BarkAboutYourDog.com

Compared to the dog, the domestic cat has been around for a fairly short time – only about 5,500 years.  Scientists think that the first domestic cat appeared in Egypt around 3500 B.C.  Its ancestors are believed to have been Felis libyca, a small spotted wildcat from North Africa and Felis sylvestris, a European wildcat.

Some people think that the Egyptians domesticated the cat for religious reasons.  Others believe that the cat was popular because of its superior mouse-catching abilities. 

I think that cats have secrets.  Stop and think about it…have you ever seen a cat that didn’t look like they had a special knowledge they enjoyed keeping from you?  That’s why they look so smug.  I am convinced they know of another world, and they are not telling.

Siamese have fascinated folks around the world since they were first officially exported from Thailand, or as it was known then Siam, in the late eighteen hundreds. Their sleek lines, striking color contrast, finely chiseled aristocratic heads, deep blue almond eyes, and short silky coats make them living art. Combine this beauty with acute intelligence, inquisitive personality and a loving nature and you have the essence of the Siamese cat.

Whatever the Egyptians’ original reason for domesticating the cat, it was probably the ability to catch rodents that was responsible for the spread of cats to other parts of the world.  In the fifth century A.D., barbarian invaders swept across Europe, bringing with them hordes of rats.  The cat became people’s ally in fighting disease by keeping the rat population in check.  Personally, I think that’s a waste of cats.  They are such good companions, when you pal around with them.

Cats became so valuabgle that in 936 AD the Welsh Prince Howell the Good passed laws setting the worth of cats.  Not surprisingly, a cat was worth more if it was a good mouser.  Prince Howell decreed that a kitten was worth one pence.  A grown cat that had not yet caught a mouse was worth only two pence; but after it had learned to catch mice, its value rose to four pence.  If someone bought a cat that turned out to be a poor mouser, the buyer was entitled to one-third of the money back.

It was not until 1750 that the first cats were offically imported into the American colonies to control rodents. 

What is the most popular pet in the United States?

THE CAT!!!  More than 50 million of them lilve in households across America.

The smallest breed of dog in the world is the “Teacup Chihuahua” which weighs less than one pound and can stand in the palm of a person’s hand.  I’ve seen this breed and they made me nervous.  For fear of crushing the little thing, I’d end up never letting their feet touch the ground.  Pockets and purses would be their home!  No thanks, little one, you are not for me!

Even a normal-sized Chihuahua is very tiny, usually weighing between four and six pounds.

The ancestor of the modern Chihuahua is a breed called the Techichi, which was developed in Mexico by the Toltecs almost 1,000 years ago.  The Techichi was very important in the religious ceremonies of the Toltecs and the Aztecs.  According to Aztec custom, whenever a person died, mourners sacrificed one of these dogs and buried it with the corpse.  The Aztecs believed that the dog would lead the human soul through the underworld, fighting off evil spirits.

For their size, Chihuahuas have a loud bark and can be very bold and aggressive, often taking on dogs several times their size.  I guess their brain is too small to know better than that!  Cute dogs, but the barking drives me nuts and I never met one that didn’t shake all the time.

The biggest breed of dog depends on whether you’re talking about weight or height.  The heaviest dog is probably the mastiff, which can weigh over 200 pounds.  It is not surprising that mastiffs were originally bred to be … watchdogs!  The ancient Romans also used them to fight bears, lions and tigers!  What’s with the Romans and their love of blood? 

In spite of their size, however, most mastiffs are gentle and friendly.

The tallest dog is the Irish wolfhound, which measures up to three-nd-one-half feet tall at the shoulder when standing on all fours.  On his hind legs, the Irish wolfhound can stand over seven feet tall – considerably bigger than most people.  As his name suggests, the Irish wolfhound was originally used to hunt wolves in Ireland! 

If you re thinking of getting one of these breeds or any other very large dog, such as a Saint Bernard, Newfoundland or Great Dane as a pet, you should make sure you have enough space for the animal to exercise.  Big dogs are usually not very happy in apartments or houses with small back yards.  You must also have enough strength to walk your dog, and enough money to feed him:  the biggest breeds will eat several hundred dollars’ worth of food each year!

Selective Breeding.  As humans domesticated the dog, they began to see that dogs could help them in a number of ways: as guards, hunters, sheepherders, workers, and just as pets.  But these different jobs required dogs with different body types and different personalities.

For example, a working dog must be large, strong and patient.  A hunting dog must be a fast runner and have good vision and hearing.  Dogs used mostly as indoor pets should be small and sociable around people.

So, starting with the basic dog, which looked a lot like a wolf, people began to select the look and personality they wanted and breed only the dogs that showed those traits.

After many years of selective breeding, there are over 100 different breeds of dog in the US alone, including Saint Bernards, rescue dogs; Shetland sheepdogs, herding dogs; Siberian huskies, sled dogs; bloodhounds, tracking dogs; and many more. Not only do different breeds of dog look and act very differently but each is suited to a particular kind of work.

Cats, on the other hand, are kept mostly as pets and have never been expected to do any specialized work, except catch mice.  Because of this, people have had little reason to select for different personalitites and body types.  This is why most breeds of cat look and act pretty much the same.

Scientists have come to believe that the dog was the first species to be domesticated by humans. 

Fossil remains of dogs dating back to the Mesolithic period, 12,000 years ago, have been found in Israel and Iraq.  In this country, canine fossils estimated to be 10,000 years old have been uncovered at an archaeological site called Jaguar Cavin in Idaho.

No one really knows why dogs were domesticated, but scientists have some ideas.  When domestication occurred, humans were gradually giving up their wandering, nomadic lifestyles and settling down into permanent communities.  Some scientsts thnk that wild dogs strated to spend time near these stettlements looking for food, and were at first tolerated  and finally accepted by humans.

Other people think htat humans deliberately tamed dogs to serve as guards or to help with hunting.  One of the most popular theories, though, is that people domesticated dogs simply because they liked them and wanted their companionship.  Their useful qualities, such as being good watch dogs, may have been discovered only after they had already become pets.

Cats are natural hunters, and they often prey on rats, mice and other animlas that are active at night. My cats would often catch something and bring the gooey, squirmy or feathery thing to me for praise.  My squeals hardly qualified as praise to me, but they seemed satisfied.  Good Kitty!  They do love their games.  I always thought they did it on purpose, like naughty children…”let’s go make mommy squeal!” 

To hunt successfuly, catgs must be able to see and stalk their prey even on very dark nights.  Cats see at least six times betterin the dark than people do, and they have the vest night vision of all domestic species.  Contrary to popular belief, however, cats cannot see in total darkness.

One reason that cats see so well in the dark is because their eyes are so big.  In fact, the cat has about the biggest eyes, in proportion to its body weight, of any mammal.  Another reason is that the cat’s retina, the light sensitive part of the eye, contains many cells that are very active in dim light.

Cats also have a special layer of cells at the back of the eye that makes their eyes even more sensitive to light.  Whenlight hits the eye, these cells act as a mirror, reflecting light back through the retina.

Because the eye is gettiing a double dose of light, direct and reflected, very little light is necessary for good vision.  These mirrorlike cells also cause a cat’s eyes to shine in the dark.

Meow about your cat!

Most people would describe dogs as friendly and outgoing and cats as standoffish and reserved.  However, for me, though cats can “cop” an attitude quickly, I’ve had cats for all of my life, and they’ve proven to be affectionate, smart, funny, and playful, most of them loving almost everyone they meet. 

I had one cat, that as soon as she suspected you weren’t a cat person, she set about to annoy you.  She would jump in your lap, lick your face, cuddle, head butt you, follow you around, and try to eat out of your plate.  She was determined to win you over, but I always suspected she just enjoyed the “annoying.” 

However, for the most part, over history and time, cats have been labeled as the less friendly of the two pets.  Dogs and cats personality differences can be traced back to the ancestors of teoday’s domestic pets.  Dogs are the descendants of wolves, which are social animals that live in packs.

Within the pack, each member knows its place in relation to the others.  The most important pack member is the leader, or “alpha” (beginning or “first”) wolf.   Other wolves look to the leader for direction and treat him with respect, which is often shown by licking or nuzzling.  So when your dog jumps up and licks your face, he may just be thinking of you as his alpha wolf. 

Either that or he’s enjoying the jelly on your face leftover from breakfast…

The ancestors of today’s domestic cats on the other hand, lived and hunted alone.  Because of this, they did not need to develop the social behaviors necessary for life in a pack.  This is why cats seem more independent and less friendly than dogs.  Again, there are exceptions.

Though most of their behavior is dictated by nature, environment plays an important role in what your dog or cat will do and how their personality will adapt and develop.  My cats quickly realized how much I loved and enjoyed them, and our radar-like communication was soon established.

Never under estimate your pet’s ability to learn and please you, they just might surprise you with what they can do!

Pet behavior is curious.  As we learn about them, one might wonder, who is imitating whom?  Personally, I think my dog has me well trained.

Let’s explore, with the next few blogs, why pets do what they do.

Have you asked these questions? 

• How old should that puppy be before you take him home? 
• Do cats really have a sixth sense? 
• Why do animlas have tails? 
• How do cats purr, and why do dogs pant? 
• Can you train a goldfish to do tricks?
• Why should you not give dog food to cats and vice versa? 
• What must guinea pigs and rabbits must have to ensure good health and long life? 
• How do pet fish relax hyperactive children, or just us? 
• Why do horses need shoes?
• How do you tell the difference between male and female birds?
• Did you know that monkeys help the handicapped?
• Do you wonder how drug dogs are trained? 
• Did you know that Japanaese fishermen have an amazing relationship with the birds that work alongside them? 
• Guess what is the most faithful pet that literature has ever recorded?
• Did you know that animlas can predict disasters and saved countless human lives? 

I’ve spent the last few weeks researching some interesting information about our pets;  If you love animals, read the next few blogs about the amazing things these anmials have done!  Stay tuned for more about “Why do pets do what they do?”!

Recent quote in Pet Store Window: “Buy One Dog, Get One Flea!”

“A real Christian is the one who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip” (Billy Graham)

The Difference Between A Cat and A Dog: 

A Dog thinks:  “You love, feed me, shelter me, care for me, you must be God”

A Cat thinks:  “You love me, feed me, shelter me, care for me, I must be God.”

Knick Knack, Patty Wack, Give a dog a bone!  These bone cookies are easy and meaty, your dog will bark for more!  With the scare about dog food, why not take the fear away and make your own healthy treats?

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg active dry yeast
• 1/4 c warm water (110 to 115F)
• 1 tsp beef bouillon granules
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 1-1/2 cupgs flour
• 1 c nonfat dry milk powder
• 1 c whole wheat flour
• 1 c cooked long grain rice
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
• 1 jar vegetable beef dinner baby food (4 oz)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Procedure:

1. In small bowl dissolve yeast in warm water. 
2. In second bowl, dissolve bouillon in boiing water.
3. In large bowl, combine the flour, milk powder, wheat flour, rice and gelatin
4. Stir in the baby food, egg, oil, yeast mixture and bouillon mixture until combined; knead until mixture forms a ball.
5. Turn onto a lightly floured surface, roll to 1/4 thickness.  Cut with a floured 2 inch bone-shaped cookie cutter.  Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.
6. Bake at 300F for 25- 30 minutes or until set.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Let stand for 24 hours or until hardened.  Store in airtight container.

Yield:  3 dozen  REMEMBER, they’re for the D O G.

-Buddy’s Mom