Man’s Best (& Oldest) Friend
26 Mar

Man’s Best (& Oldest) Friend

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Animals and humans have worked together in therapeutic relationships for more than 12,000 years. Scientists proved this when they found a 12,000-year-old human skeleton in Israel, holding close the skeletal remains of a puppy.

The history of the human-canine bond starts even earlier than that, however humans and wolves, the ancestor of our domestic dogs, hunted the same prey in the days before the Ice Age. The two groups were weaker than the animals they hunted, but they hunted in packs, making their hunting expeditions safer and more effective. The packs of these two groups have many similarities. Both creatures are social and loyal, forming groups based on family and looking out for one another’s young. Because they had so much in common, it made sense for humans and wolves to work together toward a common goal: hunting. The hunting bond between dogs and humans began between 19,000 and 30,000 years ago. Dogs are beneficial to hunters because some possess a highly sensitive sense of smell, which helps the hunter to find their prey. Other breeds possess impressive endurance, which is helpful for long hunting expeditions.

The human-canine bond doesn’t end with hunting, however. Today, we’ve adapted the relationship to fit our modern lives. Now, dogs also serve in animal assisted activities and therapies by working with people who have psychological and physical diseases. They also can provide companionship to the elderly and improve children’s reading and communication skills by simply listening.

1 FUR 1 Foundation’s mission is to continue strengthening the bond between humans and animals. Do you want to be an ambassador for the human/animal bond? It’s easy and free. We suggest that that you use Goodsearch for your search-engine needs. It functions like any other search engine, but raises a penny for 1 FUR 1 each time you search.

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