Dog o' Day
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Science of Dogs

By Vanessa Rodriguez

402339 12: Garlord Koenen talks to Sonys Aibo computer dog at CeBIT 2002, the worlds largest consumer trade show, March 14, 2002 in Hannover, Germany. More than 7, 900 companies will exhibit at CeBIT over the next week and some 800, 000 visitors are expected to attend. The latest version of the dog, named ERS 220, has a built-in video camera, optional Navigator software a wireless LAN card and a 75 word vocabulary. It is priced around 1,800 Euros ($1,600 USD). (Photo by Nina Ruecker/Getty Images)
402339 12: Garlord Koenen talks to Sonys Aibo computer dog at CeBIT 2002, the worlds largest consumer trade show, March 14, 2002 in Hannover, Germany. More than 7, 900 companies will exhibit at CeBIT over the next week and some 800, 000 visitors are expected to attend. The latest version of the dog, named ERS 220, has a built-in video camera, optional Navigator software a wireless LAN card and a 75 word vocabulary. It is priced around 1,800 Euros ($1,600 USD). (Photo by Nina Ruecker/Getty Images) /
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Science regarding dogs has fascinated humans from the start of time. Their unmatched abilities and demeanor help them stand alone as mans favorite pet.

Olfactory sense- The science of smell

It is no mystery that dogs have a keen sense of smell. Their olfactory sense is 10000 times stronger than a human beings. A bloodhound alone has 300 million smell receptors. The mucus that keeps a dog’s nose wet helps to pick up scent particles. They have two nose passages one for their respiratory, the other olfactory. Even the way they exhale enables them to catch more smells when sniffing. Due to their olfactory cortex being 40 times bigger in the brain than a human, this makes smell their strongest sense. The Jacobson’s Organ, or vomeronasal organ, found in dogs helps their sense of smell further. It descends into their nasal cavity reaching the upper part of their mouth. It helps dogs to detect chemical stimuli or moisture based odor particles. This “chemical connection” can help dogs see the unseen, such as your emotions, diet, and where you’ve been.

Behavioral Instincts

It comes from their wild history and years of domestication. Dogs are born with instincts that are neither trained or gained. Every breed is different. Some are bred as hunters or herders. While others may have stronger sense of smell or compassion. This comes down to canine instincts. A few minor instincts, such a rolling in the dirt, helps hide their scent from prey or predators. Their licking and wagging tail is their natural instinct to communicate. Similar to cats, a dog will spin in a circle before laying down to make a smooth place to lay.

Other instincts, such as hiding their bones and toys, or guarding their owners comes from more ancient instincts. Dogs would often bury their food from other animals. Their defensive nature comes from protecting their young, food, and other members of their pack. Their physical abilities come from instinct. Their speed and agility is what helped them take down prey in the wild. Their sense of smell also kept them safe in detecting danger or other animals intentions. It is their basic instincts that have survived thousands of years of domestication and breeding.

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Man’s Best Friend

When asking what made the dog into man’s best friend, one must consider domestication. Wolves were the start of the domestic canine. Ancient civilizations began with tameness. This trait was the first to develop in village dogs. Tameness along with their lack of fear towards humans laid the foundation for becoming the dogs we know now. Certain traits such as color were bred out of early wolves. However, most traits like their ability to be trained and attentiveness came from years of adaptation.

It took about 60 generations for wolves to become dogs. Their genealogical changes effected everything from appearance to behavior. Dogs’ genes slowly evolved to make way for survival with humans, such as starch absorption. Another gene, RAI1 affects circadian rhythm, changing the nocturnal wolf into day walkers. Some of the earliest dogs to make it to the New World were Siberian Huskies, brought over to Alaska.

From their wolf genealogy to their keen sense of smell, the science surrounding dogs teaches us of the strength of evolution. At the end of the day, we’re just happy to have a scientifically superior animal that we can call our best friend.

 

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