The colors, sizes and behaviors are the most varied. They can be white, brown, fawn, gray, spotted, big or small, giants or dwarfs, sweet or aggressive, gentle or ill-tempered, playful or serious. It does not matter. Not to like them is difficult. Dogs, year after year, are always fashionable, displaying, proudly, the title of "man’s best friend". Ask any child if that is not true.

It is good to know, however, that "man’s best friend" relies on an important ally to keep that status: Chemistry. Without it, it would be much more difficult for the dogs to share every nook and cranny of the home with children and adults. You can barely imagine, for example, the importance of the carbaryl (1- naphthol N-methylcarbamate), of dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate or of isopropanol and o-cresol in the life of a dog and, of course, of their owners (or, to be politically correct, of its adoptive family). These chemical products with complex names, among others, are responsible for the fight against a true pest for dogs and people: fleas. The chemicals are present in the anti-flea collars, powder and soaps. To tell you the truth, just thinking that without Chemistry these products would not be available starts my itching and scratching.

But do not think that the participation of Chemistry in the K-9 world stops here. Visit a pet store and check. In the specially designed dog food, the special shampoos and toothpaste and in many other exclusive products you will see the ever present best friend of "man’s best friend", Chemistry. Without it, that wonderful companionship would be much less joyful and healthy.

Text: Luiz Carlos de Medeiros (MTb: 12.293) English version by Joe Vianna (translat@mvpisp.com)