About the Hearth Dog Blog
The dog, Canis lupus familiaris, has been one of the most widely kept working and companion animals in human history. For over 15,000 years dogs have assisted humans in hunting, hauling, herding, guarding, law enforcement, search and rescue, physical assistance, therapeutic practice and companionship.
As humans began to live and work with the ancestors of modern-day dogs we began to intentionally breed dogs for a broad range of specific traits. Dogs adapted to life within a human context – and humans adapted in turn to a life that was more and more dependent upon their canine companions and partners.
This intricate and meaningful bond is possibly best demonstrated by the word “Dog” itself. It is derived from Middle and Old English roots and its ancient structure indicates that it may be derived from much more ancient roots in the Proto-Indo-European vocabulary. The need to describe and refer to a “dog” has been with humanity for a very, very long time.
This Blog is lovingly dedicated to an ongoing exploration of this intricate, meaningful and necessary bond between the dogs and humans. Please join me in this journey.