Dogs have performed various functions and participated in such diverse activities as war, meat production, and sled pulling in polar regions for a long, long time. The Roman Empire was the pioneer in dog breeding, and was even referred to as the "land of a thousand dogs." The various types of dogs were primarily used to guard farms and herds and to hunt.
But the dog's usefulness doesn't stop there: The dog's role evolved toward that of a constant companion, completely devoted to its master and ready to defend him at all costs. It was primarily during the Renaissance that the dog developed this role of "pet."
Social and economic upheaval caused by changes in our society over the last decades have profoundly affected the relationships between humans and dogs. Massive urbanization, development of mechanical transportation, and significant changes to social and economic structures have caused greater isolation of people. Dogs and other pets have entered into new relationships with people, and are sometimes necessary to balance the place of those men and women in society.
Dogs are not only around people for the affection they provide, but they are also "used" to satisfy other needs. In this way, dogs become an integral part of the quality of our daily lives, serve as therapists, assistants to the handicapped, and can even help criminals re-enter society.
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