Phil Hudgins
A team of Japanese scientists has come up with a theory – maybe proof – of why dogs are man’s best friend. Woman’s, too.
The researchers say it’s because of two mutations of a gene that made dogs more relaxed around people, “enabling a special relationship to develop.” This gene – known as MC2R, or melanocortin 2 receptor – actually lowered stress in the animals.
We can all be happy about that because, as you know, domesticated dogs descended from wolves, and wild wolves are about as friendly as the IRS at tax time.
Now I’m not smart enough to explain how a gene could mutate twice and lessen stress in an animal. All I know is their main interests went from snarling, threatening and teeth-baring thousands of years ago to eating, sleeping and sniffing body parts today.
Nothing scientific here, but I am a longtime observer of dogs, having owned several of them and dog-sat with all kinds. Allow me to describe them and their levels of stress. First, our dogs.
Rufus, a blond cocker spaniel, was prone to have seizures, bless his heart, and quietly took a pill every day. Some days, I believe, he actually swallowed it. Rufus’ stress level, on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being very stressed, was a three. Rufus was a good, happy dog, but he couldn’t find his way home with a GPS.
Charlie, another blond cocker, had a stress level of six. It would have been lower, but Charlie liked to bark at rocks, and we had a lot of rocks at our place.
Snoopy One and Snoopy Two – we didn’t have much imagination – were hounds, and you know how hounds are. Well, no, you don’t. It’s hard to generalize about hounds, but they’re usually simple-minded and laid-back, unless they see a squirrel or a chipmunk or anything else that moves. Stress level: One.
Other dogs in the family include Bear, a Mauzer, a cross between a Maltese and Miniature Schnauzer. Bear has little stress as long as he’s sitting in your lap being petted. Constantly. His stress level as a lap dog: one. Otherwise: five.
Otto – named after Otto, N.C. – is a longhaired Pembroke Corgi, which I assume is the brand Queen Elizabeth has a slew of. Otto is seldom still. He’s not stressed when he plays; he romps until he’s dog tired. If he ever goes to a home for senior dogs, he’ll be in charge of recreation. Stress level at play: Zero. Otherwise, four.
Wally is a young golden retriever, said to be one of the friendliest breeds around.
And he is friendly. His anti-stress hormone is working, to be sure, but, for a while, so were the overpowering hormones that come with puberty. His stress level now that he has lost his manhood: One.
Frankly, I’m only guessing about dogs’ stress levels. All I know for sure is the friendly ones lower mine. They’re not political. They’re not prejudiced. They welcome us all, as long as we also are welcoming and kind.
Phil Hudgins is the senior editor of Community Newspapers, Inc. Reach him at phudgins@cninewspapers.com.