Canis Familiaris: An Examination of Domestic Dogs

Species Information

The domestic dog, Canis familiaris, is a quadrupedal mammal which is a member of the Canidae family. Dogs are said to be the first animal species to be domesticated, which is estimated to have taken place at the end of the last ice age around 15,000 years ago (CLUTTON *3). Dogs are derived from the domestication of the gray wolf, and nowadays there are hundreds of different breeds of domestic dog (AZ). In terms of distribution, although the wild gray wolf population is found in the northern hemisphere, domestic dogs are spread worldwide, living with humans in a variety of environments. In such environments, dogs can live for over twelve years, with some even living for up to 20 years (EOL).

Although dogs have been selectively bred by humans for different physical and behavioural traits, they still all share the same basic morphology, which is that of the gray wolf. Some dogs, such as collies, have been bred for their animal herding abilities, while others, such as hounds, have been bred for their hunting abilities. Thus, dogs come in a wide variety of sizes, from small breeds such as the maltese, to larger breeds such as shepherds. In terms of colour, coat colouration varies from white to darker browns and black, and the colouration on dog 's coats come in

For instance, according to Busuttil, dogs, particularly toy breeds such as the maltese, were highly popular as pets, both for men and women. In ancient Greece it was customary for owners of such pet dogs to even take them on long voyages as a source of companionship and pleasure. The ancient Greek writer Artemidorus expressed the attitude towards the keeping of malitaean toy dogs as pets by saying that they are “the supreme pleasure of life and the greatest of all delights.” (BUSUTTIL 2) This view of dogs as pets could help explain the burial of a single dog with a beef bone placed next to its head in