Have you ever wondered when dogs first became "man's best friend" and the world's favourite pet?
Have
you
ever
wondered
when
dogs
first
became
``
man
's
best
friend
''
and
the
world
's
favourite
pet
?
If you have then you're not alone.
If
you
have
then
you
're
not
alone
.
When and where dogs first began living side-side with humans are questions that have stirred hot debate among scientists.
When
and
where
dogs
first
began
living
side-side
with
humans
are
questions
that
have
stirred
hot
debate
among
scientists
.
There are a few hard facts that all agree on.
There
are
a
few
hard
facts
that
all
agree
on
.
These include that dogs were once wolves and they were the first animal to be domesticated by humans.
These
include
that
dogs
were
once
wolves
and
they
were
the
first
animal
to
be
domesticated
by
humans
.
They came into lives some 15000 years ago, before the dawn of agriculture.
They
came
into
lives
some
15000
years
ago
,
before
the
dawn
of
agriculture
.
Beyond that, there is little agreement.
Beyond
that
,
there
is
little
agreement
.
The earliest bones found that are unquestionable dogs and not wolves date from 14,000 years ago.
The
earliest
bones
found
that
are
unquestionable
dogs
and
not
wolves
date
from
14,000
years
ago
.
However, 30,000-year-old skulls have been discovered in France and Belgium that are not pure wolf and some scientists think could be dogs.
However
,
30,000-year-old
skulls
have
been
discovered
in
France
and
Belgium
that
are
not
pure
wolf
and
some
scientists
think
could
be
dogs
.
With such puzzling evidence, many scientists are now turning to DNA to find out when and where dogs were first domesticated.
With
such
puzzling
evidence
,
many
scientists
are
now
turning
to
DNA
to
find
out
when
and
where
dogs
were
first
domesticated
.
In one research project, tens of thousands of blood samples have been taken from street dogs around the world.
In
one
research
project
,
tens
of
thousands
of
blood
samples
have
been
taken
from
street
dogs
around
the
world
.
The plan is to compare them with those of wolves.
The
plan
is
to
compare
them
with
those
of
wolves
.
It's even possible to analyse DNA from ancient bones.
It
's
even
possible
to
analyse
DNA
from
ancient
bones
.
Tiny pieces of the 30,000-year-old skulls mentioned earlier are currently being studied, and another DNA study has already shown that ancient dogs preserved in the Alaskan ice-fields evolved from Asian wolves, not American ones.
Tiny
pieces
of
the
30,000-year-old
skulls
mentioned
earlier
are
currently
being
studied
,
and
another
DNA
study
has
already
shown
that
ancient
dogs
preserved
in
the
Alaskan
ice-fields
evolved
from
Asian
wolves
,
not
American
ones
.
Indeed, the ancient DNA may turn out to be more informative than the DNA of living dogs.
Indeed
,
the
ancient
DNA
may
turn
out
to
be
more
informative
than
the
DNA
of
living
dogs
.
Because dogs have accompanied humans around the world for thousands of years, their current distribution may tell us very little of their origins.
Because
dogs
have
accompanied
humans
around
the
world
for
thousands
of
years
,
their
current
distribution
may
tell
us
very
little
of
their
origins
.
This is why different groups of scientists believe that dogs variously originated in eastern Asia, Mongolia, Siberia, Europe or Africa.
This
is
why
different
groups
of
scientists
believe
that
dogs
variously
originated
in
eastern
Asia
,
Mongolia
,
Siberia
,
Europe
or
Africa
.
But why were the animals domesticated in the first place?
But
why
were
the
animals
domesticated
in
the
first
place
?
The most recent theory is that dogs domesticated themselves, initially living in and around our ancient villages to eat any food thrown out.
The
most
recent
theory
is
that
dogs
domesticated
themselves
,
initially
living
in
and
around
our
ancient
villages
to
eat
any
food
thrown
out
.
Today, this is a way of life still shared by three -quarters of a billion unowned dogs worldwide.
Today
,
this
is
a
way
of
life
still
shared
by
three
-quarters
of
a
billion
unowned
dogs
worldwide
.
Have you ever wondered when dogs first became "man's best friend" and the world's favourite pet? If you have then you're not alone. When and where dogs first began living side-side with humans are questions that have stirred hot debate among scientists. There are a few hard facts that all agree on. These include that dogs were once wolves and they were the first animal to be domesticated by humans. They came into lives some 15000 years ago, before the dawn of agriculture.  Beyond that, there is little agreement. The earliest bones found that are unquestionable dogs and not wolves date from 14,000 years ago. However, 30,000-year-old skulls have been discovered in France and Belgium that are not pure wolf and some scientists think could be dogs.  With such puzzling evidence, many scientists are now turning to DNA to find out when and where dogs were first domesticated. In one research project, tens of thousands of blood samples have been taken from street dogs around the world. The plan is to compare them with those of wolves. It's even possible to analyse DNA from ancient bones. Tiny pieces of the 30,000-year-old skulls mentioned earlier are currently being studied, and another DNA study has already shown that ancient dogs preserved in the Alaskan ice-fields evolved from Asian wolves, not American ones.  Indeed, the ancient DNA may turn out to be more informative than the DNA of living dogs. Because dogs have accompanied humans around the world for thousands of years, their current distribution may tell us very little of their origins. This is why different groups of scientists believe that dogs variously originated in eastern Asia, Mongolia, Siberia, Europe or Africa.  But why were the animals domesticated in the first place? The most recent theory is that dogs domesticated themselves, initially living in and around our ancient villages to eat any food thrown out. Today, this is a way of life still shared by three -quarters of a billion unowned dogs worldwide.