The Dogs - Research Paper Example

The dogs In many years, the notion that dogs are the best companions that humans could ever have has stuck in that dogs have become part of many families in the world. Ideally, there are assumptions that dogs were once wild animals that underwent the domestication process to make them tame and safe to live around households. On one hand, researchers insist on the fact that dogs are wolves tat underwent intense cross breeding and taming to make them friendlier to man in the stone age period. With this, there are many theories that explain on how dogs became domestic animals from their initial nature of being wolves. The other argument is that the friendly relationship between man and dog were because of psychological bonds between these two creatures. With time, the relationship has also became remarkable as it has extended as compared to the relationships that man might have with other men making the relationship easily attainable than the latter. The communicative aspect between man and dogs has also evolved in that man has constantly developed skills that have made relations between man and dog more effective as dogs have gradually replaced children as part of a complete family (Derr 4). The relationship between humans and canines has experienced evolution through training and interbreeding. The communicative aspect between man and dogs has also evolved in that man has constantly developed skills that have made relations between man and dog more effective as dogs have gradually replaced children as part of a complete family. In relation to the history of dogs, Catherine Johns’ article is one of the best literature pieces that emphasize how the relationship between people and man developed into what is visible today. In this article, Johns illustrates that dogs were initially wild animals that man had to domesticate to make him feel safer as he went out to hunt in the wild. In this article, the author also gives an explanation as to how dogs lost their intensive canine nature to tamed domestic animals. Ideally, man and dog’s relationship ties date back to the ancient times in which man went hunting with dogs that helped man in bringing down resisting animals. John’s also intimates the realness of the dogs to the wild animals in the past because of the images embody the animals to be in their live forms. On the other hand, Olmert Meg shares a divergent view over the explanation of how human and man relationships states that resulted in which this author inclines that it was psychosocial. This is contrary to Johns view that man had to interbreed and over breed dogs with certain species in order to create the perfect companion. Olmert suggests that the connection between people and dogs goes beyond the physical aspect rather it encompasses emotions and mammalian hormones. Therefore, Olmert asserts that the relationship had inclination to trust and socially related cognition. This is evident in mammals in the same way that mothers have a connection to their newly born infants. However, the second part of John’s book illustrates the exploitative forms that the relationships between dogs and people have taken, which is a down side of domestication. For instance, dogs have become tools for research and in some societies are complementing aspects of diet. With this, Johns gives the different ways in which dogs assisted man in different societies in which they were hunting gurus in some societies, which Johns illustrates through various paintings structured within the book (Johns 35). Derr also gives another angle to this remarkable relationship that he intimates that it has superseded the relationship that humans have between themselves. In most westernized societies, dogs have replaced the need by many to having children as they have become friendlier as compared to the deteriorating relationships between man and fellow man. Additionally, most homes in America have also made dogs to form part of their families because of their welcoming and friendly nature. Derr seems to be in agreement with Johns idea that dogs have evolved in nature form their initial wild characteristic. Moreover, Derr attributes the evolution of the nature of dogs to the various trainings and skills that man has devised in order to make these animals more friendly creatures. This author also suggests that many households have made dogs to be part of their families because of the perception that dogs make children to be social beings (Derr 309). Ideally, the physical touch that man gave the dog during the prehistoric period was one of the contributors to the evolution of the wild nature that dogs had in the past. Olmert explains that the release of the oxytocin hormone is one of the key propellants to domestication of wild animals . The same case applied to the dog in which stroking the animals gently influenced the production of this hormone that created a lasting connection between man and dog (Olmert 154). The effect is also the same on the human being in that they also produce the hormone that created the general love for animals. In essence, this theory is practical because stroking may also help in taming other wild animals like lions or horses because it creates a feeling of safety and trust between the groomer and the groomed. On the contrary, Johns gives a definitive summary of the changes in roles for dogs in the past to the ones that dogs in the present have in terms of hunting to more of friends than companions (Johns 14). In addition, dogs have also become more than companions to man, but training has made them to be effective in helping individuals with physical disabilities to go about their lives with ease. In many instances, dogs have also been effective because they have saved people from various dangerous situations, which is because of the positive reinforcement attached to dog training (Derr 324). In order for the training of these dogs to be effective, Coren Stanley emphasizes on the need to adopt efficient communications skills with these animals, which this author refers to as an art. Essentially, the adoption of dogs to be part of family structures has facilitated the invention of various ways of taming and communicating between pets and their family owners. In the first chapter, Coren attributes the rise in the number of dog trainers and researches on effective animal communication to the increasing need to foster extensive correlations. According to research, dogs are able to understand sounds and movements because when they understand they give signs that are illustrative of their understanding the message. With this, Coren intimates that dogs can comprehend what man attempts to communicate to them without necessarily having to command them. Subsequently, this author gives the benefits of having skills that would enhance communication between dogs and dog owners in order for the shared feeling to be mutual and more reciprocating. On the other hand, Derr also argues that some dogs have not evolved in some parts of the world like in the Arctic meaning that domestication of dogs requires taming. Further, the assertion by Derr has inclination that the domesticated dogs could still be in the wild were it not for the taming and trainings that their breeds went through in order for them to lose their indigenous nature. Arnold Jennifer is an author that seems to be in agreement with Derr’s views over the need of training dogs to aid individuals with disabilities. This author gives his account of how his dog was helpful to her and felt the urge to encourage other persons with physical disability to have dogs to make their lives productive. Arnold argues that the key to having a friendly dog lies in training dogs to be kind not fearful and y them being submissive. Therefore, this author echoes the sentiments that Derr has over using training as a way of domesticating dogs and making them to live in tandem with the owner’s liking. In summary, the arguments presented by these authors tends to revolve around the fact that dogs were initially wild animals that man used several ways to make them domestic pets. As it emerges, Derr and Arnold promote the idea that dogs can be more than just average pets as they have also evolved to become assistants to those that have physical impairments. In the case of Johns, people had to in breed in order to attain this companion, which propelled the relation to grow from a hunting companion to a home companion. Other than inbreeding, Olmert gives a different approach towards the domestication of animals as this author intimates that this relationship draws influence from the oxytocin hormone produced through stroking. This gives the view that stroking even the wildest of animals makes them produce this hormone making them friendlier to the groomer. The production of this hormone is also in humans that makes them more loving towards animals. Lastly, Coren asserts that communication to dogs is better than issuing commands to them hence creating the need for dog owners to develop communicating skills that have influenced the nurturing of this relationship. Subsequently, the domestication of dogs is an ongoing process that still applies in the present society. Works Cited Arnold, Jennifer. Through a Dog's Eyes. New York: Spiegel & Grau, 2011. Print Coren, Stanley (2010). How To Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communication. Simon and Schuster. Print. Derr, Mark. Dog's Best Friend: Annals of the Dog-Human Relationship. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press, 2004. Print. Johns, Catherine. Dogs: History, Myth, Art. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2008. Print. Olmert, Meg D. Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human-Animal Bond. Cambridge, MA: Lifelong Books/Da Capo Press, 2009. Print. Read More