AMERICAN PIT BULL KILLER CANINE OR FAMILY FRIEND

RUNTIME.......: 63 Minutes Directed by...: Marilyn Braverman Studio........: Facets Video WRITER........: Marilyn and Chuck Braverman GENRE.........: Documentary Explore the evolution of the breed that started as beloved dogs to people such as Helen Keller and as the Little Rascals' famous dog, to the stereotypes associated with the breed. Includes footage of dog fighting, protection training, and more.

The First Genetic Engineering - How Dogs Became Man's Best Friend

I guess I figured that Dogs evolved from wolves somehow, but not how I expected. They were more created by...human....intervention. If you're a Dog lover you may already know about this, and if you're not, you might not care. But I like Dogs and I didn't really know most of this. We watched this show earlier this week, I think it was on the National Geographic Channel, it was called 'And Man Created Dog'. Needless to say I thought it was fascinating.

They guesstimate that it started sometime around thirty thousand years ago. Wolves are pack animals and they are predators. But when people started coming along in groups, wolves would follow them around. They probably started out with the intention of hunting us (I can't remember), but they found that they could also scavenge from our leftovers. So, they started hanging around us more and more.

This became very valuable to us. Wolves obviously have far keener senses than we do, especially smell. So when other animals would get near the camp at night, the wolves knew long before us that a predator was in the area and they would howl and it would wake us up. So it was to our survival benefit to keep them around, albeit at a comfortable distance. So we didn't mind them scavenging our camps when we packed up to move on to follow, well, our own prey.

Somewhere, sometime, a brave man or woman (or child?), probably took in some abandoned wolf pups and raised them, and over time attracted more to find out if any others were safe to be around and feed. If they were safe, we kept them as our pets and fed them. If they demonstrated any threat to the group, especially the children, we would take them out and kill them. We then began the first genetic engineering ever, we mated together only the friendly wolves.

And generation after generation, we kept and mated together the wolves that were the most friendly and attentive to us, thereby getting offspring that were likely to have the same traits. We took care of them and they protected us by being our predator alert system. As time went on, we selectively mated only our friendly new pets and weeded out the not-so-friendly ones. Over time, this completely separated the gene pool between the wild wolves and the ever human-friendlier version, the new dog.

Back then, well until the past couple hundred years, dogs kept the wolf-like appearance, kind of a dog-wolf (there was a scientific name for it but I sure don't remember it). We were buddies. We made them into our buddies by our selective breeding of them. It has even gotten to the point that when we pet and care for a dog, we get the same hormonal release as when we play with and nurture children, to a far lesser degree I'm sure. But still, pretty amazing. And they have the same hormonal reaction toward us. So now we're not only bonded together in a practical way, but an emotional way as well.

One thing I really took away from the show is the responsibility we have toward dogs. We took them (as wolves) from their natural habitat and away from their predatory hunting nature, and made them dependent on us for food and care. We made them. They are no longer able to, or meant to, survive on their own in the wild. They don't hunt anymore (when they help us hunt they don't eat the prey). If left in the wild they are left to the only means they know to survive, scavenging human leftovers and hoping to get fed by humans. They can't survive without us. They have a strong survival instinct to please us. They are the only animal that actually is attentive toward us, looks us in the eye, and cares about us. We owe it to them to take care of them.

Ronald Arnott is a computer desktop application technician with a Masters Degree in Administration.

Visit his personal site at http://www.ronsonlinewriting.com

Man's Best Friend - Choosing a Dog For Family

Choosing a Dog for family is a big decision. The problem is how to choose a Dog that will fit your requirements for your family. Choosing a family dog is a lifetime commitment that needs time and attention. You must be certain and ready before deciding to have one. You must consider:

• choosing a dog for family
• kids benefits

Choosing a Dog for Family

Choosing a dog is important for it will be part of your life and your family for a very long time. Particularly nervous or highly strung dog breeds would not be great around children. You must first consider the age of your children before choosing a dog. Introducing a large dog to your child could be intimidating.

If you have decided that it is time to have a pet dog for you and your family, then it is the right time for you to figure out what type of dog is right. There are quite a lot of factors to consider before choosing a dog. But most importantly, assess your recent lifestyle and consider what alterations you are willing to make when having a dog. Look at the needs of your family, especially if you have children. Consider the ideal size of the dog that you want for your family. A family with kids preferably needs an intelligent dog with a good personality and moderate energy level.

One example of a breed that has a propensity to do well with children - Bichon Frise. This little cotton-ball breed loves to play, but is not usually too hyper. It is also a small dog, which is perfect for your little children. Regular grooming is necessary because of its coat type fur. The Bichon Frise is one of many hypoallergenic dog breeds. It can benefit from basic obedient training because this kind of breed tends to learn quickly. A breed like a Bichon Frise should get a daily exercise. This bred is affectional and joyful making it a great companion for almost everyone. The Bichon Frise is excellent for children.

Kids Benefit

Now, you are done choosing a dog. The question is does that dog have some benefits for your children? Owning a dog has wonderful benefits to your children. Benefits of pet ownership have been identified in areas of child development. Kids can learn important lessons by having a pet dog. These are just some of the benefits: First, it can boost the self-esteem of the child. The sense of accomplishment that comes from taking care of a pet builds self image. Second, children who have pets in the house learn the lesson of compassion. They understand how people feel by caring a pet. Third, they develop language and verbal skills. Children learn to express and communicate when talking to their pets. In general, the child who has a pet is affectionate, shares its things, is general and loyal. And it develops self-esteem, relates easily to friends, becomes more sociable and knows the value of respect.

For more information about Bichon Frise, just click here.