The Ancient Alliance With Dogs and Wolves

Archaeology, zooarchaeology, anthropology and history, among others, invest significant effort into exploring fossil evidence of wolf- and dog-like animals. Most comparative archaeozoologists agree that dogs can be distinguished from wolves by their generally reduced body size, smaller teeth, shorter snout and facial part of the skull (Musil, 2000). However, whether modern dogs have descended from an ancient dog or a wolf is still debated, and where wolves, dogs and/or other ancient canids diverged is not fully clear. Other main questions under investigation are: in what aspects dogs and wolves differed; what happened if dogs hybridised with wolves; and how the encounters among different dog populations occurred when large human populations migrated across continents followed by their dogs. Additionally, some investigations target the cultural aspect of the relationship between dogs and humans, including that there is now evidence people used to practise ritual burial of dogs. Thus, domestication may also reflect a spiritual connection between humans and dogs (Bejenaru and Bodi, 2015; Morey, 2006; Sergis, 2010).

Those elements spark you interest, don’t they? We are just obsessed with learning more on dogs and wolves.

Historical and Cultural Components of The Ancient Alliance With Dogs, Wolves, and Other Canids.

Crossing the Bering Strait to America, humans likely migrated to the “New World” well before 16,000 years ago. However, later migrations may have been more prosperous due to dog-like canids accompanying hunter-gatherer humans, around 15,000 years ago (Leonard et al., 2002). The first evidence of dog-like presence in the Americas dates back to 9,000 BP (Grayson et al., 1988). The proclivity to bury dogs with people suggests a close relationship between Native American hunters and dogs at least until around 7,000 BP. Other dog burials from Egypt emerged by agricultural communities of Merimde dating around 6,800 BP, further suggesting a critical role for canids in these cultures (Brewer et al., 2001; Davis et al., 1978). That timeframe marks the period when dogs likely entered Africa (Von den Driesch and Boessneck, 1985). Remains of drawings and small sculptures dating around 6,000–4,000 BP helped to facilitate the identification of dogs. Egyptian pottery and rock art (5,700 BP) portray dogs like sighthounds with a lean body, curly tails, and straight ears (Brewer et al., 2001). Some dogs may have also reached Australia as well during that period, colonising the continent and bonding with Aboriginals for lengthy periods (Corbett, 1995; Smith & Litchfield, 2009). Evidence suggests that dogs and humans have been intertwined in many ways for at least 10,000 years.

(The text above is abstracted by this paper).

Genetics of Dogs and Wolves

Genetic studies are critical to the research and understanding of dog evolution. Recent DNA and other heritable facets have revealed essential elements, while acquiring ancient DNA (aDNA) may disclose fundamental details on evolution. Comparing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence of wolves, coyotes and dogs may shed light on genetic divergence and clarify when and how some canids diverged from others. However, calculating wolf-dog genetic divergence may be problematic in that new wolf populations have undergone underwent a dramatic decline in the last 200 years, losing genetic variability (Leonard et al., 2005; 2007). Similarly, the advent of dog breeds also resulted in a loss of genetic variation (Larson et al., 2012). Therefore, the genetic differences in wolves and dogs today do not accurately reflect the past. Genetic analyses of ancient and endemic breeds may reveal higher proximity of dogs and wolves (Irion et al., 2003), as in the case of Bali dogs, among others (Irion et al., 2005).

No doubts there is so much to discover on those topics and we are involved on the frontline to learn and share. Each of us can add a little piece of understanding to the overall picture and contributing for the community to be more aware and sensible to animals and people.