Image credits -
Pixabay
Whether you love dogs, cats, or all animals in general, you might
have wondered why pet dogs come in so many uniquely different
shapes, sizes, and colors, while cats look so similar with barely
any variations in the general characteristics. Why is it that
there are so many dog breeds and so few cat breeds? Why do dog
breeds differ from each other so much while cat breeds have
minimal differences?
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Dogs were bred for specific tasksDogs were
brought into peopleโs lives because they could fulfil very
specific functions. Retrievers were bred to retrieve animals
and birds that were hunted and shot down by hunters.
Shepherding breeds were bred to manage sheep and other cattle
on farms. Every breed that exists today was bred for a specific
purpose, although some recent breeds have only been bred
because people like certain facial features and think they look
cute.There are very few dog breeds today that are completely
natural and have evolved naturally from their ancestors.
Because of such selective breeding, every breed looks, sounds,
and behaves a certain way and is markedly different from other
breeds.
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Dogs have been domesticated longer than cats
haveDogs have been with humans for over 19,000 years
and, during this time, have been bred and used for a number of
specific tasks. Cats, on the other hand, have been with humans
for only 10,000 years and have mostly been kept only as
companions.An important point to note here is that dogs were
intentionally and specifically domesticated by ancient humans
and were chosen to be domesticated for certain tasks. Cats, on
the other hand, chose to be with humans and adapted themselves
to live with human civilizations. Even today, cats are
considered to be only semi-domesticated, while dogs are said to
be completely domesticated.
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Many cultures look down on selective cat
breedingA big reason cats were never bred specifically
on a large scale like dogs is because a number of cultures
looked down on the practice of selective breeding of cats. Cats
were revered ass deities in many cultures and, therefore,
selective breeding was frowned upon. This probably protected
cats from selective breeding and allowed them to naturally
evolve to be with humans instead.
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Cats are loved for their natural looks and not bred for
tasksPeople do not adopt cats to get them to perform
tasks. Cats have never been used by humans for labor like dogs
have been used. People like cats and keep them around because
they can be entertaining, they look cute, and they can provide
great companionship.
These are just a few main reason why you do not see the kind of
vast differences in cat breeds the way you do among dog breeds.
How to Identify a Dog Breed by its Looks?
Itโs always a good thing when you choose to adopt a dog from the
shelter instead of buying one from a kennel. Not only are you
rescuing the animal, you are also giving yourself a loving
companion that will always stay by your side.There is, however, a
small drawback to adopting a dog from your local animal shelter.
You may not get enough information about your dog, especially
regarding its breed. While it is not uncommon to find pure-bred
pedigree dogs at the shelter, you are more likely to find
cross-breed canines.It is not very difficult to identify a Husky,
Beagle, or a Great Dane, but there are new breeds being created
through cross-breeding. Even dog professionals can sometimes be
baffled with these new breeds. The easiest way to determine a
dogโs breed is through its physical appearance. Studying its
behavior will also help.
Identifying a dogโs breed by
its appearance
If youโre confused about a dogโs breed, start with its looks.
Study its appearance and pay attention to specific features.
- Check if the dogโs coat has short or long hair. If it has
long hair, find out if the hair is straight or curly
- Identify the dogโs predominant color. Many dogs comes with
two or more colors
- Next, study the dogโs ears. Is it long, floppy, tipped,
hooded, or pricked? There are many types. You could check online
for the right term
- Pay attention to the dogโs tail. There are many types of
tails too - sickle, docked, curly, etc.
- Dogs come with different shaped heads - domed, flattened, or
square. Some dogs heads face up while others face down. Different
breeds also have different nose types
- If you have a puppy, you will have to wait for it to grow a
little so you know how big it can get. There are small-sized dogs
and then there are large ones. You can eliminate certain breeds
according to your dogโs size, weight, and height
Once you have thoroughly checked these features, you can conduct
your own research online. Start with pedigree dogs that have
similar features as your canine friend. Even if you do not have
an exact match, you can rule out many breeds. You will be left
with a list of possible breeds that your dog may have descended
from. If your canine pal is a pedigree, you will be able to
determine the breed easily.If you still are unable to narrow down
possible breeds, it is always a good idea to take your dog to the
vet. They are experts and are familiar with thousands of breeds.
Is breed important?
Despite the breed, all dogs are loving, wonderful animals. Even
if you have adopted a mongrel, he will show you undying affection
and loyalty for as long as he lives. Do not go by their breeds.
Love your dog no matter what kind he is.
