Where does my dog come from? From wolves to domestic dogs
- The Caring Canine Coach
- Oct 18, 2023
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 15
Learn how domestication and evolution relate affect your dog, and the work the Caring Canine Coach does with them. In this blog we will be looking at:
Are wolves and dogs related?
The short answer is yes ....... but it’s not quite that simple.
While dogs and wolves share a common ancestor, dogs are not descended from today’s grey wolves. Instead, both dogs and modern wolves evolved from a now extinct wolf species. This means that while they are close relatives, dogs are not directly descended from the wolves we see today.
When Did Domestication Happen?
That’s a hot topic, and one that’s still debated by scientists, who are using a range of techniques to try and answer this very question.
The oldest confirmed domestic dog remains come from Bonn-Oberkassel in Germany, dated to around 14,200 years ago. However, other possible early dog remains have been found in Belgium and Siberia, and could be as old as 32,000 years. But we can’t rely on these fossil ages alone, there could be many more fossils waiting to be found which are much older!
To complicate things further, genetic studies have estimated that dogs may have diverged from wolves anywhere between 135,000 and 11,000 years ago. So, while there’s no single agreed date, we do know dogs have been part of human life for a very long time.
How Did Domestication Happen?
There are two leading theories:
The adoption theory: Early humans may have rescued wolf pups and raised them.
The scavenger theory: Bold wolves began scavenging near human settlements and gradually became tamer over generations.
Either way, it’s likely that humans favoured wolves that were less fearful and more sociable, and that over time these traits were passed on, eventually resulting in early dogs.
Although we don’t know for sure when or how dogs were domesticated, we can assume that our ancestors didn’t have knowledge of genetics! They may have liked certain wolf traits, for example those that were friendly or bold. Keeping wolves with these traits, rather than those that were aggressive or shy. An aggressive wolf wouldn't interact well with humans and a friendly wolf would be more useful to our ancestors.
It is likely that the wolves kept from litters, were then mated and passed the desirable traits onto their offspring, therefore reducing the likelihood of the undesired traits being passed on.
Over time the process continued, wolves traits changed and dogs emerged. This helps us understand how we ended up with our dogs that are so different to the extinct wolf population they evolved from.
What Roles Did Early Dogs Play?
Once domesticated, dogs began to take on different roles that supported human in every day life. They may have helped with:
Guarding against predators or intruders
Helping hunt for and retrieve food
Herding livestock
Companionship and emotional support
Selective breeding over generations enhanced specific traits to suit these roles. That’s why many breeds today still show behaviours linked to their original “jobs”.
Why Does This Matter?
Knowing where dogs come from helps us better understand why they do certain things.
For example, a Collie may show a strong instinct to herd children or chase joggers, not because they’re misbehaving, but because that behaviour is rooted in their genetic history. A Terrier that digs a garden up isn’t being ‘naughty’, they are doing what they were bred to do.
One way we can help our dogs is to give them outlets to perform their jobs, in an acceptable way. Here is Astrid, she loves to dig! Instead of digging holes in the lawn she now has her own digging pit, which keeps her out of bother and our lawn remains in one piece!
Your dog isn’t just a product of their home or environment, they’re shaped by thousands of years of evolution and human influence. By looking at where dogs came from, we can build better relationships with the dogs we live with today.
How does The Caring Canine Coach use this when working with your dog?
When working with you, the Caring Canine Coach will consider your dogs breed, characteristics and what motivates them; all dogs are unique with their own personalities, likes and dislikes. By seeing your dog as an individual, the Caring Canine Coach is able to assess a range of training techniques and select the best suited to both you and your dog.
As part of changing behaviour, we will look at your dog's specific breed related instincts and make sure they have an appropriate outlet to perform these behaviours. You won't be asked to turn your pet into a working dog with a job, but we will look at games, enrichment and activities, which will allow your dog to use it's natural drives and instincts.
The Caring Canine Coach always takes a detailed history of your dog, to fully understand their background and how this may be influencing their behaviour.
Surprisingly the dogs on our sofas only make up 20% of the population of dogs! Dogs that are free roaming make up the other 86%! We have many rescue dogs that were once street or free roaming dogs in the UK. Some of these dogs can be shy, defensive and fearful, others may be friendly, confident and bold. As Darwin suggests, traits that aid a dog's survival are much more likely to be passed on. Some free roaming dogs may be shy and fearful, which helps them survive the streets by being wary of approaching people, or situations that could harm them; this in turn aids their survival and thus these traits are passed onto their offspring.
The Caring Canine Coach understands the impact genetics has on each individual dog and how it can affect their behaviour. There are many things that need to be considered when assessing your dog's behaviour, you will never be blamed and shamed for being the sole cause of your dog's behaviour problems.
Are you unsure about the best training methods to use with your dog?
Are you struggling to resolve a behaviour problem?
Do you have a rescue dog that you need help with?
Don't be afraid to ask for help, you will find me approachable, friendly and non-judgemental. Simply visit this page on this website, to book a FREE 15 minute discovery call. You can then decide if you want to go ahead with the training.
I do both online and face to face support sessions, for areas within ten miles of Rishworth there is no cost for travel (areas include but are not limited to: Rishworth, Saddleworth, Rochdale, Oldham, Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Ripponden, Brighouse, Littleborough & Todmorden). For those outside of the area, I can support with online meetings or for fuel costs I will travel to see both you and your dog.
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