P e t Dogs W ild Dog s Dogs have lived with humans for thousands of years but they still have lots in common with their wild cousins Wild Dogs The friendly pet dog is descended from the wolf and is related to wild dogs such as dingoes found in Australia African hunting dogs and the dhole and raccoon dogs in Asia Some pet dogs look like the wolf the husky for example with its thick coat and broad head The wolf left and husky right t look very similar with erect ears fur around the face and a pointed muzzle 4
Some collie dogs are working dogs used by farmers to herd s and look after their sheep Man’s Best Friend Dogs have lived with people for at least 15,000 years and possibly for as long as 100,000 years Dogs were found around the first settlements where they fed on scraps of food left by people a bit like coyotes in towns and cities today Gradually the dogs became tame and people took them into their homes PET POINT is a A dog that is cal particular breed a pedigree dog is a cross A mixed breed between different breeds Jobs for Dogs People started to breed dogs to do a particular job Larger led dogs were used to guard people and animals collie-like dogs herded animals Dogs that had a good sense of smell were used for hunting In the snowy Arctic huskies are still used to pull sleds 5
W hy a Do g Dogs are great pets They are animals that love to live with people and they can help to keep you fit Things to Think About Dogs make great friends but they need a lot of looking after POINTS IN FAVOR OF HAVING A DOG (cid:86) companionship you are never alone when you own a dog (cid:86) dogs love to be cuddled and to play with you (cid:86) dogs help to keep you fit POINTS TO THINK ABOUT BEFORE GETTING A DOG (cid:86) you need plenty of spare time (cid:86) dogs need training (cid:86) dogs need a walk every day even in bad weather (cid:86) dogs cannot be left on their own for many hours (cid:86)(cid:203)(cid:63)(cid:144)(cid:144)(cid:203)(cid:97)(cid:157)(cid:126)(cid:196)(cid:94)(cid:203)(cid:77)(cid:214)(cid:205)(cid:203)(cid:106)(cid:196)(cid:172)(cid:106)(cid:87)(cid:137)(cid:63)(cid:144)(cid:144)(cid:223)(cid:203)(cid:144)(cid:157)(cid:153)(cid:126)(cid:203) haired dogs need daily brushing (cid:86) vet’s bills can be expensive Going out for s a run with your dog is a fun way to exercise for both of you 6
This miniature schnauzer s is a pedigree dog Pedigree or Mixed Breed Many people choose to buy a pedigree dog because they are purebred and they like the look or character of the breed Pedigree dogs are usually bought from breeders and these dogs can be very expensive A mixed breed is cheaper but when you buy a mixed breed puppy you can never be sure of how large it will grow and what it will be like when it’s older An animal shelter will often have t pedigree as well as mixed breed dogs that need a home Rescue Dogs Many people now get puppies and adult dogs from animal shelters where there are unwanted or stray dogs looking for new homes People give up their pet for many reasons for example they may be moving away can’t afford the dog anymore or they are too sick to look after it PET POINT shelters are Animal to very careful match you to the right type of dog ly fami for your 7
