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Dogs are the most popular of all pets. Originally, dogs of Africa were descendants of wild creatures and perhaps were the first animals ever domesticated. Drawings on caves during the Paleolithic era (about 60,000 years ago) show hunting scenes in which the rough form of a canine (? a dog) appears alongside the huntsman suggest companionship and attachment. The oldest records supplied by Egyptian monuments 6500 years old are of slender greyhound and short-legged terrier types of dogs. Hundreds of different breeds of African dogs (of which 21 were known by 3700 BC), each serving different purposes, are clues to more broad and more deep insights of the African mindset. During life, some were pets; some were guard dogs; and some were sacred. At one point, Ancient Ethiopians got "far out" by electing a dog as their king. They watched the dog's behavior very carefully in order to determine if they could tell how it thought the business of government should be carried on. When a dog died in an Ancient Egyptian home, the whole family went into mourning. The jackal arubis was the canine dog of the dead. Each year, following the overflow of the Nile River, a star appeared above the horizon. This star was considered as a blessing from the divine applied to the livelihood of the Ethiopians and Egyptians. Therefore they named it the 'dog star" or Sirius, because it had the faithfulness and watchfulness of the dog.
Outside Africa during the ancient world, dogs were sometimes used in religious ceremonies-and sometimes worshiped. Some dogs would draw the sledge (e.g. taught by the Esquimaux). Some were used for fishing (e.g. taught by the Chinos Indians); some for serving arctic people as a guardian of the house; some for hunting (as an extension of the hunter's abilities in things like a keener sense of smell, sharper eyes, greater speed, excellent swimming capacity, and other advantages); and some as "man's best friend."
Studying the history of dogs provides supporting evidence that man's admiration and love--both over the centuries and throughout the world. This has not substantially changed unless by some psychic trauma, like from "attack dogs," which cause profound mental transformations. For example, by not being part of African Tradition, most Black Americans' fear of dogs begins with African American slavery. Dog lovers know that dogs are good for one's health. The love dogs provide is evident by their deep level of steady reliance and loyalty, regardless of what the man does and regardless of how the dog "feels." Being able to count on a dog's steady state and the fact that they are not judgmental are both mindset stabilizes for boys and men. Just ten minutes of physical interaction with a beloved dog can lower one's blood pressure and induce relaxation. Despite every dog having its faults and committing its follies, these problems are overshadowed by the dog's affection, gentleness, and playfulness. These friends make life bearable during really tough times; during times when one feels lost within the vastness of the universe (the "lonely in a crowd" mindset); and during times when no one seems to understand. "Palpable" bonding with one's dog occurs with great intensity at such times, often by means of an eye-to-eye contact. Although each had a different disposition and possessed unique habits, I could always "lean on" their love for me when I felt lonely-rejected, deserted, or isolated.
Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.
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