Pets - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2002 - 51 Euro Cent

Finds of 14,000-year-old dog bones prove that already in prehistoric times the dog must have lived as a pet in humans. Dogs belong to the family of land predators and have been known in all ancient cultures of the Eurasian area as companions of man. Dogs are toe-goers, have 4 to 5 front and 4 rear dull-toed toes. The jaws are elongated to a muzzle and carry 42 strong predator teeth. Due to lack of trained sweat glands, they release excess heat by panting. A pronounced sense of hearing and smell allows the dog to recognize many things and to tell people in various ways what else would escape them. Bitches become bumpy twice a year and throw about 10 puppies, whose eyes open only after about 14 days. 500 dog breeds, as they could not be more different in size, coat or color, find use as guard, protection and working dogs, as shepherd, hunting, greyhounds or domestic dogs, as guide dogs and for rescue missions of many kinds, but want, like their carers, to be educated for an undisturbed coexistence with humans. In addition to the long known use as a companion dogs have recently acquired partner and therapy dogs for the disabled, but also for the sick meaning and increasingly proven to be extremely successful. Even specialists are tempted to speak of the psychologist with the cold muzzle.