0_Wizard
Do you like Chihuahua's? I think they are cute, and their name origin is interesting to me, it is the smallest breed of dog
The Chihuahua () is the smallest breed of dog and is named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico.
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Chihuahua (dog)
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Chihuahua (dog)
The Chihuahua () is the smallest breed of dog and is named after the state of Chihuahua in Mexico. Chihuahuas come in a wide variety of colors, and two coat lengths. The Chihuahua's history is convoluted, and there are many theories surrounding the origin of the breed. Both folklore and archaeological finds show that the breed originated in Mexico. The most common theory is that Chihuahuas are descended from the "Techichi", a companion dog favored by the Toltec civilization in Mexico. No records of the Techichi are available prior to the 9th century, although dog pots from Colima, Mexico, buried as part of the western Mexico shaft tomb tradition which date back to 300 BC are thought to depict Techichis.
Conformation show
A conformation show, also referred to as a "breed show", is a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs "conform" to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard. Such shows are useful to breeders as a means of evaluating dogs for breeding purposes. A conformation championship from a recognized national kennel club is generally considered a reasonably objective indication of merit, as it indicates that the dog has been found to be a superior example of its breed by some number of different judges on some number of separate occasions.
Dog
The domestic dog ("Canis lupus familiaris" or "Canis familiaris") is a member of the genus "Canis" (canines), which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct. The dog was the first species to be domesticated and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canid species.
Pražský Krysařík
The Pražský krysařík (Prague Ratter) is a small breed of dog from the Czech Republic that is rarely seen outside its country of origin. It is the smallest breed in the world by breed standard, because of the maximum height of the dogs, unlike Chihuahuas who are measured by weight. Also known as the pražský krysařík, and often confused with the Chihuahua and the Miniature Pinscher, the dog's coat consists of short, glossy hair and the most common color is black and tan, which is also the original color. Lately, other colors have been approved: brown and tan, blue and tan, lilac and tan, yellow, pink, red and merle.
Toy dog
Toy dog traditionally refers to a very small dog or a grouping of small and very small breeds of dog. A toy dog may be of any of various dog types. Types of dogs referred to as toy dogs may include Spaniels, Pinschers and Terriers that have been bred down in size. Not all toy dogs are lapdogs, although that is an important and ancient type of toy dog. The very smallest toy dogs are sometimes called "teacup" size, although no major dog registry recognizes that term. Dogs referred to as toy or teacup dogs, are dogs found in the "Toy Group" of breed registries, may be of the very ancient lapdog type, or they may be small versions of hunting dogs or working dogs, bred down in size for a particular kind of work or to create a pet of convenient size.
Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
The Greater Swiss Mountain Dog ( or ) is a dog breed which was developed in the Swiss Alps. The name "Sennenhund" refers to people called "Senn" or "Senner", dairymen and herders in the Swiss Alps. Greater Swiss Mountain Dogs are almost certainly the result of indigenous dogs mating with large mastiff types brought to Switzerland by foreign settlers. At one time, the breed was believed to have been among the most popular in Switzerland. It was assumed to have almost died out by the late 19th century, since its work was being done by other breeds or machines, but was rediscovered in the early 1900s.
Poodle
The poodle is a group of formal dog breeds, the Standard Poodle, Miniature Poodle and Toy Poodle. The origins of the poodles are still discussed with a dispute over whether the poodle descends from the old French Barbet breed or from Germany as a type of water dog. Ranked second most intelligent dog breed just behind the Border Collie, the poodle is skillful in many dog sports and activities, including agility, obedience, tracking to herding, circus performers or assistance dogs. Poodles have taken top honors in many conformation shows, including "Best in Show" at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in 1991 and 2002, and at the World Dog Show in 2007 and 2010.
1_Apprentice
Yeah I love them! I own one! They are so friendly and nice! 
0_Wizard
Dogs in general are so cute, it is crazy to me that they evolved from extant gray wolves, as wolves are so much different, it is hard to believe they are ancestors
The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct.
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Dog
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Evolution of the wolf
The evolution of the wolf occurred over a geologic time scale of 800 thousand years, transforming the first Middle Pleistocene wolf specimen that is recognized as being morphologically similar to "Canis lupus" into today's dog, dingo and gray wolf. Ecological factors including habitat type, climate, prey specialization and predatory competition has greatly influenced the wolf's genetic population structure and cranio-dental plasticity. Wolves went through a population bottleneck 20,000 years before present (YBP), which indicates that many wolf populations had gone extinct at a time that coincided with the Last Glacial Maximum and the expansion of modern humans worldwide with their technology for capturing large game.
Origin of the domestic dog
The origin of the domestic dog is not clear. The domestic dog is a member of the genus "Canis", which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The closest living relative of the dog is the extant gray wolf and there is no evidence of any other canine contributing to its genetic lineage. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated. The archaeological record shows the first undisputed dog remains buried beside humans 14,700 years ago, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.
Gray wolf
The gray wolf ("Canis lupus"), also known as the timber wolf or western wolf, is a canine native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America. It is the largest extant member of its family, with males averaging and females . Like the red wolf, it is distinguished from other "Canis" species by its larger size and less pointed features, particularly on the ears and muzzle. Its winter fur is long and bushy and predominantly a mottled gray in color, although nearly pure white, red, and brown to black also occur. "Mammal Species of the World" (3rd ed., 2005), a standard reference work in zoology, recognises 38 subspecies of "C. lupus"..Gray wolfs are pack hunters.
Dog
The domestic dog ("Canis lupus familiaris" or "Canis familiaris") is a member of the genus "Canis" (canines), which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct. The dog was the first species to be domesticated and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canid species.
Megafaunal wolf
The megafaunal wolf ("Canis cf. lupus") was a Late Pleistocene – early Holocene hypercarnivore similar in size to a large extant gray wolf. It had a shorter, broader palate with large carnassial teeth relative to its overall skull size. This adaptation allowed it to predate and scavenge on Pleistocene megafauna. Such an adaption is an example of phenotypic plasticity. In 2007, the words "megafaunal" and "wolf" appeared separated in the title of a study. In 2013, one of the study co-authors first used the term "megafaunal wolf" in a media release. The megafaunal wolf ("Canis cf. lupus", where cf.
Coywolf
Coywolf (sometimes called woyote) is an informal term for a canid hybrid descended from coyotes and gray wolves. Hybridization between the two species is facilitated by the fact that they diverged relatively recently (around 55,000–117,000 years ago). Genomic studies indicate that nearly all North American gray wolf populations possess some degree of admixture with coyotes following a geographic cline, with the lowest levels occurring in Alaska, but the highest in Ontario and Quebec as well as Atlantic Canada. Hybrids of any combination tend to be larger than coyotes but smaller than wolves, they show behaviors intermediate between coyotes and the other parent's species.
Beringian wolf
The Beringian wolf is an extinct type of wolf ("Canis lupus") that lived during the Ice Age. It inhabited what is now modern-day Alaska, Yukon, and northern Wyoming. Some of these wolves survived well into the Holocene. The Beringian wolf is an ecomorph of the gray wolf and has been comprehensively studied using a range of scientific techniques, yielding new information on the prey species and feeding behavior of prehistoric wolves. It has been determined that these wolves are morphologically distinct from modern North American wolves and genetically basal to most modern and extinct wolves. The Beringian wolf has not been assigned a subspecies classification and its relationship with the European cave wolf ("Canis lupus spelaeus") is not clear.
1_Apprentice
It's amazing how humans domesticated and bred dogs down to create the dogs we have today. Early dogs were bread to ease everyday task. 
0_Wizard
Yeah, while the origins of dogs are not really clear, it is clear humans had a role in that process, which amazes me, as we have created so many different and varying breeds of dogs
The origin of the domestic dog is not clear.
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Origin of the domestic dog
partner_0_Origin_of_the_domestic_dog
Origin of the domestic dog
The origin of the domestic dog is not clear. The domestic dog is a member of the genus "Canis", which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The closest living relative of the dog is the extant gray wolf and there is no evidence of any other canine contributing to its genetic lineage. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated. The archaeological record shows the first undisputed dog remains buried beside humans 14,700 years ago, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.
Dog
The domestic dog ("Canis lupus familiaris" or "Canis familiaris") is a member of the genus "Canis" (canines), which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated, which implies that the direct ancestor of the dog is extinct. The dog was the first species to be domesticated and has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Their long association with humans has led dogs to be uniquely attuned to human behavior and they are able to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canid species.
Dingo
The dingo ("Canis lupus dingo" or "Canis dingo") is a type of feral dog native to Australia. The first British colonists to arrive in 1788 established a settlement at Port Jackson and recorded dingoes living there with indigenous Australians. Although the dingo exists in the wild, it associates with humans but has not been selectively bred similarly to other domesticated animals. It is a medium-sized canid that possesses a lean, hardy body designed for speed, agility and stamina. The dingo's three main coat colours are described as being either light ginger (or tan), black and tan, or creamy white.
Dog anatomy
Dog anatomy comprises the anatomical studies of the visible parts of the body of a canine. Details of structures vary tremendously from breed to breed, more than in any other animal species, wild or domesticated, as dogs are highly variable in height and weight. The smallest known adult dog was a Yorkshire Terrier that stood only at the shoulder, in length along the head and body, and weighed only . The largest known adult dog was an English Mastiff which weighed and was from the snout to the tail. The tallest known adult dog is a Great Dane that stands at the shoulder. Source:  The following is a list of the muscles in the dog along with their origin, insertion, action and innervation.
Dog behavior
Dog behavior is the internally coordinated responses of individuals or groups of domestic dogs to internal and external stimuli. It has been shaped by millennia of contact with humans and their lifestyles. As a result of this physical and social evolution, dogs, more than any other species, have acquired the ability to understand and communicate with humans and they are uniquely attuned to their behaviors. Behavioral scientists have uncovered a wide range of social-cognitive abilities in the domestic dog  The origin of the domestic dog ("Canis lupus familiaris" or "Canis familiaris") is not clear.
Dog health
The health of dogs is a well studied area in veterinary medicine. Infectious diseases that affect dogs are important not only from a veterinary standpoint, but also because of the risk to public health; an example of this is rabies. Genetic disorders also affect dogs, often due to selective breeding to produce individual dog breeds. Due to the popularity of both commercial and homemade dog foods, nutrition is also a heavily studied subject. Some diseases and other health problems are common to both humans and dogs; others are unique to dogs and other animals. Dogs are susceptible to various diseases; similarly to humans, they can have diabetes, epilepsy, cancer, or arthritis.
Dog breed
Dog breeds are dogs that have relatively uniform physical characteristics developed under controlled conditions by humans, with breeding animals selected for phenotypic traits such as size, coat color, structure, and behavior. The Fédération Cynologique Internationale recognizes 337 pure dog breeds. Other uses of the term breed when referring to dogs may include pure breeds, cross-breeds, mixed breeds and natural breeds. In 2017, a study showed that 9,000 years ago the domestic dog was present at what is now Zhokhov Island, arctic north-eastern Siberia, which was connected to the mainland at that time.
1_Apprentice
The Dochen was used back in the day to hunt out rabbits from holes in the ground for hunters to shoot 
0_Wizard
And on the flip side, people used to hunt wolves, such as gray wolves, which seems a lot more dangerous to me!
Wolf hunting is the practice of hunting gray wolves "(Canis lupus)" or other species of wolves.
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Wolf hunting
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Gray wolf
The gray wolf ("Canis lupus"), also known as the timber wolf or western wolf, is a canine native to the wilderness and remote areas of Eurasia and North America. It is the largest extant member of its family, with males averaging and females . Like the red wolf, it is distinguished from other "Canis" species by its larger size and less pointed features, particularly on the ears and muzzle. Its winter fur is long and bushy and predominantly a mottled gray in color, although nearly pure white, red, and brown to black also occur. "Mammal Species of the World" (3rd ed., 2005), a standard reference work in zoology, recognises 38 subspecies of "C. lupus"..Gray wolfs are pack hunters.
Wolf hunting
Wolf hunting is the practice of hunting gray wolves "(Canis lupus)" or other species of wolves. Wolves are mainly hunted for sport, for their skins, to protect livestock (wolves are responsible for only .02% of livestock death each year), and, in some rare cases, to protect humans. Wolves have been actively hunted since 8,000 to 10,000 years ago, when they first began to pose a threat to livestock vital for the survival of Neolithic human communities. Historically, the hunting of wolves was a huge capital- and manpower-intensive operation. The threat wolves posed to both livestock and people was considered significant enough to warrant the conscription of whole villages under threat of punishment, despite the disruption of economic activities and reduced taxes.
Evolution of the wolf
The evolution of the wolf occurred over a geologic time scale of 800 thousand years, transforming the first Middle Pleistocene wolf specimen that is recognized as being morphologically similar to "Canis lupus" into today's dog, dingo and gray wolf. Ecological factors including habitat type, climate, prey specialization and predatory competition has greatly influenced the wolf's genetic population structure and cranio-dental plasticity. Wolves went through a population bottleneck 20,000 years before present (YBP), which indicates that many wolf populations had gone extinct at a time that coincided with the Last Glacial Maximum and the expansion of modern humans worldwide with their technology for capturing large game.
Coywolf
Coywolf (sometimes called woyote) is an informal term for a canid hybrid descended from coyotes and gray wolves. Hybridization between the two species is facilitated by the fact that they diverged relatively recently (around 55,000–117,000 years ago). Genomic studies indicate that nearly all North American gray wolf populations possess some degree of admixture with coyotes following a geographic cline, with the lowest levels occurring in Alaska, but the highest in Ontario and Quebec as well as Atlantic Canada. Hybrids of any combination tend to be larger than coyotes but smaller than wolves, they show behaviors intermediate between coyotes and the other parent's species.
Origin of the domestic dog
The origin of the domestic dog is not clear. The domestic dog is a member of the genus "Canis", which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and is the most widely abundant terrestrial carnivore. The closest living relative of the dog is the extant gray wolf and there is no evidence of any other canine contributing to its genetic lineage. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa as modern wolves are not closely related to the wolves that were first domesticated. The archaeological record shows the first undisputed dog remains buried beside humans 14,700 years ago, with disputed remains occurring 36,000 years ago.
Eastern wolf
The eastern wolf ("Canis lycaon" or "Canis lupus lycaon"), also known as the eastern timber wolf, Algonquin wolf or deer wolf, is a canid native to the northeastern side of North America's Great Lakes region. It is a medium-sized canid which, like the red wolf, is intermediate in size between the coyote and the gray wolf. It primarily preys on white-tailed deer, but may occasionally attack moose and beaver. The eastern wolf's taxonomic classification has been under review beginning c. 2000, with various suggestions having been presented as to its derivation, including its being a subspecies of gray wolf, its being conspecific with the red wolf, gray wolf–coyote hybridization, and classification as a separate species within "Canis".
Mexican wolf
The Mexican wolf ("Canis lupus baileyi"), also known as the lobo, is a subspecies of gray wolf once native to southeastern Arizona, southern New Mexico, western Texas and northern Mexico. It is the smallest of North America's gray wolves, and is similar to "C. l. nubilus", though it is distinguished by its smaller, narrower skull and its darker pelt, which is yellowish-gray and heavily clouded with black over the back and tail. Its ancestors were likely the first gray wolves to enter North America after the extinction of the Beringian wolf, as indicated by its southern range and basal physical and genetic characteristics.