Final answer:
Excerpts from the text directly support the theme that dogs are affectionate, protective companions. The exerts are: Of all animal species, the dog has played the most transformative role in human cultures, Although dogs are primarily pets in contemporary societies, Humans interact with and relate to animal species.
Step-by-step explanation:
Excerpts from the text that directly support the theme that dogs are affectionate, protective companions are:
- Of all animal species, the dog has played the most transformative role in human cultures historically. This supports the idea that dogs have had a long history of being close companions to humans.
- Although dogs are primarily pets in contemporary societies, they continue to play other important roles in a wide range of human activities. This shows how dogs are not just pets, but also serve important functions like drug detection, therapy, and assistance for people with physical challenges.
- Humans interact with and relate to animal species that live in the wild as well as those that depend on them for their survival. This excerpt discusses the domestication of dogs and how early humans selectively bred them for desirable traits, including an attachment to humans. This highlights the close bond between humans and dogs.