Pereiro de Aguiar/The dog is often called man's best friend. Before the 19th century, breeds of dogs (other than lap dogs) were largely functional. They performed activities such as hunting, tracking, watching, protecting and guarding; and language describing the dog often reflected these roles.

The truth is: we call dogs our best friends because, in most of the ways that matter, they are. As dogs and humans have developed a deep relationship over thousands of years, dogs have become part of our families. We take pride in our dogs, and sometimes show them off to others as we would our children.

Épico.