Comparative Digestion

Why do human beings need to chew their food thoroughly, but dogs do not?

For human beings digestion begins in the mouth

not so for dogs

for dogs digestion begins in the stomach

Human saliva contains an enzyme

that begins the digestive process

as saliva is mixed and mashed

by jaws with swivel hinges

an elaborate set of taste buds

helps the food linger

to give the digestive process a good start

before the food is sent to the stomach

Not so for dogs

for dogs digestion begins in the stomach

there is no digestive enzyme in the dog's saliva 

dogs carry their puppies in their mouths  

the digestive process does not begin there

dogs can rip off a piece of food with their sharp teeth

they give the food a quick chomp

then dispatch it to the stomach where strong acid reigns

and digestion begins

their jaws are hinged to chomp vertically

they don't need the mixmaster hinges

of a human because dogs have no need

to mix and mash their saliva with their food

For dogs digestion begin in the stomach

not the mouth, in contrast with humans

a dog might carry a puppy in its mouth

so no digestive enzyme is needed there

Long ago I saw K.C. deliver her own ten puppies

she immediately started taking care of them

cleaning them and rolling them over

and cleaning them more

then placing them where she chose

all with her mouth and her tongue

licking them silly then

placing them where she preferred

her mouth was busy with child care

there's no digestive enzyme there