DOGS

Dogs are good. They are loyal. They are beautiful. They are humanity’s best friends. Everybody loves dogs. Dogs sure are so much popular, maybe it is because of their cute and adorable faces. Their lovable countenances and joyful behavior fill our lives with such delight, yet we often don’t realize that there's really various advantages of having a dog in one’s life. Since I was a little girl, I have always been fond of animals, especially dogs. When I was in my 4^th standard, my father brought home a Doberman. As much as I can remember, he was the most beautiful dog – tall, muscular with a sleek and shiny coat. Sadly, we lost him in 2009. Now we have two Desi Dogs, namely Big Rocky and Small Rocky.

Big Rocky (Brown) and Small Rocky (Black)

The United States has the largest number of dogs with almost 89.7 million dogs. For each four individuals, there is one dog! In fact, in certain families there are more dogs than children making them a vital member of the family. In the United States alone, almost forty-three million households own at least one dog. Yes, dogs are popular in the US! Running for the second position is Brazil. Brazil has fifty-two million dogs. It is because the pet market in Brazil is one of the best on earth with a turnover of eighteen billion dollars. Although China is famous for its Yulin festival, it also has one of the largest dog populations–both pets and strays.

The Irish Wolfhound
(Picture Credit: Getty Images)

According to The American Kennel Club, there are 195 breeds of dogs with two new dog breeds ushered in 2020, namely the Barbet and the Dogo Argentino. These breeds of dogs look very different from one another. Some dogs are huge and giant like the Irish Wolfhound. They can get up to 32 to 35 inches tall at the shoulder and can weigh almost 200 pounds. But the irony here is, they are super friendly. Despite its huge size, it is seldom discovered to be damaging in the house or riotous, which is because the variety is for the most part quiet, shrewd, and reserved. Well, other dogs are small and tiny like the Chihuahuas.

A tiny chihuahua
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/chihuahua/

These are really small dogs especially compared to the Wolfhound. But do not fall for their size. Even though these six–9 inches’ tall dogs are known for their teensy size and big round eyes, they have this sassy and bossy personality that sure knows how to make their presence known.

Another very interesting dog breed is the Dalmatian. They are known for their white coat and black spots. One fun fact is that the Dalmatian puppies are completely white when they are born and their black spots appear only when they are four weeks old. You must already be familiar with Disney’s 101 Dalmatians, in which a villainess named Cruella De Vil, wants to buy all the Dalmatian she can discover to transform them into fur garments. What a wicked lady!

A Dalmatian puppy napping on bed
(Picture Credit: Matty  Anderson/EyeEm/Getty Images)

Now let’s talk about the most grumpy — looking dog, Yes, you guessed it right–Pugs! Pugs come under the category of ‘companion dogs’. They are a very small dog with a cute, wrinkly face. Their motto is the Latin expression "multum in parvo" (meaning a lot in a little). Pugs have acquired fame in the UK during recent years, with yearly enrollment numbers ascending from around 5.7 thousand in 2010 to 10.8 thousand in 2017. In 2019, this number dropped to 6,751.

A grumpy-looking pug
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If you ask me about my most favorite breed, it would be the Siberian huskies. Siberian huskies are incredible dogs. They are loyal, brave, intelligent and though little mischievous, they can be very affectionate with a human counterpart. They are one of the most wolf-like and the fourth oldest dogs in the world. They can have two different eye colors, which is something known as heterochromia. They have a unique capacity for vocalization. As most of you may have already seen videos of huskies talking, singing and even whining, there is no doubt that the husky is a particularly talkative dog and can produce a large variety of sounds.

A portrait from 'Eight Below'
https://outdoordogworld.com/husky-dog-movies/

Huskies also work as sled dogs transporting food and supplies from one place to the another. In the movie "Eight Below", starring Paul Walker, it recounts the heart-rending story of eight dogs (two Alaskan Malamutes and six Siberian Huskies) left tied outside an exploration station. Each actor-dog had help from other dogs that performed stunts and pulled sleds in the movie.

Labrador Retrievers
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/labrador-retriever/

Now, talking about popularity, the breed that tops the list according to the American Kennel Club, is the Labrador Retriever. The world absolutely loves Labrador retriever. These extremely friendly, active and outgoing dogs are, from Newfoundland. Originally, they procured their keep as fishers' assistants: pulling nets, getting ropes, and recovering fish from the North Atlantic. As their name already says, these dogs are pretty good at retrieving and conveying objects. Their high perseverance is a major assistance for individuals experiencing portability issues. Their affectionate nature makes them great for people who have been diagnosed with depression and other mental health issues. With their snappy reasoning nature, they can play out many undertakings such as alert against intruders and find support in crisis.

Moving over exotic huskies and Dalmatians, let's take a look at our very own Indian dogs who, accept it or not, are seldom ignored and abandoned. We have so many Indian dog breeds, each with distinct features, unique histories, and traits, but we barely know anything about them. Most of these breeds are quite unheard of let alone seen by most of the people in India. Most of you won't even believe me when I say, that more than 10 Indian dog breeds are on the brink of extinction. Some of the endangered breeds are the Himalayan Mastiff, the Asiatic/Indian Wild Dogs, and the Kashmiri Sheepdog.

The Himalayan Mastiffs
https://in.pinterest.com/arebel8/himalayan-mastiff-dogs/

The Himalayan Mastiffs, also known as Himalayan guard dogs or the Indigenous Mastiff are quiet and adoring dogs and are generally mean to satisfy their owners. They are mostly solitary dogs but they surely love the company of humans. It is said that an adult male Himalayan Mastiff is well — equipped for bringing down two wolves.

The Indian/Asiatic wild dog, also known as dholes or the red fox dog has quite a resemblance with a red fox. They mostly dwell in the deciduous, evergreen and alpine steppes. Though India has the highest number of this breed, less than 3000 fully matured Asiatic wild dogs are left in the wild. 

The Asiatic Wild dog
Picture credit: DeviantArt

The Kashmiri sheepdog or the Bakarwal Dog is an indigenous breed of Himalayan origin that are native to the higher altitudes of Jammu and Kashmir.

 The Kashmiri Sheepdog
https://medium.com/@rathor.saeed786

Unlike most dogs, these breeds are vegetarians. They are viewed as among the most extraordinary and rarest of herding dogs. They have two-fold coat, with the external coat being normal or long. They have solid height, solid legs, and a very bushy tail. The head is enormous with brilliant, adjusted eyes, hanging ears, and a wide muzzle. 

The world of dogs is just amazing. They have been to space which most of us haven't. They herd livestock, help trackers and hunters, monitor homes, and perform rescue operations. Some breeds even guide the visually impaired. Dogs are happy animals. They help to reduce stress, anxiety and a sense of loneliness. They can improve a person’s well being. They make humans happy. I don't know, dogs are just too good to be true.