Key Takeaways
- Origin of the dog: The domestication of the dog began between 35,000 and 15,000 years ago, when wolves were drawn closer to humans while searching for food.
- Symbiosis between wolf and human: Wolves served as an early warning system and hunting aids, while benefiting from human food scraps.
- Similarities and differences: Dogs and wolves share social structures and abilities, but differ in behaviour and dietary habits.
- Unique human-dog relationship: The close bond between humans and dogs is unique and is based on thousands of years of cooperation and adaptation.
But how did this wild animal, about which opinions are so divided, become humanity's best friend: the dog? Scientists disagree on exactly when and where the transition from wolf to dog took place. Some believe that the dog originated in Europe, while others argue that the ancestors of today's dog evolved independently in both Europe and East Asia.
When Did the Domestication of the Dog Begin?
The word domestication derives from the Latin term domesticus, meaning "of the household," and refers to the development of a wild animal into a domestic one. The dog as we know and love it today descends from the wolf. Before humans became settled, the ancestor of our beloved four-legged friend was the most widespread predator on the entire planet, found on every continent. Over 45,000 years ago, wolves and humans first encountered each other. During the Stone Age, the two faced off as competing predators. They hunted the same prey. Scientists believe that domestication began roughly 35,000 to 15,000 years ago.
During the last Ice Age, hunting conditions deteriorated drastically. Popular large prey animals such as the mammoth went extinct during this period. As humans and wolves were increasingly forced to share hunting grounds due to the harsh conditions, they encountered each other more and more frequently. And it was at this very moment that the ancestor of the dog took a bold new step in an unfamiliar direction: it approached humans. The hunger of these predators was great, greater than their fear. Wolves likely began rummaging through human waste for food scraps, overcoming their natural flight distance. And humans, too, quickly recognised the usefulness of wolves. Thus, the two entered a kind of symbiosis. For humans, the intelligent animal served as an early warning system against other wild animals, such as bears. Wolves also helped track down prey during hunts. As humans became settled, the relationship with the wolf continued to evolve. The wolf was now accustomed to living around settled humans, but was by no means tamed. These circumstances first produced a hybrid creature: the camp wolf. It is likely that the first successful taming occurred with wolf pups. This was only possible because these animals possess highly developed social behaviour and an extremely high willingness to cooperate. The resulting wolf-dog could now be used to guard livestock as well as homes and property.
How Similar Are Wolves and Dogs?
To this day, the genetic material of both animals is barely different. Our best friend inherited both a perfect sense of smell and hearing from its ancestor. Other traits that wolves and dogs share include social cohesion and a high willingness to cooperate. Although the exact transition between wolf and dog cannot be precisely pinpointed, skull shapes provide an important clue. The most notable difference is that the prehistoric dog had a significantly wider and shorter snout than its ancestor. When agriculture emerged, wolf-dogs were likely fed grain for the first time. This is the reason why dogs, unlike wolves, can digest starch. Similarly, the wolf's howl evolved into the dog's bark, presumably to better communicate with humans. Although the pronounced social behaviour of both animals is a key similarity, it is also where the greatest difference lies. In a wolf pack, there is a clear hierarchy, yet the wolf is willing to cooperate with all members of its pack. The hierarchy plays no role here, as food is shared even with lower-ranking animals. While dogs are also accustomed to a clear hierarchy, they have chosen a different partner for cooperation: humans. As a result, their behaviour towards other dogs is entirely different from that of a wolf. A higher-ranking dog eats first and alone. Humanity's best friend is no longer dependent on other dogs as partners.
The Extraordinary Relationship Between Humans and Dogs
The first book about dogs dates back to the 4th century BC. Even then, it described how humans should treat dogs. The bond that dogs have formed with us humans is absolutely unique in the animal kingdom. Dogs have been imprinted on us for many thousands of years. This deep relationship is partly caused by the similar nature of wolves and humans. Just like us, wolves are small-group creatures. The history of the dog runs through nearly all cultures and continents and is deeply moving. In ancient Egypt, for instance, the dog was revered and deified as a guide of souls for the dead. A find near Bonn, Germany, roughly 15,000 years old, shows that a close human-dog relationship already existed at that time. Alongside human remains, the bones of a dog were found in a grave.
The dog is so deeply imprinted on humans that being without them is no longer a "natural" situation. The same is true for humans.
