DOG

The dog (Canis familiaris when considered a distinct species or Canis lupus familiaris when considered a subspecies of the wolf)[5] is a domesticated carnivore of the family Canidae. It is part of the wolf-like canids,[6] and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore.[7][8][9][10][11] The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated,[12][13][14] which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct.[15] The dog was the first species to be domesticated,[14][16] and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes.[17]

Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior[18] and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids.[19] Dogs vary widely in shape, size and colors.[20] They perform many roles for humans, such as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and military, companionship and, more recently, aiding disabled people and therapeutic roles. This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of "man's best friend".

Contents

• 1Taxonomy

• 2Origin

• 3Biology

  • 3.1Anatomy

    • 3.1.1Size and weight

    • 3.1.2Senses

    • 3.1.3Coat

    • 3.1.4Tail

    • 3.1.5Differences from wolves

  • 3.2Health

    • 3.2.1Lifespan

  • 3.3Reproduction

    • 3.3.1Neutering

  • 3.4Inbreeding depression

• 4Intelligence, behavior, and communication

  • 4.1Intelligence

  • 4.2Behavior

  • 4.3Communication

• 5Ecology

  • 5.1Population

  • 5.2Competitors and predators

  • 5.3Diet

  • 5.4Range

• 6Breeds

• 7Roles with humans

  • 7.1Early roles

  • 7.2As pets

  • 7.3Work

  • 7.4Sports and shows

  • 7.5As food

  • 7.6Health risks to humans

  • 7.7Health benefits for humans

  • 7.8Shelters

• 8Terminology

• 9Cultural depictions

  • 9.1Mythology and religion

  • 9.2Literature

  • 9.3Art

  • 9.4Education and appreciation

• 10See also

  • 10.1Lists

• 11References

• 12Bibliography

• 13Further reading

• 14External links

Taxonomy

Further information: Canis lupus dingo § Taxonomic debate – dog, dingo, and New Guinea singing dog

In 1758, the Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus published in his Systema Naturae the binomial nomenclature – or the two-word naming – of species. Canis is the Latin word meaning "dog",[21] and under this genus he listed the dog-like carnivores including domestic dogs, wolves, and jackals. He classified the domestic dog as Canis familiaris, and on the next page he classified the wolf as Canis lupus.[2] Linnaeus considered the dog to be a separate species from the wolf because of its cauda recurvata - its upturning tail which is not found in any other canid.[22]

In 1999, a study of mitochondrial DNA indicated that the domestic dog may have originated from multiple grey wolf populations, with the dingo and New Guinea singing dog "breeds" having developed at a time when human populations were more isolated from each other.[23] In the third edition of Mammal Species of the World published in 2005, the mammalogist W. Christopher Wozencraft listed under the wolf Canis lupus its wild subspecies, and proposed two additional subspecies: "familiaris Linneaus, 1758 [domestic dog]" and "dingo Meyer, 1793 [domestic dog]". Wozencraft included hallstromi – the New Guinea singing dog – as a taxonomic synonym for the dingo. Wozencraft referred to the mDNA study as one of the guides in forming his decision.[4] The inclusion of familiaris and dingo under a "domestic dog" clade has been noted by other mammalogists.[24] This classification by Wozencraft is debated among zoologists.[25]

In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/Species Survival Commission's Canid Specialist Group considered the New Guinea singing dog and the dingo to be feral dogs Canis familiaris, and therefore should not be assessed for the IUCN Red List.[26]