by Jim Bessey

Created on: January 20, 2009   Last Updated: March 21, 2009

Perhaps it is a cliche to say that dogs are man's best friend. Dogs are just dumb animals, right? Of course dogs are much more than that. They are eyes for the blind, detectives for drug searches, scouts for missing persons, and devoted companions who are willing to sacrifice their lives as protectors. Ask a dog owner about his family and notice that his golden retriever is listed among his "children."

Of all the animals that might have joined the family of man, why did dogs so perfectly earn the head seat at the table? Part of the answer lies in the ultimate loyalty and lovable nature of dogs. Their intelligence and willingness to learn and serve is undeniable. They are prettier than pigs, more accessible than dolphins, and far less enigmatic than cats.

Dogs were wolves once, when men survived by hunting. The transition from wild pack carnivore to lap-warming pet occurred gradually for dogs. How did it happen originally? Simple, really: feed a hungry, lone wolf a hunk of fresh-killed deer and you've made an instant friend. Find an orphaned wolf pup in the wild, and you can raise her as a pet (though a potentially dangerous one). Wolves, dogs, and men understand and respect each other - that's the key.

Wolves and dogs are both pack creatures. While "lone wolves" aren't uncommon, canines prefer to live as a family. Each will readily accept the role of leader or follower, depending on circumstances. Pack members bond to an alpha male or female. The "alpha" doesn't have to be the same species at all: humans do quite nicely as pack leaders. One now-famous dog even bonded to a female elephant! (CBS News) Dogs are loving, submissive, and extremely loyal - just as their wolf ancestors were and are.

Humans are by nature loving, dominant and reasonably loyal - so the match between human hunters and wild wolves they befriended was a natural fit. Why not cats, then, as "man's best friend"? First, cats are simply too small to guard our families - a role that initially earned dogs their place of honor. Moreover, cats in all their variations have always been aloof, dismissive and unwilling to express loyalty. Try to befriend a cougar and see how far you get. (There has never been a reliable way to tame any of the "big cats," for that matter.) Not one other domesticated animal can match dogs for the role of companion.

Why is a dog often willing to sacrifice his life to save his human owner? That's genetics, plain and simple, and goes right back to wolf pack hierarchy. The leader of the pack agrees to provide safety and sustenance, while the pack soldiers tacitly agree to trade their lives and freedom for the honor of belonging. We use the same system to run armies; it works. Now, if only we had medals to issue for our dogs.

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