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Family: Canidae
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Bocas Species Database Habitat: Domestic dogs can be found in all different kinds of habitat, where humans live. Some dogs will prefer to be cozy at home, while others will run for hours in open areas. Distribution: The domestic dog has been introduced worldwide by humans. There are more than 400 different breeds now reported around the globe. Natural History Notes: It is believed that the coyote and the domestic dog are descendant of the ancient form of the gray wolf. It has also been demonstrated that although coyotes, domestic dogs, wolves and jackals have been distinguished species for millions of years, they could still mate successfully with one another. Domestic dogs are known to be the man's best friend. They are very sociable animals that can demonstrate strong loyalty to its owner and fulfill various roles in our society, such as working dogs with the police, in mountains and as guide for visual impaired. Characteristics: The size, weight, appearance and behavior of domestic dogs vary greatly between breeds. The domestic dog is characterized by carnassial teeth present on the upper fourth premolar and on the lower first molar. The genus Canis comes from the Latin word “caninus”, which means “pertaining to a dog”. Those canines are used to hold and wound their prey. Canids are carnivorous, but their skull and teeth are not as specialized (sharp and precise) as felids. Domestic dogs, like most canids, have a good vision, especially at close range to communicate and follow preys. However, experiments show that they have a very limited color vision and that untrained dogs might not be able to distinguish colors. Dogs also have an excellent hearing sense and possess a hearing range more than twice our own. However, the best sense of all is smell. Impressive studies showed that dogs could be able to detect the smell trace on a glass, left by human fingerprints, 6 weeks after the glass was handled! |