Arabian Horse
The Arabian horse is a true warrior!
There is no other horse that has influenced our modern breeds of horses so much as the Arabian. It was this horse that moved mountains and crossed rivers, he was the prized possession of pharaohs and kings… they say that Mohamed proclaimed that the Arabian was a gift from Allah himself…King Solomon stood in awe of this mighty breed…
No other breed of horse has influenced the world so much as the Arabian… Alexander the Great rode an Arabian… George Washington rode an Arabian…this was the horse that everybody wanted to have.
However, where did the Arabian come from, really? Well, Mohamed believed that the Arabian came from Allah… but people nowadays are not that sure as to the origins of the Arabian horse, it is believed that the ancestors of the Arabian were horses that ran wild around the Tigris and the Euphrates rivers… after domestication by the Bedouins, the Arabian became a prized war horse, perfect for life in the desert. The Bedouins started a selective breeding program; something that they were almost fanatical about… as the fame of the Arabian grew, each tribe had its own strain of Arabians, for extremely high prices you could buy some breeding stock, but when it came to the prized mares there was no use in even asking for a price, because you wouldn’t get one.
It was the mares that were the ones ridden in to battle… they had the lightness of foot and the speed necessary to get in and get out… many people think of the Bedouins as a people that liked to war a lot… and that was true about them to a certain extent.
Nevertheless, they had a politeness and a generosity about them that was unequaled in the more “civilized” parts of the world at that point in time. If you were a complete stranger you could go up and touch the center pole of a Bedouin tent and they were obliged to take you and your horse in and care for both until three days had passed. Kind of cool! Read the rest of this entry »
Origin of the Domestic Dog
The domestic dog, aka Canis lupus familiaris, originated in the domestication of the gray wolf (Canis lupus). The domestication process continues even today, if we consider the fact that the cross-breeding of dogs in order to create “designer dogs” still goes on.
There are several theories explaining how the domestication process actually took place. Thus, according to certain studies, wolf puppies that are taken at a very early age away from their parents to be raised and tamed by humans, are easily trained and socialized. There is at least one such study. Nonetheless, some other researchers state that in the case of wolf pups that are 21 years old, it’s very hard to achieve any socialization or taming, and these attempts are rarely successful.
Many scientists consider that orphaned wolf cubs were adopted by humans, who took care of them together with their human babies, and thus appeared a new type of wolf-like domesticated animals which, in time, will turn into dogs. According to Dr. Raymond Coppinger of Hampshire College (Massachusetts), those types of wolves that were more interactive towards humans passed these traits to their following generation, and thus creating a kind of wolf that could be more easily domesticated by humans.
Coppinger speaks of a special behavior trait that was essential for the wolf’s transformation into dog, and this trait was called “flight distance”. It referred to the distance kept by an animal towards a human before running away from what they perceived as danger. In this respect, animals that live at a shorter distance from humans are likely to linger and feed even when these humans are present. Dr. Coppinger says that his argument is that tame or domesticated means being able to eat even in the presence of otherwise perceived as threatening humans. This is precisely what wild wolves cannot do. The side effects of domesticity-purposed selection were the selection of related physical features that were actually genetically caused, plus behavior such as barking.
Read the rest of this entry »
Different Types of Cats
Cats, also termed as domestic cat or house cat, are the predatory carnivorous species that belong to species Felis. They come in a variety of types and are often characterized according to their personality traits, like color, pattern of coat and shape of head, ears, etc. Some cat breeds have long hair and tail, while others have short, some are easy to handle while others take time to settle. Similarly, there are types of cats that don’t shed, i.e., they shed no or less hair whereas others shed lots of hair.
Apart from these distinguishing features, there is one major category under which all types of cats can be segregated, i.e. pedigree and non pedigree cats. Pedigree or pure bred cats are those cats that have a family lineage for the past four generations while non pedigree cats are basically mixed or cross bred cats. Hence, if you want to choose a certain breed of cat, you need to know in detail about the different types of cats and their personality traits.
Different Types of Cats
Persian: Being one of the most popular pedigree long haired cat, Persian cat can be a great domestic cat who gel well with other children and even other animals. They are active, extremely responsive, sweet and affectionate cats that will shower their owner with lots of love and companionship. Persian cats have a broad, round head with large eyes, short nose and small ears set wide apart on their head. They come in amazing colors and patterns, and have a long silky, shiny coat.
Abyssinian: Abyssinian cats are one of the most common short hair cat breeds, having unique thick coat colors. These cats gel well with children and other pets, and are often found participating in different family activities. Abyssinian cats are intelligent, active, playful and lovable cats that have a long, strong and muscular body with thin legs and feet.
Turkish Van: Turkish Van cats are smart, playful and lovable cats that have a pure white coat with some coloring on their tails and heads. These are semi long-haired cats that have a thick, strong body with large round and slightly tilted eyes, and long bushy tail.
Read the rest of this entry »