The dog or domestic dog is a domesticated descendant of the wolf, characterized by an upturning tail. The dog is derived from an ancient, extinct wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. The dog has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Dog breeds vary widely in shape, size, and color. Over the millennia, dogs became uniquely adapted to human behavior, and the human-canine bond has been a topic of frequent study. This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of "man's best friend".[1]
Coverage[]
Dogs were generally featured in the documentary and was briefly featured in Bound and Buried & Waves of Devastation.
Documentary[]
In 10 days after people, meltwater from defrosting freezers provide a temporary lifeline for some creatures like dogs before the show questions what will happen to the family pets when no one to care for them. Ray Coppinger answers the question, stating that a massive die off of dogs right after people disappear due to not creating the debris or producing food that the dogs are living on and dogs can't open cans or get in the refrigerator and in order to survive, the family dog have to leave the house or die inside of it. He then stated that the first thing that happens is they all jump out of the open windows and out into the new landscape, with the first task to go back to scavenging food especially dead creatures out in the wild.
The show continues that there are estimated to be four hundred million dogs in the world and 300 different breeds but very few of them are suited to survive without people, and the smallest dogs won't last a week. John Hadidian stated that there are no niche for the smaller dogs due to competitive like in the case of wolves, where they displace coyotes, whom then displace foxes, and he assume that hierarchy would prevail among domestic dogs. The show then gave a fact that many of the unique features that have been bred into dogs over the years are major handicaps in the fight for survival. Ray Coppinger stated that the dogs with short legs, short faces and long faces are all doomed due to not able to move well, search, and explore. He thinks that in the middle of the spectrum, the kind of average dog has the best chances of survival in the long haul but not in a pretty way.
In 25 years after people, the show only stated that packs of feral dogs roam through decaying neighborhoods in order to search for their next meal.
In 150 years after people, dogs have been reverted to the ways of their ancestors. The show stated that the descendants of the surviving dogs have interbred with wolves and fall in packs to bring down larger prey. John Hadidian stated that the dogs still posses the instinct to survive even in the time of humans where they're lying on the living room floor, which enough to be able to do whatever it took in bringing down prey in order to live.
Bound and Buried[]
In 2 weeks after people, while wolves are moving in, dogs are trying to move out but it remain bound to humans. David Brin stated that humans started manipulating the genetic makeup and characteristics of other animals long before agriculture and explains Neoteny which is the tendency of retaining childlike characteristics and is something that humans kept emphasizing in dogs and the reason why dogs accept human authority without challenging it. Ray Coppinger stated that dogs aren't good at little tasks like getting out of the house since they couldn't break a window and they've been taught not to tear up things and so forth causing most of it to sit and starve to death.
Waves of Devastation[]
In Sacramento, 3 years after people have cause most of the levees to fail and the entire city to flood. The dogs that managed to survive the first 3 years after people in Sacramento, the new water world presents a deadly challenge for those with certain physical traits. Hurricane Katrina killed or left homeless an estimated 600,000 animals in 2005 including thousands of dogs, many of them were trapped inside houses which flooded and for those with short limbs or barrel chests, the chances of survival were very slim. Elena Gretch stated that a good example would be bulldog since it have oversized heads & chests and a flat-faced dog with a reduced respiratory system making it very unusual for a bulldog to exercise in long distances or swim for long distances. With most of Sacramento become underwater, mixes of retrievers, labs, and other well proportioned swimming dogs adapt to the city's repeated floods while other specialized breeds have been wiped out.
Gallery[]
