Guest Anonymous Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 Its pretty common knowledge that dogs were developed by man from wolves and other wild dog species. Archeological diggings of primative human villiages first found bones of wolves on the outskirts. Obviously the wolves were scavenging off man. Feeding on his garbage and very likely his dead. But then something changed. Archeologists started finding bones of wolves right along side the bones of men. Ancient cave drawings may tell the story better. Many show wolves and man hunting together as a team. Since that time man has used and bred dogs for just about every purpose imaginable. Its arguable that dogs played a greater role in the advancement of man and civilization. Man and dog have walked side by side from stone age to computer age. Dogs have hunted game for us, herded our livestock, protected our homes, families and us. As a rule dogs have been much better to man than man has been to them. Dogs are ever faithful, ever loyal. What have we done to deserve this devotion? The even bigger question for me is who reached out first? Did man reach out to the wolf or did the wolf reach out to man. I doubt we will ever have the answer. Yet many nights when I close my eyes, I see a villiage campfire with hunters sitting around. They eyes of wolves glowing in the shadows. And wonder who reached out to whom? [/quote][/list] Quote
Sanvean Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 What a neat legend! I would think that it was an effort on the part of both... Quote
imported_Cassie Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 A book you would find very interesting is called "Dogs, A startling new understanding of Canine Origin, Behavior & Evolution" written by Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger... this book explains the theory of wolves/wild dogs evolving into scavengers off man...read the book it is a very interesting therory by biologist who have studied dogs and evolution and analize Darwins therory's... Quote
Rosebud Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 Mei-Mei napisał(a):I love that legend! Me Too! I always imagined that man reached out first, probably merely for companionship, when he noticed wolves foraging in his cast off bones. I would love to believe that it was man who reached out first. My rationalistic nature tells me that a starving injured pregnant wolf that had been scavaging garbage would reach out before man would, his compassion for the life of the pups would cause him to help the poor animal rather than kill it and eat it. :angel: Quote
mjriggl2 Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 What a beautiful and touching legend! I will always educate my children to love and care for our pets on this legend. It also very sad to think about that in the "beginning" men and dogs shared respects and honor pact together. Now, so many news just suggest that men are keeping dishonor this "pact" and therefore losing their own respect to animals. I will have to go back to pet more on Blondie and Wolfie. And so they will get more spoiled :wink: Quote
Sanvean Posted July 14, 2003 Posted July 14, 2003 The book "The Truth About Dogs" has some neat insights into this whole relationship. Here's a link to more about it: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/014100228X/qid=1058211580/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/103-4729705-5451821?v=glance&s=books&n=507846 Quote
courtnek Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 from the thesis I did in college, on wolves: it is believed that wolves were the first to approach man, staying just out of site but near enough to scavenge and feed off of man's refuse. As time went on, the wolves got braver, and crept in close enough to be seen, but still stayed out of reach. Man eventually realized that the wolves provided a form of protection to the tribes, since they would sound early warning alerts (to protect the pack, but man soon recognized that meant danger) and started to encourage them to come in closer. The wolves were fed leftovers, allowed to come nearer to the fires and stay warm, and at some time an unspoken pact was made between them. The wolves would be allowed to remain with the tribes, providing protection and warning, and in return man would feed them leftovers and let them stay warm. This was not a man/dog relationship - it was formed entirely on the basis that both parties achieved something positive out of it. At some point in time, when the tribes would move, the wolves decided to go with and that was where the first real wolf/man relationship developed. The pack would follow the tribe to their new location, and set up house there. Over time, the relationship became one of man taming the wolf, breeding him to other canines, intended for a specific work that needed to be accomplished. From that came the dogs of today. Quote
DogPaddle Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 Courtnek - That's one possibility but I'm a cynic so I think it may have happened differently. Man saw a useful tool and he used it. Probably with a complete lack of concern for what that might mean to the dog. As it turns out it was a good partnership and the dogs seem to have, in the end, possibly won the upper hand, as we (most of us anyway) now cater to them. Quote
meehs Posted July 15, 2003 Posted July 15, 2003 That's really cool. I love all of the Native American legends! Quote
courtnek Posted July 16, 2003 Posted July 16, 2003 that's pretty much what I said DP - :lol: man realized that the wolf held the potential to be a useful guardian and protector - so yes, he did use them as a tool, and then set about breeding them in a way to become even more of a tool....but if he hadnt, we wouldnt have the dogs we know and love today. And at any time the wolf could have decided "not for me" and abandoned man, but the pack instinct back then was very similar to tribal instinct; both sides realized that they were safer with each other than alone. I dont think that man captured wolves and forced them to work for him; I think rather that the wolf realized that life was easier with man in the picture; and man realized that life was easier with the wolf in the picture. I understand how you feel, because people today are SOOO much different than people back then; but both sides had "pack" mentality and both sides benefited from the joining. People today dont have to sit by campfires and ward off bears and lions....and they have lost a lot of the appreciation early man had for the skills of the wolf, and the dog.... Quote
DogPaddle Posted July 16, 2003 Posted July 16, 2003 Darn . . . hate it when I missed the point. Oh well. Quote
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