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Imagine a world without man’s best friend by your side, without the warm welcome wag and a sloppy kiss every time you walk through the door.  The happiness brought to this world by our canine friends will vanish if we sit back and allow this devastating retrovirus to diminish the world’s dog population.  With our meager supply of vaccine, we are able to save one mother and her litter of puppies. It would be nearly impossible for me to choose just one breed, but with a limited amount of vaccine, I would choose the Labrador Retriever.

The Labrador is the one the most intelligent breeds on dogs on the planet. Their good temperament and ability to learn quickly has proved them to be extremely versatile dogs. They have an incredible sense of smell, and throughout history have been used for hunting and tracking. Labradors are also known to have the largest litters among any other breed, lending the vaccinated pregnant mother the highest chance to produce the most puppies.

A world without the presence of dogs is a scary thought. Having spent the last twelve years of my life with a black lab, their sweet and loving temperament is evident to me. While I have spent time with many other breeds of dogs, none are quite like the Labrador. While my family has chosen the Labrador as our companion and best friend, many others have done the same for their shining qualities and lovable spirit. Chosen by the disabled for their utility as a service dog, and chosen by hunters for their adept sense of smell, and chosen by police for their prowess in detection, I can confidently say I’m not alone in choosing the Labrador given a dire situation where only one breed could be saved.

Even though Labradors have proved their worth to the world through their ability to help mankind, their steady temperament cannot be understated. A world without dogs is one in which I never hope to imagine, but with the ability to save one breed it would have to be the kindest, sweetest, and most caring breed around. Whether I am sick, tired, or lonely, my black lab Maddie has always been by my side, looking after me. Only being able to choose one breed to save is a devastating decision, but I am certain that my life would not be the same without my Lab, and I wouldn’t want others to not have the chance to miss out on one of the most lovable and loyal breeds around due to the new retrovirus.

A new retrovirus has the potential to kill off thousands of dogs breeds across the nation, and it is our duty to determine which dog breed should be saved. I argue that a vaccine should be given to Golden Retrievers because these dogs are a family favorite and should be saved for their wonderful qualities.

A high percentage of dog owning families have Golden Retrievers, making them an extremely popular breed. It would be a shame to kill off a breed that is such common household pet. It makes sense to save a breed that is so common in order to save a high amount of families from feeling despair and mourning. Additionally, these dogs are considered fully grown at the age of one; it would be smart to save a breed that is full grown at an early age so that the virus isn’t killing off a high percentage of puppies. Saving this breed would save the virus from harming a large amount of innocent puppies.

            Additionally, golden retrievers are loveable, friendly, and cuddly, making them a household favorite. Young kids typically think of their family’s pet golden retriever as another sibling, and it would be catastrophic to their emotional well-being to take away a piece of their family. Golden Retrievers are loyal pets; it would be upsetting to put them in danger after seeing how loyal they are to their owners.

            It would make sense to vaccinate Golden Retrievers because they are one of the most common household breeds. They are easy to train and always compatible with strangers. Golden Retrievers have a great sense of safety, and always protect their owners. For example, some Golden Retrievers notice when humans need help when swimming and jump in after them to save them from drowning. Their protective and intelligent qualities make them a smart breed to vaccinate to benefit this planet. Additionally, Golden Retrievers usually have litter sizes ranging from four to twelve puppies. As they are great breeders, the population size of these dogs would flourish due to reproduction.

            While it is unfortunate that dog breeds are being wiped out due to a retrovirus, it is important to distinguish reasons to save one breed over another. The great qualities and characteristics of Golden Retrievers makes them a great choice to vaccinate.

It would make sense to vaccinate golden retrievers because they are one of the most common household breeds. They are easy to train and always compatible with strangers. Golden retrievers have a great sense of safety, and always protect their owners. For example, some golden retrievers notice when humans need help when swimming and jump in after them to save them from drowning. Their protective and intelligent qualities make them a smart breed to vaccinate to benefit this planet. Additionally, golden retrievers usually have litter sizes ranging from four to twelve puppies. As they are great breeders, the population size of these dogs would flourish due to reproduction.

            While it is unfortunate that dog breeds are being wiped out due to a retrovirus, it is important to distinguish reasons to save one breed over another. The great qualities and characteristics of golden retrievers makes them a great choice to vaccinate. 

Huskies are a breed that is most closely related to their ancestor and therefore would be the best choice for the repopulation. This is because it would allow for a similar genetic divergence overtime. After many years, the diversity of dog breeds that was available would have the potential to return to what it once was. I emphasize that this would take a very long time, but I firmly believe that Huskies would be an excellent place to start. Furthermore, Huskies are not only friendly dogs, but they also can serve a purpose. They traditionally are known as a working breed because they can pull sleds carrying goods and people in places that do not have roads. Running long distances is an easy feat for a Husky and gives them a purpose beyond being a loving companion. This demonstrates that they are a dependable and capable breed suitable for repopulation of domestic dogs.

 

Under the assumption that only one pregnant dog and her puppies of a specific breed can be saved from the retrovirus, the ideal candidate would be the Siberian Husky. A loyal and loving breed, that has the capacity for utility. As someone who studies biology and knows a good amount about canines, I believe Huskies are an excellent candidate.

Huskies are a breed that is most closely related to their ancestor and therefore would be the best choice for the repopulation. This is because it would allow for a similar genetic divergence overtime. After many years, the diversity of dog breeds that was available would have the potential to return to what it once was. Furthermore, Huskies are not only friendly dogs, but they also can serve a purpose. They traditionally are known as a working breed because they can pull sleds carrying goods and people in places that do not have roads. Running long distances is an easy feat for a Husky and gives them a purpose beyond being a loving companion. This shows that they are a dependable and capable breed.

Of all of the breeds of dogs that I have interacted with, Huskies have stood out to me. They are extremely well-mannered and reserved. They emit a sense of pride in the way that they hold themselves, yet display real affection for their owner. Since they are a dog that traditionally lives in a pack, they are well equipped to live with humans and become a member of their pack. In addition, their thick coat of fur allows for them to live in a wide variety of environments; many environments that other domesticated dogs could not survive in. With all of these things in mind, I believe that Huskies would be an excellent candidate to save from the devastating retrovirus.

Cite: https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/siberian-husky/

Dredging a pond can be quite destructive on the surrounding wildlife and environment as the pond needs to have its water’s lowered and heavy machinery and equipment needs to be brought in. The process of removing sediments and shipping them away is also a costly process. The decision to dredge a pond rests as on the immediacy of the problem and what the pond is used for. As Puffer’s Pond is a communal area for swimming, fishing and nature-walking these factors must be considered. Without dredging, the pond will continue to accumulate sediments and it will develop characteristics of a marsh. The increase in sediment will also increase the rate of plant growth in the pond and decrease fish habitat. The higher levels of sediment will also exacerbate the problem of nutrient loading from runoff which promotes plant and algae growth. Because of how the pond is used, it makes sense to dredge after sediment levels have accumulated to large levels, but the town should consider the impact this will have on the surrounding ecosystem and may want to consider an ecological impact study to ensure no endangered species depend on the pond or surrounding environment which may need to be rebuilt after the dredging process.

Isometric contractions are contractions in which that generate force without altering the length of the muscle. These muscles are common in body parts that are responsible for grips, such as your hands and forearms. These muscles are also prominent in maintaining posture. You experience isometric contractions when you are trying to lift items that are too heavy for you, leading to the object not being lifted. In this case, the maximum force a muscle can generate has been reached. In contrast, isotonic contractions do involve shortening. Force is generated by isotonic contractions by the change of length of muscles. These isotonic contractions can either be eccentric (the muscle lengthens) or concentric (the muscle shortens). With isotonic contractions, you are able to lift the object that you are attempting to lift, unlike isometric contractions. 

The species that should be saved is the golden retriever. This is because the golden retriever is the one of the best dog breeds out there due to its nice fur and usefulness in disability patients, along with other benefits. According to AKC.org, The American Kennel Club, golden retrievers are “friendly, intelligent, and devoted”. It is famous for its dense golden fur, which everyone loves to pet. In addition to these benefits, golden retrievers are one of the healthiest dogs, and can survive various health crisis (if saved by the scientists’ vaccines), such as the flu. 

Golden retrievers are relatively easy to train. They can be used in patients that have disabilities such as blindness, or patients who need guide dogs. Why would you not save this breed? There are plenty of other reasons that include being a man’s best friend, as well as being relatively easy to take care of. 

While persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are strictly controlled and monitored now thanks to the Stockholm Convention (2001), the prevalence of POPs in the environment is still a huge factor. Perflourooctanoic Acid (PFOA) is one of the most abundant POPs due to its half life of a couple eons. PFOA is a known carcinogen used in numerous household products like Tupperware, water proofed clothing, household cleaners, and even microwave popcorn bags, pizza boxes, and butcher’s paper. We as humans are exposed to PFOAs on a regular basis and don’t even realize it. Over 99% of American individuals have traces of PFOAs in their blood and therefore have a higher predisposition to forms of cancer like liver cancer and leukemia. PFOA can take decades to be excreted from the human body; most people have it in their systems their entire lives due to the prevalence in the environment. Yet, the majority of the public is not informed about the carcinogenic elements of PFOA which can prove to be detrimental to their bodies.

There is a new retrovirus which is devastating dog populations and killing at an astoundingly rapid rate. It is of course a terrible shame to let any dog suffer and die. Unfortunately we only have enough vaccine supply to save one breed. As a dog lover and a biologist my best recommendation would be to save German Shepherds.

When someone thinks of a dog they want to have as part of their family, what traits come to mind first? Loyalty, protective, affectionate and playful are likely candidates. German Shepherds encompass these traits wonderfully. They are a loyal and protective dog and would make good guard dogs for families. This breed is also known to be highly intelligent. They also require relatively little maintenance when compared to other dogs. Of course they are highly energetic and love to play as well! Overall, the German Shepherd has a great temperament and will make the an excellent addition to any family and may fill a variety of other roles, such as a service or police dog.

I must reiterate how terrible it is that we are forced to choose a single breed to save because of this awful retrovirus. I do not want to see any dog suffer, and I especially do not want to see any breed completely vanish. However, for the reasons stated previously, and in my opinion as a dog lover, I believe our best choice of dog breed to save is the German Shepherd.

Citation:

https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/german-shepherd-dog