Well, this past week I was looking down into the holler toward Webb’s Creek thinking about the greatest invention in the entire history of civilization; the Chihuahua. Some might argue that the invention of the wheel, the internet or Mary Kay cosmetics deserves the acclaimed honor, but I am fully prepared to prove that nothing tops the invention of that cute rodent-like dog. I do admit that I did give some consideration to electricity, but deemed it unworthy because it has always been there. Ben F. just had to figure out how to lasso it with a kite …no big deal. It took about 15,000 years or so to invent the Chihuahua.
Cavepersons started the Chihuahua project when packs of gray wolves would sneak around the front cave yard for leftover meat or table scraps. The wild wolves were afraid of the prehistoric humans, but some of them gradually learned that if they didn’t run so far away from the cave people they would be first in line for the food. Since wolves live in packs like little families and were already somewhat sociable it didn’t take too long before one lingered a while near a cave family. Some cave kid probably threw it some meat and before long they were dancing with the wolves and giving them names.
Most scientists agree that the history of dogs began when some of those gray wolves became domesticated. (How awesome that your coifed French poodle’s ancestors could bring down an elk!) As thousands of years passed the pet “wolves” didn’t have to hunt each day for food and so they grew smaller and became friendly companions and helpers for their new “owners.” They learned how to do great tricks and were selectively bred for hunting, appearance, status and personalities. Today we have about 800 different breeds of dogs throughout the world and if we keep in-breeding smaller and smaller Chihuahuas someday you’ll be able to carry a few of them in your shirt pocket.
Imagine if herds of hippopotamuses, instead of wolves, lingered near the cave people and they became domesticated instead of wolves. Tonight you might have a pet hippo jumping into your bed. Housebreaking a hippo would likely be much more messy, odorous and challenging than a dog, but we could have eye-stopping wiener hippos, floppy-eared spaniel hippos and pug-faced hippos. Hippos could probably never have been bred to catch frisbies in mid-air, but I would pay money to watch the annual American Hippo Kennel Club championship in New York City. Owners could awkwardly run alongside their in-bred hippo species in hopes of winning the coveted colored ribbon of blue or that fancy special cup. Yep, we owe the wolves a big “Thank you, thank you very much.”
Dogs help us, love us and protect us. They lead the blind, sniff out drugs, do search and rescue, round up the sheep and can sit or roll-over on request. They are also very loyal. Hachiko, a pet Akito from Japan, always went to the train station every day at 4:00 p.m. to meet his owner returning from his job at a university in Tokyo. One day his owner didn’t get off the train. He had died while at work. Hachiko didn’t understand and returned to that train station every single day for 10 years looking for his owner to step off the train! The train station folks even set out food and a bed for the dog and through the years all of the commuters came to know and love Hachiko.
Until his death from heartworm, that loyal dog met the train each and every day for ten long heartbreaking years. Today, at the Shibuya Train Station you will find a bronze statue of Hachiko still searching and waiting for his owner to step off the train. (Richard Gere will star as Hachiko’s owner in a 2009 movie based on this true story) …Dogs give so much and ask for so little.
Mankind has screwed up a lot of inventions, but not this one. Our dogs are a legacy and a gift from the majestic family of gray wolves. It took about 15,000 years to get from “wolf” to my own little mutt buddy or Hachiko or the rodent-like Chihuaha…but it was worth the wait. That is just how it looks from my log cabin.
John LaFevre is a local speaker and co-author of the interactive national park hiking book series, Scavenger Hike Adventures, Falcon Guides, Globe Pequot Press. Contact John at scavengerhike@aol.com. Artist G. Webb lives in Pittman Center, Tennessee. Gwebbgallery.com.
