History of Companion Dogs
Around 3,000 BC humans began to live in somewhat permanent dwellings instead of being nomadic. This created an opportunity for dogs and humans to become attached to one another for purposes other than assisting in hunting or flock protection. Hence the appearance of companion dogs co-inciding with the birth of various civilizations.
This companionship occurred in different ways in different parts of the world. Companion dogs are considered here according to the geographical areas of their development.
In Asia, according to a translation by Pauthier of the ancient Chinese Sacred Book, about 3,468BC the kind Fo-Hi was already encouraging the breeding of little ‘sleeve dogs’. Later from 2188 - 2160 BC the kind Tai-Kang was also recorded as being a great dog lover.[1] Certainly the history of Asian Toy Spaniels dates back as far as 2,000 BC, when dogs that were worshiped in Chinese temples and were favourite pets of the emperors.
In Africa around 3,000 BC early civilizations occurred along fertile valleys where southwest Asia (the Middle East) joins northeast Africa (Egypt)[1]. So the earliest civilization involving companion dogs appears to be in northeast Africa namely Egypt, where some of the hunting dogs were also worshipped and became idols.
In Central America dating back to 2,500BC we have record of two types of dogs. One was a medium sized dog somewhat like a wolf which was reared for food and ritual sacrificial purposes. Interestingly, the other was a small dog with a globular shaped head that appeared to be kept as a companion, probably the predecessor of the modern Chihuahua[2].
In Europe trading of companion dogs by barter seemed to evolve from 2,000 BC. At this time townships sprang up around the bays and inlets of the rugged coastal regions of Greece[1] .This gave rise to trading by ship, one geographical centre being the small island of Melitae which was later known as Malta.