The Value of Dogs and the Victorian Era

My guiding question for my project is:

How were dogs important in the Victorian era? Why?

Through history, dogs have a very important part in the life of humans. In the Victorian era, the nature of the relationship between dogs and humans changed.

First, dogs are domesticated from wolves. Dogs were domesticated 15, 000 years ago. Evidence suggests that they were used as guard animals, some were valued as companions.

In the Middle Ages dogs became “pets” for the aristocrats. Also, the Renaissance started the first boom in dog breeding and entirely new breeds of dogs appeared. Unfortunately, some of these breeds disappeared in the French Revolution.

Queen Victoria's Dogs

In the Victorian era, dogs were important for work and for social life. Before the Victorian era, dogs were mainly used only as work animals. Only kings, nobles and those in power had dogs as pets. But the wealth of the common people was improving. Dogs were in demand; dog breeding became a profession for the first time. Having a dog was a leisure activity. Dog houses even had their origin in this era.

During the Victorian era, there was increased knowledge of biology, allowing animal breeders faster success in developing desired traits in their animals. As a result, dog breeders came to understand if you mix one breed with another you can get different characteristics. Breeders tried to bring back the lost breeds of the past, but instead, new breeds came forth. Dog breeders began breeding on large scales to create specialized dogs that customers wanted. Also, older dog breeds were being refined for better and more targeted qualities. The first dog show was in 1859 and these kinds of shows helped these breeds stay popular and in fact, increase in popularity. Dogs were put in to these categories:

1.) Sheepdogs

2.) Mastiffs

3.) Terriers

4.) Scent hounds

5.) Companion Hounds

Nowadays, there are some 800 recognized dog breeds. Fifty-nine of them are of British origin. Thirty of those fifty-nine were first bred in the Victorian era.

In addition to breeding dogs to work or to be a pet, dogs were also breed to fight for gambling.

Dog fights were popular in Roman times but, they were not popular in the modern era in the West until the late 18^th century. However, the modern era of dog-fighting didn’t last long, because these fights were becoming to be thought of as one of the worst types of animal abuse.

The wealthy began to under stand that some dogs were treated this way. They began kennel clubs, which are organizations to promote dog breeds and to educate about effective and responsible dog care. As a group, the kennel club members decided to help other dogs.

Pet-keeping in the modern world has its origins in this time period. When dogs were valued as pets they began to be given some rights. These rights continue even today. They include:

1. The right to have their lives cherished and protected

2. The right to socialize

3. The rights to share public resources

4. The right to be trained humanely

5. The right to act upon instinct

Additionally, William Wilberforce, a member of the British Parliament, along with twenty –two reformers started Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals on July 22, 1822. Animals in general, not just dogs, were given respect. This organization, now known as the RSPCA, is a charity that promotes the welfare of animals. This group still exists to day.

Dash, the US President's dog with his dog house in 1890

From the Victorian era, the value humans placed on dogs went through a big change. Dogs have become a part of human society instead of being viewed as livestock. This is one of the first times in history dogs were being considered as a member of the family. Owners came to realize, the relationship with a dog has positive health and social aspects on the human body. After this huge change, beginning in the Victorian era, pets were being valued for human companionship.

The foundation of modern animal rights is in the Victorian era. Overall, the Victorian period helped start a new standard in dog care today, that extended to the care of other animals.

Bibliography:

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Burke, Bill. "Dog Fighting ." Wikipedia. 11/30/07. 30 Nov 2007 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog_fighting>.

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