Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

I-Search

What I Already Knew / What I Wanted To Know

The question of my I-Search paper is : What is the dog and human symbiotic

relationship? I chose this topic of the human and dog connection because I have my

own dog, and we have an amazing bond, which makes me curious as to why that is.

Also, I have seen and heard stories about dogs and their owners having extraordinary

connections. What I am hoping to produce from this I-Search is to have an

understanding of dogs, and what makes them uniquely, such great companions for

humans, and what in humans makes them bond so well with canines. I already know

from prior knowledge that dogs are extremely loyal to their owners, and can sometimes

imprint on them. Imprinting is “ ...anytime an animal seems to connect with an animal of

another species, usually relating to that animal as a mother,” (Jodi Mai). I wonder why

humans have chosen dogs to have such a close bond with. Why aren’t squirrels a

man's best friend, or racoons? It’s dogs, but why? Dogs adapt so well into our lives,

they eat, sleep and breath with us. We hold dogs like we do babies, and we sleep right

next to them. Why do us humans trust them with our lives, and have such a coupling

with them?

I started my I-Search process with a question in mind. My original question

actually had nothing to do with dogs, at all. It was about how incarceration has mental

effects, but that topic did not really interested me so I changed it. I had to come up with

something that truly makes me curious, and that I care about. That something is dogs,

and how strong their bond is with humans. Although, before coming to my new
Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

question, I felt such frustration with coming up with a topic. I really did not care about my

previous question, and did not want to write an entire essay about something I don’t

care about. So, I went to my professor, and asked her what I should do. She advised

me to write about something I have a personal connection to. I took that advice, and

thought about my relationship with my puppy. Then, she helped me look on the internet

for specific sources and keywords to help with my essay. With that extra boost from my

professor, I then took things into my own hands.

The Story Of My Search

During the process of looking for sources of information, I didn’t want to just find

any blog and quote it. I wanted to use websites that were either popular like Times, Wall

Street Journal, or sites that are particularly related to dogs,and designated to give

information just about dogs. In my opinion, other random websites could just be giving

random information, that may not even be accurate. When I looked through Sinclair’s

Library database, I only looked at articles relating to my topic. Since, all of the articles

in the database are ran through the school, I trusted them as reliable with accurate

information. I found that Sinclair’s Library database mostly had article journals that

included research done by universities around the world, on the relationship between

dogs and humans. Most of the articles from the database, were scientists’ findings after

conducting much research on their topic.

Throughout my research process, I attempted to reach out to one of the directors

at the animal shelter I volunteer at, but I got no response. Considering that I volunteer

with dogs, quite frequently, that made my curiosity even stronger. In my attempt to
Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

contact the directors, I asked them about their prior knowledge of dogs, and what

they’ve learned over the years. I also inquired about what made them want to dedicate

their lives to working with dogs 24/7. Since I did not get a response from them I am

going to try to reach out to a different, volunteer organization that works with dogs. In

my email I plan to ask them the same questions, and even ask them my I search

question. Considering they’ve devoted their lives to animals, dogs in particular, they

might know what causes such a strong companionship. I even thought about

interviewing someone who works at a local pet store, but I figured they wouldn’t have as

much of an expertise in the area. Since I couldn’t get any information from people in the

profession, my sources came from articles that I found online.

The Search Results

I learned from a Time magazine article that the biggest and boldest wolves

weren’t the ones that survived. Those wolves would have been killed, therefor humans

only kept around the nice ones or the friendliest ones, “The wolves that were bold but

aggressive would have been killed by humans, and so only the ones that were bold and

friendly would have been tolerated,” (Brian Hare). This logic makes sense given the

relationship between humans, and dogs now. According to Brian Hare, “ Friendliness

caused strange things to happen in the wolves,” the friendlier dogs physically changed,

and looked less like wolves, and more like the dogs we have today. I also learned that

these dogs gained the ability to read humans :

Even our closest relatives—chimpanzees and bonobos—can't read our gestures

as readily as dogs can. Dogs are remarkably similar to human infants in the way
Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

they pay attention to us. This ability accounts for the extraordinary

communication we have with our dogs. (Hare)

Considering dogs can be compared to infants, they pick up on everything that we do,

therefor they learn from us, and in some way mirror us humans. Maybe we’re so close

because we are the same.

I found while reading an article from Time that although dogs and humans have a

tight bond, it’s not strong enough to be classified as symbiotic:

Once you’ve achieved a commingled orange, you’re never going back to red and

yellow.But why is that? It’s not enough to say that the relationship is symbiotic—

that dogs hunt for us and herd for us and we keep them warm and fed in return. (

Jeffrey Kruger )

Our relationship with dogs can’t be considered symbiotic due to the fact that love is

involved, our emotions play a part. Humans and dogs both cherish each other, and the

acts we do for each other aren’t to benefit, it’s because of love. In the article I also found

that even after humans had moved out of the wilderness, and no longer needed dogs,

they still supplied them with what they needed to survive, while getting nothing in return:

When humans ourselves left the state of nature, our alliance with dogs might well

have been dissolved. If you didn’t need a working dog—and fewer and fewer

people did—the ledger went out of balance. We kept paying dogs their food-and-

-shelter salary, but we got little that was tangible in return. Never mind, though;

by then we were smitten. (Kruger)

Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

Throughout time humans simply learned to love dogs, that by the time they were no

longer needed for survival, we still cared for them. That care has transcended through

to time all the way to present day, where we cater to our dogs every need without

getting anything in return, except for love.

What This Means To Me / My Growth

From conducting thorough research I learned that humans relationships with

dogs goes backs tens of thousands of years. In the beginning of this process I

incorrectly though humans and dogs had a symbiotic relationship, which was incorrect. I

know know after doing research humans and dogs do not have a symbiotic relationship

because they don't help each other to benefit, they help one another out of love. One of

the most interesting things that I found, that I did not know before is, the friendlier

submissive wolves, are the ones that survived. I had previously thought, the alpha wolf,

or leader of the pact were the ones that survived, but when it came to humans they

wanted a submissive calm wolf. As a result of my I-Search, I now feel that I have a

better understanding of dogs, and the foundation of the relationship between humans,

and canines.
Hunter Reid

English Composition 1

Mrs. Nagy

12/05/18

References

Mai, Jodi. “Why Do Dogs Imprint On Humans - Wag!” WagWalking, Wag!, 23 Mar. 2018,

wagwalking.com/behavior/why-do-dogs-imprint-on-humans.

Hare, Brian. “Opinion: We Didn't Domesticate Dogs. They Domesticated Us.” National Geographic, National

Geographic Society, 3 Mar. 2013, news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/03/130302-dog-domestic-evolution-

science-wolf-wolves-human/.

Kluger, Jeffrey. “Why Dogs and Humans Love Each Other So Much.” Time, Time, 20 July 2018,

time.com/5342964/human-bond-dog-thoughts/.