The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
1–10 of 36 posts
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#2My first dog taught me how to love animals, and that is a gift for which I'll forever be grateful.
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#3The dogs that win prizes often disturb me. I feel like there must be a bunch of inbreeding going on, and maybe for features that look interesting but aren't necessarily good for them.
Is this concern misplaced? Not a dog show expert so maybe I'm just revealing my ignorance.
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#4Every child should have a dog. It gives them valuable life lessons about responsibility, fidelity, unconditional love and to always turn around three times before you lie down.
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#5The dogs that win prizes often disturb me. I feel like there must be a bunch of inbreeding going on, and maybe for features that look interesting but aren't necessarily good for them. Is this concern misplaced? Not a dog show expert so maybe I'm just revealing my ignorance.
The genetics of inbreeding are extremely well-understood. Dog pedigrees are well tracked, and there are tools you can use to assist in preventing inbreeding. Irresponsible breeders give responsible breeders a bad name. Some breeders are even focusing on making breeds healthier as their goal.
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#6The dogs that win prizes often disturb me. I feel like there must be a bunch of inbreeding going on, and maybe for features that look interesting but aren't necessarily good for them. Is this concern misplaced? Not a dog show expert so maybe I'm just revealing my ignorance.
There are bitter and heartstrong arguments on this topic. Brachycephalic breeds with flat faces or short snouts (for example pugs, bulldogs, boxers, Boston terriers) cause anger among some and devotion among others. (We are a three-pug family.) Pugs have an average lifespan of 12 to 15 years, as compared with the overall average dog lifespan of 10 to 13 years. We have also had (and loved) boxers, which have an average lifespan of 10 to 12 years. Boxers seem to be genetically prone to cancer, which is how we lost our most recent boxer.
There's a classic cartoon showing two wolves in the bushes at the edge of a campfire, looking at the leftovers being thrown around by the humans. One says, "Look, what the heck, let's cozy up to these two-legged creatures that seem to have lots of food. What could go wrong?"
Next frame is a picture of an unhappy-looking pug wearing a birthday hat..
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#7I recommend this extraordinary book, The First Domestication the coevolution of Humans and Wolves, charting the possible events.
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300226164/the-first-dome...
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#8Every child should have a dog. It gives them valuable life lessons about responsibility, fidelity, unconditional love and to always turn around three times before you lie down.
Alternative viewpoint: separating a dog from its natural social life and forcing its integration into a human world, even if done out of a concept of affection, is morally wrong. I suspect future generations will liken the domination of many species, such as dogs and cats, to slavery.
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#9Every child should have a dog. It gives them valuable life lessons about responsibility, fidelity, unconditional love and to always turn around three times before you lie down.
Alternative viewpoint: separating a dog from its natural social life and forcing its integration into a human world, even if done out of a concept of affection, is morally wrong. I suspect future generations will liken the domination of many species, such as dogs and cats, to slavery.
[deleted]
Re: The emergence and diversification of dog morphology
#10Every child should have a dog. It gives them valuable life lessons about responsibility, fidelity, unconditional love and to always turn around three times before you lie down.
Alternative viewpoint: separating a dog from its natural social life and forcing its integration into a human world, even if done out of a concept of affection, is morally wrong. I suspect future generations will liken the domination of many species, such as dogs and cats, to slavery.
> such as dogs and cats, to slavery.
Cats famously domesticated themselves though. More of a symbiosis than subjugation