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Crazy for canines

October 6, 2005 1:06 am

By COLLETTE CAPRARA

For THE FREE LANCE-STAR

What two animals look very much alike, though one connotes the independence of the lonely wilderness, the other companionship and the warmth of home? If you guessed "wolves and dogs," you are right.

For the next three months, visitors to the Science Museum of Virginia will have multiple opportunities to expand their knowledge of our canine companions.

A futuristic robotic dog will bounce from his Plexiglas house to welcome visitors to the "Dogs: Wolf, Myth, Hero and Friend" exhibit, which traces the roots of the relationship between humans and dogs into the distant past.

Visitors will see a cast of an ancient gravesite, discovered in what is now Israel, in which the skeleton of an elderly person is curled up with a dog; and guests also may examine a 12,000-year-old etching depicting a human with a dog.

"The exhibit will explain how dogs became a part of man's culture," said Nancy Tait, the museum's director of public affairs, "and also how man became part of dogs' culture."

One element of the display compares humans' five senses and physical prowess with those of a dog.

Visitors will learn how a dog's heartbeat can increase far more quickly than ours, allowing them to run far faster than people. A video will show, literally, what the world looks like through the eyes of wolves through a recording filmed with cameras temporarily strapped to the wolves' heads.

The exhibit also will emphasize the beneficial role that dogs and humans play in one another's lives.

While humans feed and care for their canine friends, dogs have provided an array of services, ranging from help to individuals with hearing and speech impairments, to the comfort provided by therapy dogs, to the service of dogs in times of war.

The documentary "Wolves," brought dramatically to life through the wraparound screen and surround sound of the IMAX theater, highlights the unique roles of the alpha male and alpha female and traces the development of young cubs.

"Wolves" also documents the reintroduction of gray wolves from Canada into Yellowstone National Park, and introduces Konai, a 100-pound wolf that makes public appearances to inform youngsters about the species.

Throughout the next three months, the museum also will feature demonstrations and special events that cover topics from how dogs communicate to how owners can enhance their dogs' lives.

Museum patrons are invited to bring their picture with their dog to be posted on a special photo wall throughout the duration of the visit.

"I think that most people will come away from this exhibit feeling closer to their dogs than when they went in," said Tait, "and more understanding of just how important dogs are in our lives."

Collette Caprara is a freelance writer who lives with her family in Spotsylvania.