There are various theories on the domestication of dogs based on scientific research. One commonly held theory, and the one to which I subscribe, is the self-domestication hypothesis which suggests that wolves with more friendly and social traits were naturally selected as they scavenged around human settlements. Over time, these wolves evolved into dogs through a process of natural selection favoring traits like friendliness and reduced flight distance toward humans.
Another theory proposes the commensal scavenger hypothesis, suggesting that wolves initially benefited from scavenging human waste and leftovers, leading to a symbiotic relationship where less fearful and more tolerant wolves were more successful in obtaining food near human settlements. This theory emphasizes the role of scavenging human domestic waste called middens in the early interactions between humans and wolves, eventually leading to domestication.
Another hypothesis posits that wolves and humans formed a mutually beneficial partnership where wolves aided humans in hunting activities. Wolves with cooperative and more friendly tendencies would have been favored and eventually domesticated as they aided in hunting, guarding, and other tasks.
Wolves that guarded human resources, such as food storage or living sites, were more likely to be accepted and eventually domesticated. This theory highlights the role of wolves in providing protection and security to early human settlements, leading to a closer relationship between humans and canines.
The dual domestication theory and the single domestication theory represent two contrasting perspectives. The single domestication theory posits that dogs were domesticated with a single geographic location and time frame. In contrast, the dual domestication theory suggests that dogs were domesticated independently in multiple regions from distinct populations of wolves.
The science is clear that the Eurasian grey wolf is our modern dogs’ common ancestor. Fossil records allow us to track domestication from the DNA of fossilized material. Dogs probably originated in Southeast Asia, 10,000 to 32,000 years ago, with domestication around the world about 15,000 years ago. According to Dr. Charles Berger’s domestication seminar from 2017, distinct dogs were living as far back as 135,000 years ago.
Dmitry Belyaev’s fox experiment which replicated the process of domestication, offers valuable insights into dog domestication. The experiment demonstrated that selecting for tameness and friendliness over several generations resulted in rapid changes not only in behavior but also in physical traits such as floppy ears and curly tails, similar to those seen in domesticated dogs. Selecting for friendliness shaped the behavior and morphology of domesticated animals, providing evidence that dogs underwent a similar process of self-domestication through natural selection for sociability and reduced aggression toward humans.
The discussion between these theories underscores the complexity of dog domestication and the ongoing efforts to unravel the precise origins and processes involved in the evolution of dogs from wolves.
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