Page 8 - The Complete Dog Breed Book Choose the Perfect Dog for You, New Edition (DK)

8 INTRODUC TION T O DOG S

WHAT IS A DOG?

The evolution of the dog from wild predator to
domestic companion has been greatly influenced by
human intervention. It has taken just a few hundred
years to produce seemingly endless variations on the
canine theme, but planned breeding has not removed
the basic characteristics of the dog’s ancestor: the wolf. Dogs are social animals

Evolution of the dog domesticated dogs has been found in several locations in
All dogs share a common ancestor: the gray wolf. While this Asia and Europe; the timing varies from 20,000 to 40,000
relationship is fairly apparent in breeds such as the German years ago, which suggests that domestication events may
Shepherd or spitz-type dogs, with their wolflike heads and have occurred more than once and in different areas. The
pricked ears, it is hard to see the connection between wolves oldest remains known to be domesticated dogs date back to
and Toy Poodles or Saint Bernards. Genetically, however, around 14,000 years ago and comprise human-dog burials
any dog of any breed is virtually identical to the wolf. from the Middle East and Germany. Older dog fossils from
The transition from wolf to the huge diversity of domestic Europe and Asia also exist, but whether these are fossils of
dogs known today happened relatively quickly. The process domesticated dogs remains uncertain.
began gradually, with random changes in size and shape, There are alternative theories about how dogs became
but accelerated when humans began to selectively breed domesticated. Some scholars believe that wolves scavenging
those dogs that exhibited characteristics they desired. around early human encampments were killed for their
meat and skin; their orphan pups were taken in and reared
In from the wild in captivity and were found to be valuable as hunters and
Gray wolves and dogs diverged between 15,000 to 40,000 protectors, beginning the process of domestication. Others
years ago, but when and where they developed a close question why humans would want to domesticate a large
relationship with humans is unclear. DNA evidence for predator that would compete with them for food. They suggest

RELATIONSHIPS OF THE DOG FAMILY

This diagram shows the relationship between the dog and
some of the other canids (members of the dog family) based
on genetic evidence. The dog and the gray wolf are more
closely related to one another than to any other canids.

Foxes Ethiopian Wolf Golden Jackal Coyote Gray Wolf Dog

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