“Ever consider what our dogs must think of us?,“
I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we’re the greatest hunters on earth.”
When Were Dogs Domesticated?
Where Were Dogs Domesticated?
When and How Did Wolves Become Dogs?
Evolution of Dog Breeds and Their Places of Origin
Sporting dogs
Hounds
Terriers
Working dogs
Herding dogs
Toy Dogs
Non-sporting dogs
Evolution of the Dog-Human Bond
How Did Dogs Become Pets?
Military, Working, and War Dogs

Early Dogs in Europe
Goyet Cave, Belgium - 31,700 years ago

“the Paleolithic dogs had wider and shorter snouts and relatively wider braincases than fossil and recent wolves.”(3)
Chauvet Cave, France - 26,000 years ago
Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany - 14,000 years ago
Early Dogs in Asia
Razboinichya Cave, Siberia - 33,000 years ago
Yangtze River, South China - 5,400 to 16,300 years ago

Multi-focal domestication
Dog Domestication in the Ancient World
Dogs in America
Mayans
Mayans bred furbabies for a variety of purposes including food, companionship, hunting, and protection. They believed these pooches accompanied the souls of the dead into the afterlife because of their swimming ability. Excavations in their area revealed co-burial of humans and dogs and temple wall inscriptions of pups.
Tarascans and Aztecs
Tarascans and Aztecs raised dogs for the same purposes as the Mayans. Aztec mythology includes a tale about how their creator god, Texcatlipoca, made dogs from an earlier race of humans. This belief led the people to treat furbabies with great respect.
Dogs in Europe
Ancient Greece
As with Mesoamerican cultures, dogs are a part of Ancient Greek Mythology. The three-headed canine Cerebrus was the guard-dog at the gate of Hades, and the goddesses Artemis and Hecate had four-footed pals. References to furbabies also appear in Plato’s Republic, writings of Socrates, and Homer’s Odyssey. Dogs were an important part of life in Ancient Greece. They served their masters as hunters, protectors, and companions. It was the Greeks who invented the spiked collar in order to protect their faithful friends from wolves.
Ancient Rome
The Ancient Romans also saw pups as a favored pet. They relied on them for hunting, companionship, and protection. As a matter of fact, one ancient mosaic declares “Beware of Dog” (Cave Canem). In literature, Virgil and Varro both referred to canine guard dogs. The people also believed that their furbabies could sense disembodied spirits and sound the alarm before the ghosts did any harm.
Norse Dogs:
Norse mythology includes dogs in reference to the afterlife and healing. Like Cerebrus, the Norse dog, Garm, guarded the gates of Hel. In addition, Odin’s companion, Frigg, sometimes rode in a chariot pulled by pooches. Norse warriors frequently had their furbabies buried with them to protect and guide them in the afterlife.
Celtic Dogs
Celts believed dogs had a magical ability to heal when they licked human’s wounds. These companion animals also appeared in their mythology. For example, their goddess of prosperity and healing, Nehalennia, often appears with a dog. In addition, a jealous fairy turned the goddess Turrean into an Irish Wolfhound. In early Irish culture, the people used pups for hunting, as food, for protection, and possibly as war dogs. Legendary tales from The Ulster Cycle, Táin Bó Flidais, and The Fenian Cycle include warrior canines.

Dogs in Egypt

Dogs in China

Facial Muscle Anatomy
Skull Anatomy
Behavioral Changes
- Dogs tend to be more affectionate than wolves. This contributes to building a dog-human bond.
- Dogs have fewer predatory tendencies than wolves. Domestication would be more difficult if canines wanted to eat their masters or other animals in the village.
- Dog genetic adaptations allow them to have a starch-rich diet. This allowed dogs to eat foods that humans were growing as well as hunting.
- Dogs reach sexual maturity earlier than wolves and have greater fertility.
- Dogs mark territory and sound alarm barks more frequently than wolves. As humans and dogs settled in one place, these behaviors made canines useful guard animals.
- Dogs accept strangers more readily than wolves. This allowed dogs to accept humans and other animals in the village.
- Dogs bond easily with humans while wolves bond best with other wolves.
Genomic Signatures










Phase One: Social Tolerance
Phase Two: Social Attentiveness
Phase Three: Domestication


The Role of Skull Anatomy
The Role of Facial Muscles
Sergeant Stubby

Chips, a German Shepherd/Alaskan Husky/Collie mix

Nemo, a German Shepherd

Cairo, a Belgian Malinois

- Patrol and guard dogs
- Couriers and scouts
- Morale boosters
- Rat catchers
- Helping to lay communication lines
- Carrying mines under enemy tanks
- Paratroopers/airborne dogs
- Explosive detection
- Serving on special operations assault teams
An Enduring Relationship
“Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.”
