How Dogs (Eventually) Became Our Best Friends

PBS Eons2 minutes read

An 18,000-year-old puppy named "Dogor" found in Siberia remains unidentified, shedding light on the domestication process during a period of wolf domestication. Genetic evidence shows dogs were domesticated once, not twice, with a deep bond between humans and dogs evident through dog burials across continents.

Insights

  • The discovery of the 18,000-year-old puppy named "Dogor" in Siberia provides valuable insights into the domestication process of wolves into dogs, shedding light on a crucial period in human-animal history.
  • Genetic evidence indicates that dogs were domesticated only once, not twice, and this domestication event led to significant physical and genetic changes in dogs, resulting in the emergence of diverse breeds, including new ones during the Victorian era in Britain.

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Recent questions

  • When did wolves and dogs genetically diverge?

    Between 40,000 and 27,000 years ago.

  • What is the commensal pathway to domestication?

    Wolves were attracted to human settlements for food scraps around 28,500 years ago.

  • How many times were dogs domesticated?

    Once.

  • What do dog burials across continents show?

    The deep bond between humans and dogs.

  • When did new dog breeds emerge?

    During the Victorian era in Britain.

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Summary

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"18,000-Year-Old Siberian Puppy 'Dogor'"

  • In 2018, a 18,000-year-old puppy was found in Siberia, named "Dogor," with well-preserved fur, teeth, and nose, but its species remained unidentified.
  • Dogor comes from a period when wolves were being domesticated, potentially aiding in understanding the domestication process.
  • Wolves and dogs genetically diverged between 40,000 and 27,000 years ago, with interbreeding along human migration routes.
  • The commensal pathway to domestication suggests wolves were attracted to human settlements for food scraps around 28,500 years ago.
  • Dogs were domesticated once, not twice, with a genetic adaptation for starch consumption linked to agriculture.
  • Dog burials across continents from the Late Pleistocene to the Mid-Holocene show the deep bond between humans and dogs.
  • Domestication led to physical and genetic changes in dogs, creating diverse breeds, with new breeds emerging during the Victorian era in Britain.
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