The dog, as we know it, (Canis lupus familiaris) is a domestic animal, a house pet and a working animal.
Biologically it belongs to the order of carnivores -suborder Caniformia, and family of Canidae which includes dogs, wolves, foxes, dingoes and jackals.
It has been proved that the dog descends from the wolf.
Up to a short time ago it was believed that the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)was the progenitor.
In the meantime, it is proved true that the common grey wolf (Canis lupus lupus) is the genetic ancestor.
So much for that.

The efficiency of a dog’s ear is highly developed. It can apprehend much higher frequencies than the human ear.
The flexible outer ear allows it to locate sources of sound in three dimensions.
The dog’s nose is much more sensitive than the human nose. The human nose has 5 million olfactory cells-----a dachshund has 125 million and an Alsatian has 220 million.

So there were well-founded practical reasons why man and dogs grew accustomed to each other.
The miscellaneous findings of fossils have convinced investigators that domestication of dogs took place 14.000 to 18.000years ago at the end of the Pleistocene age.
Genetic Studies indicate that many cases of domestication took place quite independent of each other.

Dogs have been helping man since this time.
As watch dog, sheep dog, gun dog and guard dog.
Not to forget the use of dogs in search and rescue by avalanche and other catastrophes.
Or simply as a friend and member of the family.

46 best friends of man, standing in for the rest of their species, have been photographed here.
Some without fur, some, with some fur and some, with so much fur that you cannot see their eyes.

Legend in English; French; Italian; Spanish; German.

Size: 68 x 98cm
Art Print on 200g paper; varnished, matt.