogs

Patients with epilepsy and other, similar diseases are often paired with a special kind of alarm clock. These dogs are able to detect a seizure before it even happens. They are taught specifically to detect and warn about an oncoming seizure. They may bark to alert the owner, or break the fall of their owner to break the inception of the seizure. Some have been taught to activate a pre-programmed device, something that, when pressed, sets off an alarm.

All of these amazing dogs go beyond “man’s best friend” and become heroes. Whether saving many lives or one, they are not simply bodyguards or alarms. They are important parts of their owner’s lives. They make excellent companions and the most loyal friends.

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