In the beginning, shortly after God created evolution, the earth was in a long series of geologic eras known as the Eocene period. During that time tiny horses, miniature camels, and primitive monkeys inhabited the world. These completely peaceful little animals were all a bunch of grass eating vegetarians, and preying on these defenseless little creatures, was a small carnivore called
Miacis. Miacis was a long-tailed, short-legged little demon of a beast, a versatile predator that could both tree climb and run the open fields. Miacis and his friends ran around the neighborhood making life miserable for those other inhabitants in its neighborhood, much like many of today's neighborhood civic associations. (Only problem was the penalties for getting caught was a tad bit more brutal!) The other problem is that Miacis (the Menace), is also the forefather of our other family member, the dog.As Miacis matured he sired a couple of families who, as the earth's Eocene period became the Oligocene period over the next five million years, sired a few more families of their own. Miacis' family had two lines. His heavy, ruggedly-built progeny got named Daphneaus or the “bear-dog”, and the skinny brother got named Cynodicitus. Cynodicitus couldn't climb trees so evolution worked on growing its legs even longer to enhance its running skills even more. As the millions of years continued to pile up, half-brother Daphneaus evolved into a true bear, and was the forefather of all those great camping stories.
Meanwhile, Cynodicitus was busy with his own family planning, and by the time the world moved into the Miocene period, had three offspring named Lycaon, Borophagus, and Tomarctus. Lycaon sired the wild African hunting dogs, Borophagus sired the jackels and hyenas, and Tomarctus went with the extended family tree of wolves, foxes and the modern dog.
The dog's history is older than man's with the Grand Ancestor of all dogs, tame and wild, dating back some 40 million years. Probably when man had his first flickering of being an intelligent, tool using being some 500,000 years ago, he brought home his first family dog and started man's first domestic animal and cross species partner. Now some measly half-million years later, what are we to think? First, we need to remember that all of our precious little Fidos', and sometimes not so little Fidos', (and all the fancy heritages that our “purer progeny breeds” perpetuate), started with Miacis, the less than desirable neighbor. Second, as we hang out with our dog, each of us is carrying on a tradition and a partnership as old as the human race itself. That, I personally find, a little scary.
Bottom line, for man to make an intimate companion of an animal is quite unique. Of all the animals that have served and still serve man in his long history, only the dog has become a partner, a companion and a playmate. What is also unique is the fact that this relationship has not been enforced. Both man and dog have come to it with a sincere affection and loyalty for each other. It is a tribute to both species that they can live together not only in mutual dependence but also as friends. This is a special mark of distinction, for the dog family lived on earth many millions of years before man arrived. In summary, living with man's first domestic animal and cross-species partner our faithful dogs helped us trap wild game, stood guard over its master's dwellings, all the while being friend and companion to the family. That was and still is proof positive that our cultures did not clash. Of course:
A) If you treat your dog as a person,
B) He will treat you as a dog,
C) And that is not good!
