by Pat Gray

Created on: May 09, 2009

There are four general theories on how the modern dog evolved: 1) from wolves tamed through human intervention 2) wolves "taming" themselves over a long association with humans 3) wolves dividing into distinct populations of wolves and proto-dogs through scavenging activities 4) modern dogs evolving from a wild dog or proto-dog species other than "Canis lupus".

1) Human Intervention
Juliet Clutton-Brock proposed that wolves began their evolution into dogs approximately 12,000 to 14,000 years ago, coinciding with humans moving from hunter-gatherers to settled agrarians. Adult wolves, preying on humans and their food supplies would be driven away, but abandoned wolf pups would be taken as gifts for childless women or as playmates for children.

As the wolf puppies reached maturity, they would either escape back into the wild, or be killed and eaten, their pelts used for clothing. Occasionally, a particularly tame or highly favored mature wolf might be allowed to remain in the camp, interbreeding with other "pet" wolves; over several generations the ancestors of the modern dog evolved.

2) Self-taming Over Long Association
Dr. David Paxton proposes that the wolf-human relationship began 80,000 years ago, while humans were still nomadic hunter-gatherers. Wolves followed humans to take advantage of byproducts, and in exchange, provided protection against other predators. Gradually, human and wolf would have become co-dependents and accepting of each other's presence. Paxton also proposes that Homo sapiens would not have survived it not for the additional protection and assistance the wolf/proto-dog provided.

3) Self-evolving Scavengers
Raymond Coppinger and Lorna Coppinger propose that individual wolves had a shorter flight distance (reaction to danger by when to run and how far), were less nervous, and these animals took advantage of the byproducts of the early settlements (12,000 to 14,000 years ago). More nervous individuals, with a longer flight distance (running early and farther from potential danger) removed themselves from human habitation, leaving the dump wolves to interbreed, eventually producing more tamable off-spring with virtually no flight distance - these became the early ancestors of modern dogs.

4) Janice Kohler-Matznick proposes that dog did not (directly) descend from "Canis lupus", a specialist carnivore, but rather from a more generalist scavenger, a wild canine, closer to a modern dingo or pariah dog. The theory is that early man had neither the

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