The domestic dog is a mammal in the canine family of the Order Carnivora. Dogs were first domesticated from wolves at least 15,000 years ago. In this time, the dog has developed into hundreds of breeds with a great degree of variation in height and weight, coat color and texture, anatomical details, and behavior. Dogs fill a variety of roles in human society and are often trained as working dogs. For dogs that do not have traditional jobs, a wide range of dog sports provide the opportunity to exhibit their natural skills. In many countries, the most common and perhaps most important role of dogs is as companions. Dogs have lived with and worked with humans in so many roles that their loyalty has earned them the sobriquet "man's best friend."
Dog agility is a sport in which a handler directs a dog through an obstacle course in a race for both time and accuracy. Dogs must run off- leash with no food or toys as incentives. The handler can touch neither dog nor obstacles, except accidentally. Consequently, the handler's controls are limited to voice, movement, and various body signals, requiring exceptional training of the animal and of the human.
In its simplest form, an agility course consists of a set of standard obstacles, laid out by an agility judge in a design of his or her own choosing on a roughly 100 by 100 foot (30 by 30 m) area, with numbers indicating the order in which the dog must complete the obstacles.
Courses are complicated enough that a dog could not complete them correctly without human direction. In competition, the handler must assess the course, decide on handling strategies, and direct the dog through the course, with precision and speed equally important.
The Kangal Dog is the national dog of Turkey. This large dog (which can often grow as large as 140 pounds, 64 kg) was originally used as a livestock guardian dog, but has been increasing in popularity as a guard dog. It is of an early molosser type with a solid, pale tan or sabled coat, and with a black mask; indeed, another name for the breed is Karabash meaning "black head". The breed is often referred to as a sheep dog, but it does not herd its charges. Instead, it is developed to live with the flock and protect it, fending off wolves and jackals.
Dogs
Anatomy • Breeding • Breeds (African, American, Asian, Chinese, European, Extinct, Latin American) • Equipment • Health (Vet images) • Law • Lists • Monuments • Organizations (Breed registries, Kennel clubs) • As pets • In popular culture (Famous, Fictional, Films) • Professions (Artists, Veterinarians) • Shows & showing • Sports (Agility, Baiting, Greyhound racing, Sledding) • Training & behavior • Types (Bulldogs, Fighting, Hairless, Herding, Hounds, Molossers, Sled dogs, Spaniels, Terriers) • Working (Assistance, Herding)
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