There’s a reason that people spend billions of dollars a year on dog food, dog treats, and toys for their furry companions. Dogs are loyal. Very loyal. Most loyal than people sometimes. That’s why we love our canine companions so much. Loyalty is rare enough that most of us appreciate it when we find it, and no one is more loyal than a dog. But what is it that makes dogs so loyal? Is it something that makes sense in terms of survival, or is there perhaps a scientific explanation behind a dog’s loyalty to his human companion? To understand that answer to that question, you have to dig deep into the history of humans befriending and domesticating dogs.
Most experts believe that modern-day dogs resulted because of the domestication of wolves and that wolves were humankind’s first canine companion. The domestication occurred for a mutual gain. Wolves needed reliable food sources and they realized that human hunts were an ideal place to scavenge. As far as why human’s welcomed wolves into their own pack, the answer is up in the air. Experts argue that it was because humans crave companionship, while other experts insist that the need for protection motivated human beings to welcome dogs into their lives, homes, and families. But what if it’s a little of both?
What was crucial was that the dogs who were more accepting of humans were the dogs who survived and it was this survival technique that secured the dogs’ place in the gene pool. Accepting and loving dogs reproduced and raised more loyal and accepting dogs (wolves). Humans probably helped genetics along a bit. Not even our prehistoric ancestors would have accepted a dog that was a threat to their families. As it turns out, it was a study on foxes that revealed the science behind human and dog companionship. The study revealed that when foxes became domesticated, their hormone levels showed significant change, especially their adrenal stress levels.
YouTube
In the video below, you get to meet Stanley, an adorable pooch who misses his human mommy so much while she’s away at work that he calls to check on her and tell her he loves her. This video went viral and has been viewed more than nine million times on YouTube. Enjoy the video and give your beloved furry friends a nice little cuddle to thank them for loving you so much.
