by Mikeanthony

Created on: January 18, 2009   Last Updated: January 27, 2009

How wild dogs became pets'?

If we look back into the past, the dog is probably the only animal, which has been domesticated the longest and it has yet to be proved which species cam before our modern day dog, Canis familiaris.

The wolf and the jackal are very high on the list, with a possibility of several other wild dogs. It could also have been a combination of several species, which were first tamed and then domesticated throughout the world.

In addition, no one has yet found out when or where domestication took place, although it would seem the relationship between man and the dog was purely a case of opportunity. It may have been a simple understanding of a dog rummaging around a human settlement for food, to be tamed by one or more of the inhabitants. On the other hand, the inhabitant could have been looked upon as a hunter and he himself accepted within a pack of hunting dogs as a dominant figurehead.

Imagine a human settlement just organising their dinner when all of a sudden a wolf enters the compound having smelt the food cooking. The males of the settlement pick up their weapons to challenge the animal, but find it lies down in submission. Not knowing what to do, one member of the tribe reaches out for the animal and finds it can be stroked. After several minutes of this attention the animal rises and licks the hand of the man. This shows the animal accepts dominance from the man but in its own mind is after something entirely different. This it receives from the man in the form of a part eaten rib bone. A relationship has now been formed and the animal has been accepted as part of the settlement. Unfortunately, the next day the wolf has brought its family round to introduce them to the settlement and instead of a rib bone they get ordinary scraps from the table but this could have been one scenario of many to have harmony with wild dogs and man.

Whether the dog has continued to benefit from its devotion to man, is very unclear. Are all dogs happy to be with man and not out in the wild as their ancestors? Only the dog can answer that question, but given the chance would it survive in today's world?

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