<#000000>Dog (domestic dog)
<#868686>(Canis lupus familiaris)

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<#000000>Description
<#868686>Many people consider dogs to be man's best friend. Dogs have been living with humans for thousands of years and are valued not only as faithful companions, but also as guard dogs, sheepdogs, and tracker dogs.

<IMG=./Data/Lexicon/Hund_Closeup02.dds><#000000>Appearance 
<#868686>The dog is descended from the wolf and is a pack animal, which makes it an ideal family pet. Domestic dogs such as German shepherds still resemble their ancestors fairly closely, but there are now many other breeds of dog that look quite different, with a wide variety of coats and body shapes. 
There are thin dogs such as greyhounds, small stocky dogs such as pugs, large dogs such as hounds, and small dogs such as dachshunds. The colors of dogs' coats also vary greatly: some dogs are all one color, e.g. black, while others have multicolored coats in a variety of shades and markings.  


<#000000>Origin
<#868686>The dog's original homeland is still uncertain, but because dogs are descended from wolves, which inhabit the Northern Hemisphere, it is assumed that dogs also originated there. The simple fact is that dogs can be found where humans are.


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<#000000>Habitat 
<#868686>Wolves are highly adaptable creatures, a characteristic that dogs have inherited and consequently,
dogs are happy to live either indoors or outside in a kennel. 





<#000000>Species and breeds
<#868686>There are approximately 400 breeds of dog. We should all be familiar with the following breeds:
- Golden Retriever
- Dalmatian
- German Shepherd
- Boxer
- Great Dane
- Poodle
- Rottweiler
- Jack Russell Terrier

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<#000000>Life expectancy
<#868686>A dog's lifespan is normally 14 years, although some can live for up to 20 years.



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<#000000>Behavior
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<#000000>Habits
<#868686>Wolves, the ancestors of domestic dogs, were first tamed and bred approximately 14,000 years ago. 
Today dogs perform all kinds of tasks, working as guard dogs, sheepdogs, and tracker dogs, or are simply kept as playmates and companions owing to their loyalty and attentiveness. Because dogs also have very keen senses of hearing and smell, they make excellent guard dogs and are also used as gun dogs to track down game. A dog is a very social animal and sees the family it lives with as its pack. The hierarchies within the pack must be clearly defined so that the dog can fit in; it must accept its master as the leader of the pack and obey him.  
Dogs use body language to communicate their feelings. For example, if a dog has its tail raised, its hairs standing on end, its lips pulled back, and its teeth bared, the dog is displaying aggression and expressing dominance. If, on the other hand, its tail is held low and its body is cowering, this is often a sign of fear. If the dog raises its tail and wags it vigorously, lowers its upper body, and barks heartily, it is expressing a wish to play.

Dogs are light sleepers and can be active during the day or night.












<#000000>Predators 
<#868686>Domestic dogs have no natural enemies.


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<#000000>Breeding habits
<#868686>Female Dogs are "in season" twice a year, normally in February and August. A female dog usually gives birth to between 3 and 9 puppies after about two months. The puppies initially suckle from their mother but start eating solid food after 4 weeks. Puppies are utterly helpless during the first couple of weeks after they are born as they can neither hear nor see, but after a few days they start to open their eyes and crawl around. 
  
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<#000000>Ownership

<#000000>Diet
<#868686>A dog is essentially an omnivore but its favorite food is meat. It is best to feed a dog commercial dog food, which is available as either dry or wet food.
Bear in mind, however, that puppies need special food to satisfy their nutritional requirements.

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<#000000>Care
<#868686>Dogs require a lot of exercise and also need to urinate several times a day. Therefore, before buying a dog a prospective owner must consider carefully if he will have time to look after the animal properly, as otherwise it will be unhappy and could fall ill. It is worth remembering that training the animal correctly is crucial in determining its subsequent behavior: only a dog that has received constant training can be relied upon to show absolute obedience
later in life.

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