Name(s):________________________________________________________________ Date:____________

How Did We Get Dogs?Introduction Questions:

1. Describe the features or abilities of dogs for which humans might breed dogs.

2. Explain how humans developed the American Foxhound.

PART I:

1. In the Arctic, polar bears are a major threat to villagers. You want a dog to alarm you that Polar Bear may be approaching the village. Which traits would be advantageous. Which dog breed(s) would you choose?

2. Which breed(s) would be the most beneficial to have as a quiet, cuddly companion in a colder climate? Explain your reasoning.

PART II:

Above average olfactory receptors

EX: Can smell really well

Above average number of rods Long pointed ears

Long legs Large heart Large muscles

Short hair Long hair High trainability

Low trainability Vicious Compatible

Loud bark Quiet Bark

PART III:

Choose and check off one of the following tasks for your new breed to assist you with:

_____ Retrieve Waterfowl: Used to see & retrieve ducks and geese from lakes in the area so the birds can be tagged and re-released. Birds are typically skittish ad must be unharmed with a minimal amount of stress.

_____ Herd Cattle: Used to corral livestock into specific locations for farmers making it easier for them to handle the livestock. The dogs should also be able to warn the farmer and livestock of imposing threats, like coyotes/wolves and must be able to run quickly and change direction easily. They must not scare easily!

_____ Service and Therapy: Used to assist people with disabilities (physical or emotional). This requires the dog to be gentle, kind, and intelligent. They are trained to perform tasks for the person they are assisting or work as those persons’ senses (hearing, sight, touch, emotional distress, etc.)

Now that you have selected which “type” of dog you want to “create”, prioritize the characteristics they will need. Use the description above to help you. CIRCLE the traits that they should exhibit below.

Based on the desired traits you have selected for your task and new breed, write which breeds would you cross together to start the line of your new breed.

________________________________ & _________________________________

(female) (male)

Soo…. Here comes the fun part Now that you have chosen the mother and father…. It’s time to meet your puppies! Your parents will produce THREE puppies, BUT each puppy may inherit different traits from each parent. To determine which trait your puppies will have, you are going to flip a penny and filling in the info in the table below. (See your teacher for the penny! I need them back when you’re done!)

Heads = mom’s trait Tails = dad’s trait

Make sure to write the specific trait each puppy will inherit!

PUPPY #1 PUPPY #2 PUPPY #3PHYSICAL FEATURES

SmellSight

HearingSpeed

EnduranceStrength

Coat ColorHair Length

BEHAVIORAL FEATURESTrainabilityDisposition

Bark

FINAL QUESTIONS:1. Which of the resulting puppies would best serve your desired task? Explain.

2. If you were to conduct the dog breeding for another generation, which of the puppies would you select to be the parents of the next generation (yes, I am talking about inbreeding)? Explain your reasoning.

3. Did the environment (nature) have an impact on how the dogs developed? Why or why not?

4. Think back to the four factors of natural selection (from last class). Did you observe any of these factors in this activity? Please list the ones you noticed and provide evidence of it from the activity,

5. Below or on a separate sheet of paper, have each group member draw an example of each one of the puppies you developed based on the results from your table above. Label the features of each puppy to explain what they inherited from each parent.

INTRODUCTION

I’m sure many of you have heard that dogs are descendants of wolves. In fact, dogs and wolves belong to the same species, Canis lupis. But how did we go from a wild animal to something so sweet and cuddly? Well... We as humans (being the intelligent beings we are) took wolves with characteristics that we found beneficial for specific tasks and bred them together generation after generation. Eventually, through selective breeding we have now developed over 400 different breeds. Many of the breeds we have today are the result of people’s desire to have dogs with specific features that make them suitable for performing specific tasks, such as retrieving, protection, assistance, herding, hunting, and companionship to name a few.

For example, the American Foxhound is half descended from the English Foxhounds that were brought to America in 1650. The English hounds were crossed with a French hound that George Washington received as a gift from Lafayette. The result of that cross was perfect for assisting with hunts. The American Foxhound was developed further and bred to have great speed and an excellent sense of smell. They can run at high speed for long periods of time and has a loud, musical bay that is easy to follow. American Foxhounds are still used in Hunting today but can also be used as companions and watchdogs. My baby boy, Douglas, is part American Foxhound.

Even now, we have continued to develop new breeds. The process of breeding a new type of dog often involves identifying desired features, finding dogs with those features, then performing a series of matings to produce offspring with the appropriate combination of traits… and yes, sometimes this involves inbreeding until specific traits are established.

PART IThis diagram shows three made up dog breeds and their characteristics. Examine each dog’s characteristics and answer the questions in your packet.

PART IIThe information below shows the physical characteristics that serve specific functions… but it isn’t totally complete. Work with your group members, your current knowledge, and the information below to brainstorm the significance of each trait and what it may be used for.

PART IIINow that you have examined the features that are most commonly desirable in dogs, you and your group members are going to be “making” a new breed of dog by crossing two existing breeds from the diagram below. Carefully review the descriptions of the breeds and consider the task you would like the new breed to assist you with and what characteristics would be beneficial for it to be successful.