The history of humanity honors not only great leaders but also the “great dogs.”
Ivan Pavlov’s “Conditioned Reflex” Dog
Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849 – 1936) was a renowned Russian physiologist, psychologist, and physician. He is recognized in world history for receiving the Nobel Prize in 1904 for his research related to the digestive system and later for establishing the fundamental laws of the conditioned reflex phenomenon based on experiments he conducted with dogs.
According to accounts, Pavlov and his assistant often conducted experiments on gastric secretion with an old German Shepherd. The dog had lived in the laboratory for many years and was familiar with all the staff there. It recognized Pavlov as the leader and was very attached to him.
Ivan Pavlov with his assistant and the laboratory dog
One day, the dog was placed on the testing platform, and its gastric juice was collected in a tray through a tube. The dog’s gastric secretions were normal, about 25 drops per minute. Suddenly, the sound of the dog handler’s footsteps was heard outside, gradually fading away.
At that moment, the experimenters noticed a sudden spike in the dog’s gastric secretion, increasing to about 100 drops per minute. This phenomenon had never occurred before, so they reported it to Pavlov. He was very surprised and immersed in thought.
Before a solution was found, the sound of the handler’s footsteps echoed again from afar. Once more, the dog’s gastric secretion increased significantly. It seemed that the sound of the handler’s footsteps was the cause of the increased gastric secretion.
To confirm this, Pavlov instructed the handler to walk past the laboratory every 15 minutes, doing this three times. Pavlov joyfully discovered that each time the handler walked by the laboratory door, the dog’s gastric secretion increased.
Pavlov concluded: “The sound of the handler’s footsteps is associated with the presentation of food; over time, it has formed a special relationship with food through the dog’s mind, meaning the handler’s footsteps can substitute for food. When the sound is heard, the dog knows food is about to be served, triggering the brain to command the stomach to produce more gastric juice.”
This became the foundation for Pavlov to conduct further experiments, leading to the establishment of the fundamental laws of the conditioned reflex phenomenon in animals – a monumental discovery in the history of science.
Regrettably, the name of the dog that helped Pavlov discover the law of conditioned reflexes has not been recorded. Future generations simply refer to it as “Pavlov’s dog.”
Laika – The First “Space Dog” of Humanity
Shortly after successfully launching the Sputnik-1 satellite on October 4, 1957, Soviet scientists quickly moved to launch Sputnik-2, carrying the first living creature into space. Dogs were considered the most suitable test subjects because they could survive in space conditions similar to humans.
Immediately, a team of “space dogs” was formed, consisting of three members: Laika, Albina, and Mushka. To become true astronauts, they underwent rigorous testing and training to acclimate to the cramped cabin, weightlessness, and the intense vibrations and noise of the Sputnik-2 rocket, including wearing special suits and consuming liquid form canned food.
Laika before her flight into space
At the end of training, Albina was assigned to the endurance testing unit for living creatures under extreme acceleration during the rocket’s launch; Mushka was assigned to test the rescue equipment and landing capsule of the spacecraft; while Laika was designated to study the endurance of living beings in a weightless environment.
This mission led to Laika, a 3-year-old dog weighing 16 kg, becoming the first living creature to fly into space. On November 3, 1957, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Sputnik-2 was launched into Earth’s orbit, carrying this legendary dog.
The amount of food and oxygen was only sufficient for Laika to survive for 10 days, while the mission of Sputnik-2 was set to last until April 1958. This meant that Laika’s fate was sealed from the start; she would die and be incinerated along with the spacecraft upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere.
Information provided by the Soviet Space Research Agency at the time indicated that Laika survived for four days during the journey.
After 163 days in space, completing 2,570 orbits around the Earth, Sputnik-2, carrying Laika’s remains, burned up upon returning to Earth on April 14, 1958, successfully concluding its pioneering mission. Laika’s sacrifice was not in vain as it demonstrated that living beings could survive in a weightless state in outer space.
To commemorate Laika, many countries have issued commemorative stamps and postcards featuring this beloved animal over the past half-century. Consumer products and bands inspired by Laika have emerged. Laika has also become the subject of numerous novels, films, and songs…
Hachiko – A Monument to Canine Loyalty
Hachiko was a small dog of a native Japanese breed, born in November 1923 in Akita Prefecture, Japan. The dog was raised by Professor Ueno of Tokyo University, who treated him as his own child, as his family had no sons.
Every morning, Hachiko would walk with Professor Ueno Eizaburo to the train station to see him off to work. And every afternoon at 3 PM, Hachiko would return to the station to wait for his master.
However, on May 12, 1925, Professor Ueno suffered a stroke while lecturing at the university and could never return. Yet Hachiko continued to arrive at the station at 3 PM to await his owner’s return. Hours passed, and it grew dark without a sight of the professor, but Hachiko remained unwavering, patiently waiting.
Hachiko the dog
Perhaps Hachiko sensed that something was wrong. Still, he went to the station at 3 PM every day. People around began to notice Hachiko’s hopeless wait for his deceased owner and took turns caring for him. The touching story of Hachiko’s loyalty spread widely. People traveled to Shibuya to see Hachiko, feed him, or pet him.
Years passed, and Hachiko continued to appear at the station at 3 PM, despite suffering from arthritis and aging. Eventually, on March 8, 1935, Hachiko collapsed and died right where he had waited for his master, concluding a decade of hopeless waiting.
Many newspapers featured Hachiko’s death on their front pages. People raised funds to hire sculptor Ando Teru to create a bronze statue of Hachiko, placed in the station where the dog had waited for nearly ten years. The statue was removed for use as weaponry during World War II but was recreated by the son of sculptor Ando Teru in 1948 and still stands at Shibuya Station today.
This statue is now known as a meeting point in Shibuya, where people go to wait for their friends…
