"Dogs are amazing" Topic

The other day I happened to look up from reading my newspaper and both of the royal hounds were sitting in front of me, staring at me with their tongues hanging out. Then I thought how strange it is to have "animals" running around the house at will.

I think I agree with the sentiment, but I am curious what aspect of dogs do you find to be "amazing".

For me, the re-focussing of the dogs natural pack instincts to humans (and small groups of humans, i.e. families), is what makes them amazing.

Which falls in direct contrast to cats IMHO.
Damn them cats!
grrr

Well it is kinda like having nature in your house.

I like to just watch my dog and see what she does.

Like today my mom was cleaing the bird cage, and when doing that she takes out the bottom of the cage and puts in a steel grating in the bottom so the birgs walk around it it, well my dachs finds it very tempting having two little birds waliking on greatings just 5inches from her head, he sits under the cage hoping that the birds some how will fall out of it, she even sits right under the bird with her mouth open and some times bites the air.
Very cute and funny.

She is also more human then any other dog I've met, she got a range of facial expreciance on the level of pluto, it's not just in the eyes but she can smile and even laough.

the re-focussing of the dogs natural pack instincts to humans (and small groups of humans, i.e. families), is what makes them amazing.

We're just funny dogs to them. Funny dogs in charge, in most cases, but dogs none the less. Most dogs will establish a pack hierarchy in whatever group they find themselves in, occasionally even including a cat or two. Humans who fail to establish dominance over their dogs are what keep people like The Dog Whisperer in business, but many dogs are quite happy to stay at the lair and guard it until the alpha male and female come back with food.

Yep.
We have six humans in my house and one dog.
The youngest girl is 8.
The dog is definitely number seven in the hierarchy list.

The only reason that cavemen domesticated dogs was to have something to laugh at.

Actualy there is a theory out there saying Wolves domesticated them self, they simply saw that they could live better as a companien animal of humans

Well, my Natasha certainly lives well.

"Quick, Junior! Look cute!"

BTW, that makes them smarter than us, donut?

The idea of animals roaming around the house at will is kind of odd, if you really think about it. Then there is the fact that they can understand certain words or commands (sit, come, stay, lie down, heel, treat, go get your bone, go to your bed, kitchen). They have feelings, wants and needs and look to us for some of them.

I personally think that our early male ancestors spent a lot more time out in the open land with dogs than with the loud women back in the cave. :)

And, if you believe some of the estimates, they've been our hunting and "get-away-from-the-cave-noise" partners for as long as 150,000 years.

As a result there's an almost telepathic connection between man and dog. They can do a lot keep us sane, grounded, and at peace.

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