by Brandon Romines

Created on: November 07, 2010

 Dogs became domesticated due to a mutually beneficial relationship, recognized by wolves before humans. Humans have lived with dogs for thousands of years. DNA evidence suggest that wolves and dogs separated one hundred thousand years ago, though true domestication is still thought to have occurred ten to fifteen thousand years ago. Wolves likely began following nomadic people; living off scavenged food. This relationship would have genetically isolated those groups of wolves from more free roaming packs. The new diet that would have accompanied this lifestyle likely had an evolutionary impact. Once these wolves, perhaps softened by the lack of hunting, began living nearer to humans interaction was a natural result. Unlike rodents who also enjoy the company of humans, wolves were seen by some humans as useful.

 Babies of most any species are intended by nature to be cute, so that someone or something will want to take care of it. Wolf puppies are no exception. As a result, abandoned or orphaned pups near humans were likely to be taken care of.  After the first few orphaned pups began being adopted by people the dog truly began to emerge. Living in the wilderness, these people would have known all to well how dangerous wolves can be. This knowledge coupled with their lifestyle and needs resulted in the killing of any pups exhibiting aggression. Within a few generations this could have dramatically changed the behavior of these early dogs.

 The intelligence of the wolf brought it to humans and that trait made them keep it. Selecting the most subordinate and passive dogs to keep, they easily placed themselves into a new sort of pack. Wolves being very social animals, much like humans, the relationship began to grow wonderfully. Dogs respond well to commands mainly due to their pack nature, though this trait was increased with selective breeding. The wolf was assisted tremendously in its transition to the dog, by the fact that different groups of people all around the world at different times were domesticating packs of their own. This meant that humans trading or crossing paths allowed new people to experience the dog, or those already with dogs to replenish the gene pool.

 Dogs were domesticated because they needed to be. Humans could not have done many of the things they did without them. The domestication of the dog allowed us to domesticate other animals. These animals offered us protection and warnings of danger. Dogs are able to track, herd and catch many animals. Selective breeding, a new diet, and environment resulted in the rapid evolutionary change in the wolf, transforming it into the dog.

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