The Incredible Story of Dogs traces the entertaining, surprising and somewhat bizarre story ofhumankind's best friend and the diverse relationships humans and dogs have. Relationships between dogs and humans are cross cultural, occurring in all cultures across the globe and spanning all of humankind's history. From best friends to working partners, dogs have been a part of the human experience for 15,000 years.

Part I, A Question of Breeding

A Question of Breeding reveals the eccentricities of owners through their dogs. Witness the haughty Corgi and the Queen of England. Check out the kinky Jack Russell terrier and the California Girl.

• accolades
• acute
• anatomy
• ancestry
• appealing
• aristocratic
• aspirations
• ballast
• carnivore
• cerebral
• decadent
• degenerate
• discerning
• disintegrated
• eccentric
• enthusiastic
• fastidious
• flattering
• flirtatious
• integrity
• lavish
• obsession
• patronage
• pinnacle
• prerogative
• status
• stringent
• territorial

1. People choose different breeds of dogs for different reasons. One reason for choosing a particular breed is the status of the breed. How are certain breeds used as status symbols? How do they enhance the image of the owner? Do dogs reflect their owners social state?

2. Human beings control the appearance of pedigrees through selective breeding. These techniques have also been applied to humans during different periods of history (e.g. Nazi Germany). How does the human obsession with dog breeding reflect the desire for human perfection?

3. How does human control of dog breeding affect the health of some breeds?

4. Dogs, such as Greyhounds, are used for sports such as racing. Most Greyhounds are destroyed when they are no longer useful for racing. Do humans have the right to profit from dogs in this manner? Should dog racing, like dog fighting, be illegal?

5. It is said that dogs are a reflection of their owners. How do dogs mirror their owners?

6. Dogs give humans "unqualified love."What does "unqualified love" mean? Would you agree that it is a trait of pet dogs?

1. Research a breed that appeals to you. Write an essay about the traits and characteristics of that breed, or make a chart showing how the breed evolved into its modern state.

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