Dogs have been sharing their lives with humans since times immemorial; canines were perhaps the first animals to be domesticated. Since that long forgotten time, humans have loved, nurtured, bred, raced and done a thousand other things with dogs. The chief among these has of course been having dogs as pets. Going back to origins, dogs are believed to be descendents of an animal called Miacis, which was a weasel-like tree dweller that lived more than 40 million years ago. From the Miacis came the Tormactus, which are believed to be the direct forefathers of modern day dogs. In the ancient ages dogs were revered, especially in Egypt. Anubis, the Egyptian God of the Underworld is depicted as half-human and half-jackal/dog figures. Though cats were more popular as pets in ancient Egypt than dogs, there are many references of dogs being mummified and buried with their owners. Dogs also held a place of prominence during the Christian era. Did you know that dogs have been mentioned in the Bible not just once or twice, but 14 times? Dogs were also used as soldiers in Europe during this era – armors and spikes were placed on their shoulder and heads to make them ready for battle. In the Far East too, dogs occupied a very important place in society. There are many references of dogs having their own servants and being offered as gifts to kings in return for trade permits or other favors. The Mongol emperor Kublai Khan is rumored to have owned more than 5,000 dogs – all Mastiffs. This is the largest number known till date and he reportedly loved the dogs so much, he had a special palace built for them. The Indian sub-continent too has its share of dog stories. In the Mahabharata, there is mention of a dog which accompanied the Pandavas into heaven and became the only animal allowed to enter heaven in its bodily form. Bhairav, the fierce form of Lord Shiva is believed to ride on a dog, which has led to dogs being worshipped in many parts of Northern and Central India. The Greek emperor Alexander the Great was so fond of the fighting dogs of India that he had created an entire army of these dogs. He even established a city in the memory of his favorite dog Peritas. Care and breeding of dogs was also highly prevalent in ancient Persia; the religious book of the Zoroastrians has an entire section devoted to it. Across the Atlantic, the ancient Mayans and Aztecs had a unique way of recognizing dogs. Every tenth day of their calendar was symbolized as the day of the dog and persons born on such days were believed to possess exceptional leadership abilities. Even the Chinese believe that birth under the sign of the dog makes a person highly loyal and trustworthy. Coming back to Egypt, parts of the dog’s anatomy also found a lot of use in ancient times. The roasted liver of a rabid dog was considered to be a treatment for rabies. If a dog with rabies bit a person, the tooth of another rabid dog tied to the arm in a band was considered to protect the  person against onset of the disease. Dog hairs and genitals were also used as cosmetic accessories. On the whole, dogs have had a rich history, both interesting and enigmatic. Even today, they are the most preferred of domestic animals as can be seen in the more than 70 million strong dog population in the USA.