To kick off the 139th Annual Westminster Dog Show, which opens at Madison Square Garden in New York City today, we've called up some favorite pictures of pooches from the National Geographic archives.
In the photo above, a pair of dogs—viewed over the hood of a car—roam the Bushman village of Wit Draai in South Africa.
Human companionship with dogs stretches back to the Stone Age. Although scientists still debate the exact origins of domestic canines, many think they evolved from a group of wolves that have since died out. Some believe humans adopted wolf pups, favoring the ones that were less aggressive.
Today, about 80 million dogs live in households across the United States. While they're still our loyal companions, they have become our co-workers too. They keep guard, soothe patients through therapy, star on the big screen, and march side-by-side into combat with soldiers
On the HuntPhotography by Chris Johns
In KwaZulu-Natal Province in eastern South Africa, a pack of dogs assist a hunter in catching cane rats, abundant rodents prized for their meat.
African hounds can also help hunt down more than dinner: They also track elephant poachers. Tanzania's tracker dogs are proving to be an effective weapon in the war against criminals who kill the pachyderms for their tusks.
Born to ServePhotograph by Willard Culver
Showing off its athletic ability, a Doberman pinscher clears an Adirondack chair and its occupant with room to spare.
Nineteenth-century German tax collector Karl Friedrich Louis Dobermann originally bred these dogs to protect him from thieves as he was making his rounds.
Ever on the alert, the dogs are prone to developing canine compulsive disorder, or CCD—repetitive behavior such as chasing their tail or licking their paws.
Scientists recently discovered that dogs with CCD and humans with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, have similar brain abnormalities. They hope these dogs will someday help them understand human anxiety so they can develop better treatments.
Man's Best FriendPhotograph by Sam Abell
Humans domesticated dogs not only for companionship, but also for practical purposes such as herding and fetching animals during hunts. The bond holds up even when tested in extreme conditions.
In this photo, a canine called Cisco Kid braves the winter winds of Judith Basin, Montana, along with cowboy Gerald Mack. (Read about a Chilean cowboy and his dog who work in the wilds of Patagonia.)
House Dog, Show DogPhotography by Chris Johns
In a portrait of companionship, an elderly farmer poses with his poodle in Lamont, California.
Praised for their extreme intelligence and agreeable dispositions, poodles are regular competitors at the Westminster show.
One competition they're not allowed to enter? The Iditarod dogsled race in Alaska. That rule was established in the early 1990s after poodles on one team suffered from frozen feet and coats matted with ice.
Today, only huskies and other northern breeds need apply. (Read "5 Surprising Facts About the Iditarod.")
Check out National Geographic for more info! http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/02/pictures/150216-dogs-westminster-show-photos-archives/
Check out our websites for all the pet information you need to have a nice vacation with your pet! http://www.petfriendlynorthamerica.com/
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