Sighthounds (also called gazehounds ) are a type of hound dog that hunts primarily by sight and speed, unlike scent hounds , which rely on scent and endurance.
55-463: The kangaroo dog or kangaroo hound is an Australian type of sighthound purposely crossbred from a variety of sighthound breeds to produce a hunting dog. Kangaroo dogs were first bred by colonial settlers in Australia from as early as the 1830s, the aim being to create a sighthound fast, strong and robust enough to outrun, catch and hold a kangaroo without being injured or disembowelled by
110-874: A working animal , livestock , or a laboratory animal . Popular pets are often considered to have attractive/ cute appearances, intelligence , and relatable personalities, but some pets may be taken in on an altruistic basis (such as a stray animal) and accepted by the owner regardless of these characteristics. Two of the most popular pets are dogs and cats . Other animals commonly kept include rabbits ; ferrets ; pigs ; rodents such as gerbils , hamsters , chinchillas , rats , mice , and guinea pigs ; birds such as parrots , passerines , and fowls ; reptiles such as turtles , lizards , snakes , and iguanas ; aquatic pets such as fish , freshwater snails , and saltwater snails; amphibians such as frogs and salamanders ; and arthropod pets such as tarantulas and hermit crabs . Smaller pets include rodents , while
165-471: A Saluki, appearing in the excavations of Tell Brak dated approximately 4,000 years before present. The earliest complete European description of a sighthound and its work, the Celtic vertragus from Roman Spain of the 2nd century C.E., comes from Arrian 's Cynegeticus . A similar type, possibly a moderately sized male sighthound, with a height of 61–63 cm, of approximately the same historic period,
220-522: A cat had at least one person educated to degree level, compared with 38.4% of homes with dogs. There are approximately 86.4 million pet cats and approximately 78.2 million pet dogs in the United States, and a United States 2007–2008 survey showed that dog-owning households outnumbered those owning cats, but that the total number of pet cats was higher than that of dogs. The same was true for 2011. In 2013, pets outnumbered children four to one in
275-467: A deliberate choice not to drink or use drugs, and to avoid contact with substance abusers or those involved in any criminal activity for fear of being separated from their pet. Additionally, many refuse to house in shelters if their pet is not allowed to stay with them. Health risks that are associated with pets include: The European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals is a 1987 treaty of
330-457: A demand for animal goods such as accessories and guides for pet keeping. Pet care developed into a big business by the end of the nineteenth century. Profiteers also sought out pet stealing as a means for economic gain. Utilizing the affection that owners had for their pets, professional dog stealers would capture animals and hold them for ransom. The development of dog stealing reflects the increased value of pets. Pets gradually became defined as
385-400: A fundamental change in behavior to facilitate a close co-existence with humans. Some species may have been bred in captivity for a considerable length of time, but are still not recognized as domesticated . Generally, wild animals are recognized as not suitable to keep as pets, and this practice is completely banned in many places. In other areas, certain species are allowed to be kept, and it
440-559: A higher number of retinal ganglion cells in their “visual streak”, retain more heightened sensitivity than other dog types to objects and rapid movement in the horizontal field of vision. Sighthounds such as the Saluki/Sloughi type (both named after the Seleucid Empire ) may have existed for at least 5,000 years, with the earliest presumed sighthound remains of a male with a shoulder height around 54 cm, compared to
495-404: A higher risk of developing diabetes, liver problems, joint pain, kidney failure, and cancer. Lack of exercise and high-caloric diets are considered to be the primary contributors to pet obesity. It is widely believed among the public, and among many scientists, that pets probably bring mental and physical health benefits to their owners; a 1987 NIH statement cautiously argued that existing data
550-431: A light, lean head, which is dolichocephalic in proportion. This shape can create the illusion that their heads are longer than usual. Wolves and other wild dogs are dolichocephalic or mesaticephalic , but some domestic dogs have become brachycephalic (short-headed) due to artificial selection by humans over the course of 12,000 years. Dolichocephalic dogs have a wider field of vision but smaller overlap between
605-406: A pet may also help people achieve health goals, such as lowered blood pressure, or mental goals, such as decreased stress. There is evidence that having a pet can help a person lead a longer, healthier life. In a 1986 study of 92 people hospitalized for coronary ailments, within a year, 11 of the 29 patients without pets had died, compared to only 3 of the 52 patients who had pets. Having pet(s)
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#1732791119974660-512: A requirement for having a pet, and not a result. Dogs trained to be guide dogs can help people with vision impairment. Dogs trained in the field of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) can also benefit people with other disabilities. People residing in a long-term care facility, such as a hospice or nursing home, may experience health benefits from pets. Pets help them to cope with the emotional issues related to their illness. They also offer physical contact with another living creature, something that
715-628: A very flexible back and long legs for a long stride, a deep chest to support an unusually (compared to other dogs) large heart, very efficient lungs for both anaerobic and aerobic sprints, and a lean, wiry body to keep their weight at a minimum. Sighthounds have unique anatomical and physiological features, likely due to intentional selection for hunting by speed and sight; laboratory studies have established reference intervals for hematology and serum biochemical profiles in sighthounds, some of which are shared by all sighthounds and some of which may be unique to one breed. The typical sighthound type has
770-426: Is a medically approved class of therapy animals that are brought to visit confined humans, such as children in hospitals or elders in nursing homes . Pet therapy utilizes trained animals and handlers to achieve specific physical, social, cognitive, or emotional goals with patients. People most commonly get pets for companionship, to protect a home or property, or because of the perceived beauty or attractiveness of
825-551: Is estimated that there are approximately 45 million pets in Italy. This includes 7 million dogs, 7.5 million cats, 16 million fish, 12 million birds, and 10 million snakes. A 2007 survey by the University of Bristol found that 26% of UK households owned cats and 31% owned dogs, estimating total domestic populations of approximately 10.3 million cats and 10.5 million dogs in 2006. The survey also found that 47.2% of households with
880-531: Is illegal in the Netherlands for owners to kill their own cats and dogs kept as pets. Parakeets, guinea pigs, hamsters and other animals may still be killed by their owners, but nonetheless when owners mistreat their companion animals (for example, in the process of killing them), the owners can still be prosecuted under Dutch law. Pets have a considerable environmental impact, especially in countries where they are common or held in high densities. For instance,
935-406: Is illegal. There is a market for illegal pets. Domesticated pets are the most common. A domesticated animal is a species that has been made fit for a human environment, by being consistently kept in captivity and selectively bred over a long enough period of time that it exhibits marked differences in behavior and appearance from its wild relatives. Domestication contrasts with taming , which
990-864: Is often missing in an elder's life. Pets for nursing homes are chosen based on the size of the pet, the amount of care that the breed needs, and the population and size of the care institution. Appropriate pets go through a screening process and, if it is a dog, additional training programs to become a therapy dog . There are three types of therapy dogs: facility therapy dogs, animal-assisted therapy dogs, and therapeutic visitation dogs. The most common therapy dogs are therapeutic visitation dogs. These dogs are household pets whose handlers take time to visit hospitals, nursing homes, detention facilities, and rehabilitation facilities. Different pets require varying amounts of attention and care; for example, cats may have lower maintenance requirements than dogs. In addition to providing health benefits for their owners, pets also impact
1045-676: Is responsible for the release of up to 64 ± 16 million tons CO 2 -equivalent methane and nitrous oxide , two powerful greenhouse gasses . Americans are the largest pet owners in the world, but pet ownership in the US has considerable environmental costs. While many people have kept many different species of animals in captivity over the course of human history, only a relative few have been kept long enough to be considered domesticated . Other types of animal, notably monkeys , have never been domesticated but are still sold and kept as pets. Some wild animals are kept as pets, such as tigers, even though this
1100-440: Is significant as Egyptians considered names to have magical properties. Throughout the 17th and 18th-century pet keeping in the modern sense gradually became accepted throughout Britain . Initially, aristocrats kept dogs for both companionship and hunting. Thus, pet keeping was a sign of elitism within society. By the 19th century, the rise of the middle class stimulated the development of pet keeping and it became inscribed within
1155-576: Is simply when an un-domesticated, wild animal has become tolerant of human presence, and perhaps even enjoys it. Large mammals that might be kept as pets include alpaca , camel , cattle , donkey , goat , horse , llama , pig , and sheep . Small mammals that might be kept as pets include: ferret , hedgehog , rabbit , sugar glider , and rodents , including rat , mouse , hamster , guinea pig , gerbil , and chinchilla . Other mammals include cat , dog , monkey , and domesticated silver fox . Birds kept as pets include companion parrots like
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#17327911199741210-498: Is usually required for the owner to obtain a permit. It is considered animal cruelty by some, as most often, wild animals require precise and constant care that is very difficult to meet in captive conditions. Many large and instinctively aggressive animals are extremely dangerous, and numerous times have they killed their handlers. Archaeology suggests that human ownership of dogs as pets may date back to at least 12,000 years ago. Ancient Greeks and Romans would openly grieve for
1265-675: The American Kennel Club and The Kennel Club ( UK ), group pedigree sighthound breeds together with scent hounds in a Hound Group, the Fédération Cynologique Internationale groups them in a dedicated Sighthound Group, whilst the United Kennel Club groups them in a Sighthound and Pariah Group. Pet A pet , or companion animal , is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as
1320-746: The Borzoi was also used and more recently the Saluki as well. Hunting of native species with sighthounds is now banned in Australia; however, kangaroo dogs are still bred for hunting invasive introduced species, such as feral pigs and red foxes . This dog-related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Sighthound These dogs specialize in pursuing prey, keeping it in sight, and overpowering it by their great speed and agility. They must be able to detect motion quickly, so they have keen vision. Sighthounds must be able to capture fast, agile prey, such as deer and hares , so they have
1375-497: The Council of Europe – but accession to the treaty is open to all states in the world – to promote the welfare of pet animals and ensure minimum standards for their treatment and protection. It went into effect on 1 May 1992, and as of June 2020, it has been ratified by 24 states. Pets have commonly been considered private property , owned by individual persons . Many legal protections have existed (historically and today) with
1430-530: The Netherlands , the government publishes white lists and black lists (called 'positive' and 'negative lists') with animal species that are designated to be appropriate to be kept as pets (positive) or not (negative). The Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy originally established its first positive list ( positieflijst ) per 1 February 2015 for a set of 100 mammals (including cats, dogs and production animals ) deemed appropriate as pets on
1485-555: The Warmington Roman dog is described from a well-preserved skeleton found in England. Sighthound type "gracile" bones, dating from the 8th to 9th century CE, anatomically defined as those of a 70 cm (28 in) high "greyhound", were genetically compared with the modern Greyhound and other sighthounds and found to be almost identical with the modern Greyhound breed, with the exception of only four deletions and one substitution in
1540-667: The armadillo , the sloth , the European hare , and the wild boar . In January 2011, the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain stated that people are not allowed to kill miscellaneous or unknown cats walking in their garden, but "nowhere in the law does it say that you can't eat your cat, dog, rabbit, fish or whatever. You just have to kill them in an animal-friendly way." Since 1 July 2014, it
1595-514: The bourgeois culture. As the popularity of pet-keeping in the modern sense rose during the Victorian era , animals became a fixture within urban culture as commodities and decorative objects. Pet keeping generated a commercial opportunity for entrepreneurs. By the mid-19th century, nearly twenty thousand street vendors in London dealt with live animals. The popularity of animals also developed
1650-680: The budgie and cockatiel , fowl such as chickens , turkeys , ducks , geese , and quail , columbines , and passerines , namely finches and canaries . Fish kept as pets include: goldfish , koi , Siamese fighting fish ( Betta ), barb , guppy , molly , Japanese rice fish (Medaka), and oscar . Arthropods kept as pets include bees , such as honey bees and stingless bees , Silk moth , and ant farms . Reptiles and amphibians kept as pets include snakes , turtles , axolotl , frogs and salamanders . Wild animals are kept as pets. The term wild in this context specifically applies to any species of animal which has not undergone
1705-403: The equine and bovine group include the largest companion animals. Pets provide their owners, or guardians, both physical and emotional benefits. Walking a dog can provide both the human and the dog with exercise, fresh air, and social interaction . Pets can give companionship to people who are living alone or elderly adults who do not have adequate social interaction with other people. There
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1760-455: The 163 million dogs and cats kept in the United States consume about 20% of the amount of dietary energy that humans do and an estimated 33% of the animal-derived energy. They produce about 30% ± 13%, by mass, as much feces as Americans, and through their diet, constitute about 25–30% of the environmental impacts from animal production in terms of the use of land, water, fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides. Dog and cat animal product consumption
1815-728: The DNA sequences, which were interpreted as differences probably arising from 11 centuries of breeding of this type of sighthound. Population genomic analysis proposes that true sighthounds originated independently from native dogs and were comprehensively admixed among breeds, supporting the multiple origins hypothesis of sighthounds. Although today most sighthounds are kept primarily as pets , some of them may have been bred for as many as thousands of years to detect movement of prey, then chase, capture, and kill it primarily by speed. They thrive on physical activity. Some have mellow personalities, others are watchful or even hostile towards strangers, but
1870-845: The United States. Keeping animals as pets may be detrimental to their health if certain requirements are not met. An important issue is inappropriate feeding, which may produce clinical effects. The consumption of chocolate or grapes by dogs, for example, may prove fatal. Certain species of houseplants can also prove toxic if consumed by pets. Examples include philodendrons and Easter lilies , which can cause severe kidney damage to cats, and poinsettias , begonia , and aloe vera , which are mildly toxic to dogs. For birds, chocolate can be deadly, and foods intended for human consumption, such as bread, crackers, and dairy items, can potentially cause health problems. Housepets, particularly dogs and cats in industrialized societies, are highly susceptible to obesity . Overweight pets have been shown to be at
1925-995: The ability to associate with the upper-class through ownership of their pets. The ability to care for a pet signified respectability and the capability to be self-sufficient. According to Harriet Ritvo, the identification of "elite animal and elite owner was not a confirmation of the owner's status but a way of redefining it." The popularity of dog and pet keeping generated animal fancy . Dog fanciers showed enthusiasm for owning pets, breeding dogs, and showing dogs in various shows. The first dog show took place on 28 June 1859 in Newcastle and focused mostly on sporting and hunting dogs. However, pet owners produced an eagerness to demonstrate their pets as well as have an outlet to compete. Thus, pet animals gradually were included within dog shows. The first large show, which would host one thousand entries, took place in Chelsea in 1863. The Kennel Club
1980-455: The animal's powerful, clawed hind legs. From the 1830s onward, colonial hunting clubs were established across Australia's colonies, with native kangaroos, wallabies or dingoes pursued by mounted hunters and their kangaroo dogs. Originally, these dogs were bred from British sighthound breeds, principally the Greyhound and Scottish Deerhound , with occasional Irish Wolfhound blood; later,
2035-404: The animals. A 1994 Canadian study found that the most common reasons for not owning a pet were lack of ability to care for the pet when traveling (34.6%), lack of time (28.6%), and lack of suitable housing (28.3%), with dislike of pets being less common (19.6%). Some scholars , ethicists , and animal rights organizations have raised concerns over keeping pets because of the lack of autonomy and
2090-411: The evolved mechanisms responsible for human empathy and theory of mind to cover non-human animals which has not sufficiently impacted its evolutionary advantage in the long run. Animals in captivity , with the help of caretakers, have been considered to have owned pets. Examples of this include Koko the gorilla who had several pet cats, Tonda the orangutan and a pet cat and Tarra the elephant and
2145-406: The eyes and therefore possibly poorer depth perception in some of their field of view than brachycephalic dogs; most, if not all, dogs have less visual acuity than their antecedent, the wolf. There is no science-based evidence to confirm the popular belief that sighthounds have a higher visual acuity than other types of dogs. However, there is increasing evidence that dolichocephalic dogs, thanks to
2200-418: The form of pet-keeping, was maladaptive , due to being biologically costly, or whether it was positively selected for. Two studies suggest that the human ability to domesticate and keep pets came from the same fundamental evolutionary trait and that this trait provided a material benefit in the form of domestication that was sufficiently adaptive to be positively selected for. A 2011 study suggests that
2255-527: The human species. Anthropomorphism , or the projection of human feelings, thoughts and attributes on to animals, is a defining feature of human pet-keeping. The study identifies it as the same trait in evolution responsible for domestication and concern for animal welfare . It is estimated to have arisen at least 100,000 years before present (ybp) in Homo sapiens . It is debated whether this redirection of human nurturing behaviour towards non-human animals, in
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2310-617: The instinct to chase running animals remains strong. Apart from coursing and hunting , various dog sports are practiced with purebred sighthounds, and sometimes with lurchers and longdogs . Such sports include racing , lure coursing , and other events. A number of breeds or types of dogs which do not hunt solely by speed and sight, as well as a number of non-hunting breeds, are currently being recognized as sighthounds, either formally or informally by kennel clubs, or lure and live coursing clubs. These include: When competing in conformation shows , most Anglophone kennel clubs , including
2365-842: The intention of safeguarding pets' and other animals' well-being. Since the year 2000, a small but increasing number of jurisdictions in North America have enacted laws redefining pet's owners as guardians . Intentions have been characterized as simply changing attitudes and perceptions but not legal consequences to working toward legal personhood for pets themselves. Some veterinarians and breeders have opposed these moves. The question of pets' legal status can arise with concern to purchase or adoption , custody , divorce , estate and inheritance , injury , damage , and veterinary malpractice . States, cities, and towns in Western countries commonly enact local ordinances to limit
2420-433: The issue would be costly or infeasible. Pets might have the ability to stimulate their caregivers, in particular the elderly, giving people someone to take care of, someone to exercise with, and someone to help them heal from a physically or psychologically troubled past. Animal company can also help people to preserve acceptable levels of happiness despite the presence of mood symptoms like anxiety or depression. Having
2475-460: The loss of a dog, evidenced by inscriptions left on tombstones commemorating their loss. The surviving epitaphs dedicated to horses are more likely to reference a gratitude for the companionship that had come from war horses rather than race horses. The latter may have chiefly been commemorated as a way to further the owner's fame and glory. In Ancient Egypt , dogs and baboons were kept as pets and buried with their owners. Dogs were given names, which
2530-569: The number or kind of pets a person may keep personally or for business purposes. Prohibited pets may be specific to certain breeds such as pit bulls or Rottweilers , they may apply to general categories of animals (such as livestock , exotic animals , wild animals , and canid or felid hybrids), or they may simply be based on the animal's size. Additional or different maintenance rules and regulations may also apply. Condominium associations and owners of rental properties also commonly limit or forbid tenants' keeping of pets. In Belgium and
2585-441: The objectification of non-human animals. In China, spending on domestic animals has grown from an estimated $ 3.12 billion in 2010 to $ 25 billion in 2018. The Chinese people own 51 million dogs and 41 million cats, with pet owners often preferring to source pet food internationally. There are a total of 755 million pets, increased from 389 million in 2013. According to a survey promoted by Italian family associations in 2009, it
2640-405: The practical functions that some pets provide, such as assisting hunting or removing pests , could have resulted in enough evolutionary advantage to allow for the persistence of this behaviour in humans and outweigh the economic burden held by pets kept as playthings for immediate emotional rewards. Two other studies suggest that the behaviour constitutes an error, side effect or misapplication of
2695-497: The property of their owners. Laws were created that punished offenders for their burglary. Pets and animals also had social and cultural implications throughout the nineteenth century. The categorization of dogs by their breeds reflected the hierarchical, social order of the Victorian era. The pedigree of a dog represented the high status and lineage of their owners and reinforced social stratification. Middle-class owners valued
2750-458: The recommendations of Wageningen University . Parliamentary debates about such a pet list date back to the 1980s, with continuous disagreements about which species should be included and how the law should be enforced. In January 2017, the white list was expanded to 123 species, while the black list that had been set up was expanded (with animals like the brown bear and two great kangaroo species) to contain 153 species unfit for petting, such as
2805-542: The social lives of their owners and their connection to their community. There is some evidence that pets can facilitate social interaction. Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Leslie Irvine has focused her attention on pets of the homeless population. Her studies of pet ownership among the homeless found that many modify their life activities for fear of losing their pets. Pet ownership prompts them to act responsibly, with many making
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#17327911199742860-423: Was "suggestive" of a significant benefit. A recent dissent comes from a 2017 RAND study, which found that at least in the case of children, having a pet per se failed to improve physical or mental health by a statistically significant amount; instead, the study found children who were already prone to being healthy were more likely to get pets in the first place. Conducting long-term randomized trials to settle
2915-535: Was created in 1873 to ensure fairness and organization within dog shows. The development of the Stud Book by the Kennel Club defined policies, presented a national registry system of purebred dogs, and essentially institutionalized dog shows. Pet ownership by animals in the wild, as an analogue to the human phenomenon, has not been observed and is likely non-existent in nature. One group of capuchin monkeys
2970-429: Was observed appearing to care for a marmoset , a fellow New World monkey species; however, observations of chimpanzees apparently playing with small animals like hyraxes have ended with the chimpanzees killing the animals and tossing the corpses around. A 2010 study states that human relationships with animals have an exclusive human cognitive component and that pet-keeping is a fundamental and ancient attribute of
3025-476: Was shown to significantly reduce triglycerides, and thus heart disease risk, in the elderly. A study by the National Institute of Health found that people who owned dogs were less likely to die as a result of a heart attack than those who did not own one. There is some evidence that pets may have a therapeutic effect in dementia cases. Other studies have shown that for the elderly, good health may be
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