A stray dog was recently spotted scampering around at the peak of Kilimanjaro, Africa`s highest mountain. "Experts" were said to be mystified - how did it survive at 19,000 feet in the freezing cold? and what was it eating? For my part, I am not too surprised, as dogs have been sharing their food and shelter with us for 15,000 years (perhaps even a great deal longer than that), ever since they were domesticated from the gray wolf. I suppose there are some who take a more cynical view, and who suggest that dogs are simply opportunists scrounging for easy pickings in the manner of tickbirds or cleaner fish. But to anyone who has been allowed to share in a rich family life, as my wife Linda and I have with our two dogs, that idea is palpably false. "Bridge", waiting for us in a lay-by near Natural Bridge, VA, and "Bronson", needing a ride to Cedar Key from the county seat, were/are both the best dogs in the whole world, despite their different colors, shapes and characters. (The names bestowed upon them may perhaps indicate some lack of imagination, and so it is lucky that our relationships did not begin in a quaint English village like Barnby-in-the-Willows or even in Wales`s Bwlchtocyn.) Of course, every dog`s human companion believes him, or her, to be the best that ever was, as demonstrated by the detailed portfolios included in successive issues of the Cedar Key News. I note that even an out-of state Chihuahua has been so honored recently, and that made me wonder whether my son`s Jack Russell might qualify as well - his name is Wiggles, known as Viggles after being introduced to an Austrian visitor who was having problems pronouncing his Wees and his Woubleyous. There have of course been regular name changes in both the human and canine worlds over the years. Jacob and Isabella are given as being the most popular two-legged baby names in 2010. By contrast, the name Max is apparently now the most popular name for a male dog, with Henry ranking fiftieth and the previously ubiquitous Fido nowhere in sight. For female dogs, the name Bella ranks at Number 1 today (an intriguing parallel with our world), and Dakota at Number 50. The Labrador Retriever represents the most popular breed (at least in pedigree circles), taking over from the German Shepherds and Beagles of earlier years, but it is the Golden Retriever that is named as the best breed for date bait - beware the Chinese Crested, however, which is consistently voted winner in the ugliest dog contest. It seems hardly surprising that the dog quickly became ubiquitous across all world cultures, his role steadily changing from hunting and herding in earlier days to protection and companionship today. An estimated 61million "pet dogs" in the USA are currently ensuring that their families are happy and well cared for. And should you sometimes reflect on the finding that a dog`s average sleep time is 10.1 hours in a 24-hour period, remember that probably excludes naps and that taking on his-her duties is a serious business. Time to close - unfortunately I can no longer rely on the traditional excuse that I couldn`t deliver because my dog ate my home work. |
