# What dogs or cats are so highly bred they require human attention to survive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232 "2005-10-14T16:04:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/21 "2005-10-14T19:08:28Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > Gotta disagree about dachshunds (sp?). As comical as they look, those are hunting dogs who can dash into foxholes. They are vicious. They’d do okay in the wild. I can attest to that. When I was a kid on outskirts of suburban of St. Louis we had long haired dachsunds. They brought us possums, groundhogs and rabbits about once a month. Occasionally they would kill a female possum with a litter of pups (cubs? Kits?) and leave the whole dead litter on our back porch. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/22 "2005-10-14T19:24:01Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > In the case of Maine Coons. These Maine Coon Cats must be gifted hunters. I read something somewhere about a Maine Coon who was one of the biggest and heaviest cats on record, and the article said it routinely caught several mice a day. And it was declawed, yet! ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/23 "2005-10-14T19:38:45Z")
I think if you introduced 5 female and 5 male _humans_ into a verdant wild they wouldn’t be able to survive very long (if this wild was truly isolated and no access to civilization or outside help was possible). I’m talking about standard city/suburban/modern rural humans. It wouldn’t be that long before they ate something bad or succumbed to infection or disease. Starvation would be a pressing concern. And when food or water became scarce, the humans would certainly fight and/or kill each other to try to survive. Childbirth probably wouldn’t always go so well. But of course, _Fox_ would love to option it for a reality series. A couple notes: 1. Eric Rudolph stole groceries and had outside help, and he was an experieced and resourceful woodsman. 2. _Survivor_ is rigged (to the extent that they are provided extra food or medical care as needed). 3. _Lost_ is fiction. 4. People are nasty, brutish critters who don’t get along well with others once the safety mat of “civilized” society and the rule of law is pulled out from under them. (see Hurricanes: Katrina). ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/24 "2005-10-14T19:42:22Z")
> [@PeterWiggen](#): > > Anecdotally, I had a friend in Georgia with a Siberian Husky. She was an outside dog her entire life. > > This leads me to reckon that if a feral Husky found shade and a solid water supply he or she could survive. > > - Peter Wiggen Well of course, but I don’t think a husky could find much solid water in Georgia, it’s too warm there. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Ash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mr.Ash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Ash)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/25 "2005-10-14T19:43:04Z")
> [@Athena](#): > > I’m fairly certain my pugs wouldn’t survive a night outside on my deck, with their kennels, soft deck chairs to sit on, and a bowl of food and water. They seem to think that a couch is necessary for survival. Aside from thier glaring lack of survival skills outside a fully furnished and air-conditioned environment, there is also no longer a “Man, am I full” sequence in the pug genome. I am fully convinced that my pugs would literally explode if they ever had full access to unlimited chow; and that feral pugs would do the same if they encountered a dead cow or some such. ---
**Author:** ![cowgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8c91f0/32.png) [@cowgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cowgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/26 "2005-10-14T19:50:14Z")
> [@Crotalus](#): > > I was told by a breeder many years ago that English bulldogs usually require assistance to copulate and are usually delivered by C-section. Seems like a recipe for extinction in the wild. I have heard the same about pugs. A friend swears (yes, I know) that she has a friend whose occupation is “pug masturbator.” Apparently such a job is necessary because they cannot copulate on their own. If someone could confirm or deny this, I’d appreciate it. Labs would probably explode from over-eating (or inappropriately-eating) as well. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/27 "2005-10-14T20:15:58Z")
It does get **hot** here in Georgia - many people who have thick-coated dogs (huskies, chows, newfies, etc.) have them shaved down in the summer. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Weird\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@The\_Weird\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Weird_One)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/28 "2005-10-14T20:18:38Z")
> [@cowgirl](#): > > I have heard the same about pugs. > > A friend swears (yes, I know) that she has a friend whose occupation is “pug masturbator.” Apparently such a job is necessary because they cannot copulate on their own. > > If someone could confirm or deny this, I’d appreciate it. > > Labs would probably explode from over-eating (or inappropriately-eating) as well. From [here](http://www.doggies.com/Pug/New_York_City), the second ad down reads: > [@](#): > > Our stud service includes free artificial insemination. Artifical insemination is available for most animals these days, for purposes of acquiring desirable genes without having to go through the hassle of getting the animals together, making sure the female is receptive, etc. And artificial insemination inevitably requires masturbation. Hey, it’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it! ---
**Author:** ![PapSett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecc23a/32.png) [@PapSett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PapSett)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/29 "2005-10-14T20:24:12Z")
My Papillons would be dead within hours of being dropped off , presumably from the horror of it all. They must have soft cushions , A/C , tasty dog food served regularly, and of course , Mama to pet them and hug them and tell them what wonderful Papsters they are. The Gordons wouldn’t do much better. Sure , they could FIND birds, but what good would it do them to go on point if there was no one there to actually SHOOT the damned bird? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/30 "2005-10-14T20:38:11Z")
Shaving a thick-coated dog in the summer can give them a complex. It is also counter-productive. The thick hair sheds down, and what is left serves as an insulator. Dogs perspire through their tongue and foot pads, not their skin. \*\*I Love Me, Vol. I \*\* raises a good point about humans, however. The veneer of civilization is thin. I could survive longer than most…but that is due more to my personalized modular internal food containment unit, not to any skills. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/31 "2005-10-14T20:47:28Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Chihuahuas. I dunno, Chihuahuas can be pretty vicious. They’re also fast, and like Daschaunds they can get into holes prett easily. Are they considered terriers? For some reason I seem to think there’s alot of wild Chihuahuas in mexico, just like there’s wild cats here. No idea where I came up with that idea, tho. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/32 "2005-10-14T20:53:07Z")
Furless [Sphynx cats](http://mysearch.myway.com/jsp/redir.jsp?ru=http%3A//www.google.com/url%3Fsa%3Dl%26ai%3DBfxcCPxpQQ4-JG6SmigGehKWlDYXVgA3bhLbnAdTAgxXg1AMQBBgEIMuCiAIoCjABSKE5UKKBglGqAQVkLTAwMcgBAQ%26num%3D4%26q%3Dhttp%3A//www.sphynxus.com&pr=GG&pg=GGmain&cb=DE&ct=GG&st=sa&ptnrS=DE&t=&ggl=0&searchfor=sphynx+cat&plp=3&dod=&kwg=0&sld=2&tpr=) wouldn’t do well, outside of heated human dwellings. ---
**Author:** ![Obsidian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/51bf81/32.png) [@Obsidian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obsidian)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/33 "2005-10-14T21:13:59Z")
I think that climate can matter a lot. (ie, how far the breed is from it’s native climate) For example, I own a breed of cats called Turkish Vans. They still exist in the wild in Turkey, though they’re dying off, and it’s become illegal to export them. My cats don’t have a full pedigree, generally unheard of in show quality cats, but they’re only 3 generations from the wild on one side. In the winter they grow a thick, heavy coat, and they shed it all for the summer. I have long-haired or short-haired cats depending on the season. I could dump them anywhere-- from the desert to the mountains to the middle of Lake Tahoe (they swim), and they’d survive. They adjust to the temperature extremes of their native environment. Many breeds have evolved to live in a certain climate. A Maine Coon would get heatstroke in Arizona, and a Siamese would freeze to death in Canada, hunting skills aside. I’d add greyhounds to your list. They need sweaters in my fairly temperate climate, and their skin is so thin it tears easily and they can’t lay comfortably on the floor. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/34 "2005-10-14T22:06:26Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > Just curious, How hot does it get in Georgia? I would imagine the Siberian Husky, collies and Samoyed would not survive in the summer. It gets very hot in Georgia during the summer. However, I grew up in Louisiana and we had several Malamutes. It probably wasn’t the best idea but they did Ok even during the middle of summer. I have a giant Samoyed her in Massachusetts now and it gets pretty hot here to sometimes and he does Ok. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/35 "2005-10-14T22:47:35Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > Just curious, How hot does it get in Georgia? I would imagine the Siberian Husky, collies and Samoyed would not survive in the summer. I mushed huskies in Fairbanks & north a millilon years ago, and I can tell you, it gets really hot in the summer, what with the sun being up most of the 24 hrs. They do just fine, as they have very thick “underware” which they shed in the spring. Very tough and resourceful dogs, and they’d do just fine about anywhere. There may be enough wolf in them to be able to bring down deer and large prey. This includes the Siberian, Eskimo and malemute breeds of husky. Also had a collie in the lower 48 years later, and they have the same thick undercoat that sheds in summer. They too are fast and good hunters and would probably be able to find enough rabbits, chipmunks, etc to survive in any of the states. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/36 "2005-10-14T22:50:22Z")
> [@Lemur866](#): > > Well of course, but I don’t think a husky could find much solid water in Georgia, it’s too warm there. [insert punchline drum riff] :rolleyes: … Ok I laughed. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/37 "2005-10-14T23:42:14Z")
My Siberian lived in Boca Raton, Florida, for five years, before my daughter brought her back here to N.Y. In Florida, there was never much evidence of shedding at all. First winter back here in N.Y., and we almost couldn’t recognize her (the dog, not my daughter) Her hair came in so thick, it was incredible. I guess that, for a Sibe anyway, they’ll survive any temperature that comes along. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/38 "2005-10-14T23:44:47Z")
> [@BluePitbull](#): > > Just curious, How hot does it get in Georgia? I would imagine the Siberian Husky, collies and Samoyed would not survive in the summer. Here in Texas with regular 100[sup]o[/sup] weather in the summers, I have seen many Huskies and more than a few Samoyeds. I have been led to understand that the same insulation that keeps them warm in the cold climates, keeps them comfortable in the hot climates. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/39 "2005-10-15T00:08:36Z")
My malemute doesn’t exactly LIKE the heat in summer, but she’s incredibly good at tunneling under foundations and the like to make herself a cool den (does it in at least five spots every single spring, and my house looks like a war zone from all the chicken wire I have to put down to keep her paws off the ground!) and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with her hunting instincts. Malemutes have an incredibly strong prey drive–she’s death on a stick for rats and stupid squirrels, could probably catch a bunny if she got the drop on it, and knows instinctively how to do the leap/bite method of catching small rodents in grass tufts. Besides, most canine species are opportunistic carrion eaters, and will happily snarf some critter somebody else made dead. Interestingly enough, she is also very fond of veggies and fruits, had to build a strong fence around the garden to keep her out of the tomatoes (complete passion for them) and she’ll eat almost any kind of vegetable matter I throw out. Had to stop putting onion detritus on the compost heap after I discovered onions aren’t too good for dogs. I think malemutes and huskies would do just fine in the wild. Toy dogs are just coyote chow as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRamenMonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@FlyingRamenMonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRamenMonster)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2005, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232/40 "2005-10-15T01:55:52Z")
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned peke-faced Persians. Many have faces so flat they can’t even eat solid food, and have to lap up puree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-dogs-or-cats-are-so-highly-bred-they-require-human-attention-to-survive/326232.md?page=3)