Cave Dogging (my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Shortly after we got Ziggy, I figured out how wolves evolved into the domestic dogs of today. It was through a process I call "cave dogging" and it goes this way: Cave men and women instinctively knew about the dangers of predators, like bears, and big cats, and wolves, and they were extremely careful of them. That's how they had to live their lives.

But one day, things start to get really interesting for the cave man and woman. They see this one wolf lurking around; they know to stay inside the cave with the fire going and big clubs around just in case. After a while, they notice the wolf carrying off the bones they had thrown outside of the cave and they think: "Hey, that wolf just wanted our left overs. Nothing wrong with that. Kinda keeps the old homestead clean with the wolf taking away the bones. And maybe, just maybe, that wolf won't be hungry for us if he gets those mammoth bones." So they keep their little ones close by and watch the wolf closely, occasionally tossing out a bone or two, but never have any problems. And the wolf keeps the big cats and bears away. Not a bad arrangement for a bone now and then.

Time goes by and the cave man is now actually tossing meat-laden bones to the wolf. Not just garbage bones. Cave man and his woman are clever. They see that the wolf is grateful and never hunts the cave folk or their little ones. There's no NEED to hunt cave folk because Wolf is full of bone meat. (Hey, this is MY story, let me tell it MY way) Wolf starts hanging out more and waiting for a nice handout. Wolf isn't going to EAT the very source of those handouts. Remember, dogs (wolves) are SMART! Regarding cats, however, I'm sure that if I shrunk to Barbie size, my cats would think I was fair game--but this is a dog blog, so I'll focus on the wolf for now.

OK, so now we have a wolf hanging out around the cave quite often now, hoping for a nice meaty handout. One night, Cave Man notices that fine young wolf is now at the mouth of the cave. He starts to panic, but notices that that Wolf isn't doing anything. He's just curled up in a ball, very comfy and warm from the heat coming out of the cave. (remember this is MY story and I'm telling it my way)

A few nights later, Cave Man sees that Wolf has moved to a position just INSIDE of the mouth of the cave. Not threatening, just sleeping. Cave Man thinks, "hmmm, Wolf is ok there, kind of pretty, too, so I'll just keep my club, woman and kids close by and watch him." After Wolf chases a few predators away from the cave, Cave Man thinks it's a REALLY good arrangement and accepts it. Now and then, he even starts to toss some spare meat, choice cuts, to Wolf. (Oh, yeah, you might have noticed Cave Man said "ok"...this was the first human use of the term "OK" too)

A few weeks later, Cave Man sees that Wolf is even FURTHER into the cave...still a respectable distance away, but definitely IN the cave. Wolf is not threatening, still pretty, and Cave Man leaves him there, but always careful keeps his club, woman and kids at this side just in case.

One day, he wakes to find Wolf curled up by the fire, with his head on his paws, looking up at him with big brown eyes and articulating eyebrows (yes, YOU know that look). When Cave Man goes on his hunt that day, Wolf lopes along after him. Wolf even helps Cave Man bring down the game. Cave Man reaches out with a piece of the meat and Wolf actually takes it. Just the meat, not the hand. This was the first Wolf/dog to decide not to bite the hand that feeds him. Cave Man thinks this is an EXCELLENT arrangement.

After doing this for a while, one day Cave Man and his family wake up to find Wolf stretched out next to them, keeping them nice and warm with his body. And he is SO pretty and SO soft. And hey, the kids really like this Wolf. As time goes by, Wolf leaps around like a puppy, playing with the kids, fetching a stick, helping with the hunt, keeping them safe, warning them of danger with his barks. His howling, however, is a little nerve wracking, and oh, my gosh the shedding! Still, Cave Man could never give up this wonderful companion.

And then the day comes. One morning Cave Man wakes to discover that Wolf has climbed into bed with him and his woman. In fact, Wolf has snuggled BETWEEN Cave Man and his woman. And what do you think they do? They both turn and hug their Wolf, what else?

So, I figured the whole evolution process out by watching Ziggy with the taboo rug. First he would lay a respectable distance from it. Then he'd lay right next to it, barely touching it. Then one paw would be on the rug. Then two paws and his head, with those big brown eyes looking up at me and the articulating eyebrows. Who could get mad at that??? So you smile and think nothing of it. Ah, but cave dog thinks, hey if I can get my paws on this rug, what else can I do? Before you know it, he is curled up on the edge of the rug. And then at your feet. And then ON your feet ON the rug squarely in the middle of the room.

Yup, that's what I call cave dogging.