Dogs have been by our sides for tens of thousands of years, which is why they are recognized as man's best friend. However, how did they transform from wolves to lap dogs? Let's take a quick look at the history of dogs.
45 thousand years ago
Ancient humans faced competition from wolves and neanderthals for food and shelter when they migrated to Europe. Despite the fact that wolves and humans were inherently rival species, archaeologists think that wolves that were expelled from their packs found companions in human bands. That was the start of a lovely (and kind) friendship: the wolves warned them of danger, and in return they ate bones and other leftover food.
31,700 Years ago
A team of experts led by Mietje Germonpré discovered the remains of an ancient canid in a Belgian cave a while back. However, further investigation has revealed that it is not a wolf. It is currently the oldest example we know of wolves developing into something completely new and different species from their wild progenitors, and it more closely resembles other prehistoric dogs.
Over 15,000 years ago
Western Europe is where the first domesticated dog bones were discovered in the fossil record. Evidence indicated that these dogs' behavior also changed to look more like dogs, giving them a much more modern appearance. They transitioned from domestic animals to tame animals, which are wild creatures that have been accustomed to human behavior (a multi-generational process of selective breeding to create an animal engineered to have the traits we desire).
Ago, 12,500 Years
In Eastern Asia, domesticated dogs can be found in the fossil record. Greger Larson, a palaeogenomics and bioarchaeology expert at the University of Oxford, thinks that this is a completely unique case of dog domestication. He claims that it is highly unlikely that domestic dogs traveled from one region to another given the scant fossil evidence for domestic dogs found between Western Europe and Eastern Asia until another 4,500 years. Basically, we domesticated dogs twice because they are so good!
Genetic investigations reveal that only 10% of contemporary dogs can trace their ancestry to the Western European varieties, suggesting that this Asian population of canines predominated as they expanded throughout the globe.
10,000 years ago
When human populations started to settle down and transition from hunting and gathering to farming almost 12,000 years ago in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East. In 2,000 years, dogs started working for the first time after being bred to fit this new farming way of life. Dogs are today bred for herding, safeguarding cattle, and other specialized jobs; in the past, they relied on their innate instincts for hunting and protecting their pack.
9000 years ago
At least 9,000 years ago, dogs were a thriving species in the Americas. They diverged from a population of very early dogs that traveled with humans across the land bridge from Siberia to North America, not from American wolves, according to genetic evidence. Here in the Americas, they were domesticated over time to produce a wide variety of native American dog breeds. (This means that we domesticated dogs at least three times since they were so good.)
Unfortunately, by the 15th century, European dogs had nearly completely supplanted the native American canines in North America. The Alaskan husky, Alaskan malamute, and Greenland dog are among the American Arctic canines that are these early American dogs' closest living cousins.
8000 years ago
The oldest dog breed currently in existence, the Basenji, is first mentioned in historical documents. This African dog still shares more characteristics with its prehistoric ancestors than other contemporary dogs, such as the fact that it howls and yodels rather than barks and doesn't have the typical canine odour. The American Kennel Club still recognizes them even though they are the great-great-granddaddies of dogs!
6,000 Years Ago
In Mesopotamia, where the earliest towns were created, dogs were rapidly adopted as city residents. The collar and leash, which are the most common dog accessories, were created by the Sumerians about 3,300 BCE.
4,000 Years Ago
The Sumerians also accorded dogs prominent parts in their popular culture long before Toto and Lassie appeared on our screens. "The Show Dog" and "Why the Dog is Subservient to Man," two ancient tablets, were well-known works of literature. (We're still anticipating their publication as coffee table books.) The Sumerians were the first civilization to incorporate dogs in their pantheon of gods because they valued them so highly!
2000 Years Ago
Roman troops were astounded by how powerful and vicious the British canines were when they joined their combatants on the battlefield in 43 CE. Soon, a hungry market for vicious war dogs that could engage in combat both on the battlefield and at coliseums emerged in Europe.
At the same time, Romans also produced tiny toy dogs, which quickly rose to popularity as fashion accessories. They were probably intended to be cute pets, but it just so happened that this was around the same time that the black rat population in Europe went berserk, so they could serve as lap dogs and pest management in one.
1400 Years Ago
A French monk by the name of Hubert dedicated his life to raising big hunting dogs who were skilled at locating the odors of various animals. Hubert later became Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunters, and his dogs evolved into the bloodhounds we know today.
270 Years Ago
In the 1750s, the employees of a Paris hospital for the blind started training dogs to assist their patients, giving dogs a new important role. The first guide dog training book was released in the year 1819 by Johann Wilhelm Klein, who founded the Institute for the Training of the Blind in Vienna, Austria.
In the history of humans with dogs, there have been innumerable more noteworthy events, but it is undeniable that dogs have been our constant companions for the past, say, 45,000 years or so! With happy festivals in Nepal, the Iditarod race across some of the most difficult terrain in the United States, and star-studded dog shows all over the world, we now celebrate our bond with our canine companions.
Break out the popcorn and the dog treats to commemorate your canine and their diligent, lovable predecessors that came before them. Dogs have a noble history (and many more fantastic events to come, we're sure).
Comentarios