Theory of Domestication

 Brian Hare, like many of us, had a childhood dog that ignited a spark of inquisitiveness into how dogs were domesticated. Dr. Hare followed the Dmitri Belyaev foxes experiment where after only 45 generations, Belyaev’s foxes were domesticated.

I subscribe to Dr. Hare’s theory that dogs have been selected for a specific set of social and cognitive abilities that allow them to communicate with humans uniquely (Hare et al 2002).

Likely, hunter-gatherers would not have the time, patience, or motivation to tame a wolf puppy. More likely, wolves scavenged the leftovers of humans around human encampments, and wolves became acclimated to humans, and thus friendlier toward humans. These tamer, more friendly, proto-dog wolves were likely selected for useful skills such as being an alarm or assisting with hunting.

In the sense that dogs promoted our survival by allowing more efficient hunting, livestock herding and guarding, and personal protection from predators, one could argue that dogs domesticated humans. Certainly we humans have become a better species because of our dogs, for reasons ranging from capitalistic prowess (better livestock, better food, better domiciles) to far-reaching displays of domestication including empathy and friendliness.

Dogs benefit from our evolved large brains, while humans benefit from dogs’ evolved brains that include loyalty, friendliness, and emotional wellness. Humans worry about acquiring and maintaining food, health, and comfortable territory, and share with our dogs to their benefit.

On the other hand, modern dogs, who mostly no longer hunt, herd, or guard, still experience pure emotions and live in the moment. Modern humans with dogs vicariously experience this pureness of emotion through our dogs, and humans benefit.

Humans have evolved brains that benefit dogs while dogs have evolved brains that benefit humans in symbiotic evolution.

I agree with Dr. Hare the most likely idea is that dogs are self-domesticated, in other words, friendly behavior works profoundly well for dogs evolutionarily speaking. Friendlier wolves-turned-proto-dogs would have been more and more friendly, giving them access to human food and other benefits. Dogs likely domesticated themselves. And along with themselves, us, for the better.