Mammals 
THE DOG 
NBO REALLY understand our dog we 
should know some of the reasons for his 
habits and peculiar powers. The only 
way to learn these’ is to study the ways 
w of his nearest wild relatives, which are 
the wolves, for we are certain that our dogs had wolf- 
like ancestors. Even now there are packs of wild 
dogs in Australia and India that have wolf-like 
habits. There is perhaps no more delightful way to 
become acquainted with wolf habits than to read the 
First Jungle Book and become familiar with the ways 
of Mowgli’s brothers. Although the Jungle Stories 
are in part fanciful, the habits and ways of wolves 
are well portrayed in them. We should also read 
Thompson-Seton’s ‘‘Lobo”’ in Wild Animals I Have 
Known, and ‘‘Tito’”’ in Lives of the Hunted. 
Let us consider for a moment what we find in 
our dog that he has inherited from his wild ancestors: 
The ancestral dog ran down his prey, and did not 
lie in ambush, as did the ancestral cat. To run 
down such creatures as deer, sheep, goats, and the 
like, the dog needed to have long and strong legs, 
and feet well-padded, so they should not be torn 
by rocks; the toe-nails had to be large and stout, 
and not to be pulled back, like the cat’s, for the dog 
needs his claws to help keep his footing, especially 
when turning quickly. The dog’s body is naturally 
long, lean and muscular, just the kind of a body 
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