The origin of domestic dogs

[Catherine]

I found an interesting article about the origin of the domestic dog. It seems that genetic studies indicate that they may have come from Eurasian Grey Wolves in the Nepal/Mongolia area.

http://news.discovery.com/animals/pets/f...151020.htm

It is kind of nice to know. I always felt there were wolves back there somewhere. I am surprized that they think it is only 15 thousand years ago. Somehow it seems like humans and dogs have been together much longer.

[Tobi]

What an interesting article.

I once tried to imagine how and why wolves were domesticated in the first instance. In my imagination, someone found some motherless pups (probably old enough to just venture out of the den, but very hungry) and out of the kindness of their heart started to nurture them. (Just because they were people 15,000 years ago, and hunted and killed for food and had a pretty tough life, didn't have to mean they were heartless.)

So the pups followed them around, begging for food...eventually they started to hunt for themselves, and brought the kill back? The people realised the wolves who had already become emotionally bonded to them, could be useful, and it went from there....(?)

That's just a thought of mine which may or may not be true.

It's interesting to think that all dogs -even tiny Poodles and Yorkies -are descended from Asian grey wolves!

[LPC]

I saw this on the BBC website. I think Tobi's theory sounds very feasible.

[Catherine]

I wonder if the wolves realized that we needed help and they joined us to try and help us. Clearly dogs want to be with us and feel responsible for us. However it happened, it happened a long time ago.
Dogs and humans are inseparable now.