Evolution Of Domestication Research

Introduction

The origin and evolution of the domestic dog is a rather ambiguous one that is highly debated amongst evolutionary anthropologists. Many question the extent to which domestication has influenced the evolution of the domestic dog due to the ever growing information palaeontologists are discovering. My intent is to examine the theories proposed by palaeontologists and evolutionary anthropologists to see to what extent domestication has influenced the evolution of dogs, taking into account our current technologies and data.

Domestication

For thousands of years humans have managed to control the evolutionary processes of various species to suit the needs of humanity. This process is known as domestication. Long before we learned to

(Yong, 2016; National Geographic, 2016). The origin of the domestic dog (canis familaris) is rather ambiguous and many palaeontologists have made a variety of speculations as to how dogs evolved from wolves. The most common and probable theory was that back in the hunter-gatherer days (even before the agricultural revolution) humans began taming and living with wolves. (Yong, 2016). Over time this relationship with the tamed wolves changed their social cognition so their offspring would have an easier time adapting; resulting in the first domesticated species. Wolf (canis lupis) populations are abundant and are spread out everywhere above the Tropic of Cancer. The earliest domestic dog (canis familiaris) fossils are over 15,000 years old and were found in two distinct locations; Western Europe and Siberia. This implies that dogs were domesticated twice. Both the Western Europeans and the Siberians learnt to tame the wolf at approximately the same

Dog breeds possess traits that are suitable for the environment in which they were bred. The Siberian Husky for example originates from Siberia and was bred to be a sled dog. (Animal Planet, 2008). The Siberian Husky is one of the closest dog breeds to the wolf (canis lupis). They are wolf like in appearance with white and grey fur and have strong howling tendencies. Being from Siberia, this breed of dog will thrive in cold weather. The Siberian Husky can only tolerate these temperatures because they have an incredibly thick double coat and plenty of fur around their toes to insulate their paws. (Animal Planet, 2008). The white and grey fur coat allows them to blend into the snowy environment in which they were bred. On the other end of the spectrum the Chihuahua is a petite dog from Mexico. Due to being bred in a hot climate the Chihuahua is prone to getting cold. The Chihuahua has large ears which gives the Chihuahua extensive hearing abilities. (Animal Planet, 2008). The large ears and small stature of the Chihuahua makes them resemble the Fenwick fox. The photos below display a Fenwick fox on the left and a Chihuahua on the right. The Fenwick fox and the Chihuahua are both small in stature and have large ears and a tan/beige fur