Off Leash
daily townsman / daily bulletin
Page 2 Tuesday, MAY 28, 2013
It was on a dog walk several weeks ago that I noticed my human had increased the pace of our usually gentle meander to a full-on power walk. This was atypical enough, but when he began incorporating short bursts of jogging, I knew something was up. As it turned out my so-called master had agreed to join a team of his work mates in a 5km/10km fun run and had now — less than a week from the day of the race — decided to see if he could indeed run. The next few days turned out to be not only entertaining but positively sweat soaked. It is that very ability to perspire that makes humans as a species, one of the better distance runners on the planet. You gentle reader, are a running machine. Your furless body is blessed with a plethora of three different kinds of sweat glands that keeps your body from over heating during exertion by means of evaporative cooling. This is a crucial adaptation that I, with my thick golden coat, do not possess. This means that over distance, my man should (and here I stress the word should) be able to outrun me. In humanity’s more primitive past they actually brought down prey using a method called persistence hunting. The bipedal, naked skinned, hominid would chase fleet-footed animals like antelope for days until the over heated beast eventually became exhausted and then became dinner. In her article for The Scientific American, called “The Naked Truth,” Nina Jablonski wrote, “Naked skin itself played a crucial role in human evolution.” That it was only as you people-types lost your fur that your brain size began to increase. Why? Because, she writes, “without regulation of body temperature, tissues and organs — specifically the brain — can become damaged by overheating.” So what is an active dog with a thick, luxurious, coat, who cherishes his brain to do? Well there are a number of cooling methods available to us canines, not the least of which is panting. By moving quantities of hot air from our lungs out and over our lolling tongues we are able to lower our body temperature — although somewhat inefficiently — by evaporation too. Then of course there are other common sense methods — like the seeking of shade, immersion in cool water, and perhaps most importantly choosing a human with a measure of compassion; a person who will recognize our discomfort and not make us push past our limits to keep up, because we will, you know. To be with our pack leader we will go till our hearts burst. You humans are truly a blessed species. Not only do you have this large, high-functioning brain, the glorious abilities that come with an opposable thumb and the company of canines who shower you with love and respect, but you can sweat too. By extension, this ability to perspire puts your species among the best long distance runners in the world. So the next time you are in a large crowd, say like in a Wal-Mart, look around at the humanity that surrounds you and be proud. Well, my man did indeed finish his race and in his hiking boots no less. Mind you, he did walk around for about a week post event, looking like a marionette being controlled by a very unskilled puppeteer. Seems there was a “stiff” price to be paid for his lack of preparation. Evidently, dogs aren’t the only ones silly enough to abuse themselves in an attempt to keep up with the pack. Photos and word processing by Dan Mills
An unrestrained dogumentary.
Liquid Cooled: Rieley the Wonder Dog (Boulders predecessor) demonstrates the fine art of canine cooling.
Warp Speed: Boulder shows off his sprint, but all dressed up in his winter coat, how would he fare over distance? No, it is not a neck tie: Boulder lets it all hang out in a panting attempt to cool off.
Made in the shade: Even humans know enough to get out of the sun when exertion levels peak.
The nearly naked truth: Humans owe their ability to exert themselves over long distances and to preform silly acrobatics such as this, to their vast expanse of naked, sweat gland-rich skin.
There is one in every Pack: Boulder’s human clowns around with his Team Townsman mates just moments before the goofy stopped and the pain began.
You are ready to get out there and play hard...
Proud to Support our Local SPCA
but is your best friend? This summer, remember that your pup should be in shape too. Lead up with extra exercise, a good diet, and a wellness exam from your veterinarian... then go have fun!
TINUM PLA2012
250-426-8517 • 105 5th Ave. S. Cranbrook OLD Gwww.cranbrookveterinary.com 2012 2012