Are dogs and wolves related?
Timber wolf. Photo: digitalART
Are wolves and dogs related?
Look at a Husky, then at a tiny Chihuahua – and it’s hard to believe that they’re the same species. But genetic evidence indicates that dogs – all dogs – and wolves in fact belong to the same species.
Dogs are actually domesticated wolves. Their sizes, colors, and temperaments are shaped by thousands of years of selective breeding.
The ancestry of wolves can be traced to a weasel-like animal called Miacis that lived about 60 million years ago, not long after the demise of the dinosaurs. This creature gave rise to Cynodictis, a medium-sized, tall creature with a long tail and brushy coat, that lived about 40 million years ago. The progenitor of modern-day wolves and dogs was Tomarctus, which lived about 15 million years ago.
Wolves are social hunters – pack members work together to bring down prey. Perhaps this social quality is what first brought humans and wolves together – about 40 thousand years ago, archaeologists believe. Wolves live in a hierarchical society – that’s why a pup raised by humans could be taught to regard its owner as the dominant pack member. It may be this trait that allowed dogs to become domesticated.
Early dogs probably served different functions – just like dogs today – depending on the way of life of their human communities. Dogs can be hunting partners, guard dogs, or herders of livestock. It wasn’t until the industrial age that dogs became popular as household pets.
As our world changes, the role of dogs changes too – today dogs have additional roles as law enforcers, and indispensable helpers to the disabled.
NEW! Find related content with Sphere
More resources on “animals”…