A dog is a domesticated descendant of wolves. They are highly adapted predators that hunt and kill other animals for food. They have excellent senses to track prey, long legs for running, and sharp teeth for biting. They are covered in a thick, warm coat that provides protection from the cold. They typically work in groups called packs to hunt mammals as large as deer.
In modern society, less than two hundred million dogs live with humans who provide food, shelter, squeaky toys, and fashionable sweaters. Among these are many specialized breeds that have been trained to serve in various jobs, from hunting and herding to police work and search and rescue. Dogs also fill roles in a wide range of sporting competitions.
Unlike some other animal characters, most dogs are not naturally sarcastic or depressed. Nevertheless, like all living creatures, they are vulnerable to diseases and ailments, including cancer, hip and elbow dysplasia, diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, epilepsy, and pulmonic stenosis. Two severe medical conditions that can rapidly kill a dog are pyometra (which mainly affects unspayed females) and gastric dilatation volvulus, or bloat, which mainly affects larger breeds and deep-chested dogs.
To write well about a dog, a writer must understand what makes the species unique from other animals. He or she must decide how “human” a dog is to be, and that decision will influence the character’s appearance, attitude, and behavior. To further enrich a character, the author should take time to observe a dog in real life and read about dogs in history and fiction. In addition, the author should try to expand his or her experience with dogs by taking obedience classes or going to dog shows.