Are Dogs Animals or a Unique Species

Dogs have been domesticated for thousands of years, with evidence of dog domestication dating back to around 15,000 years ago in the Middle East.

Their ability to be trained and form strong bonds with humans is a testament to their unique relationship with us.

Dogs have undergone significant changes through selective breeding, resulting in over 340 recognized breeds, each with its own distinct characteristics.

Despite their incredible diversity, dogs are still considered to be a single species, Canis lupus familiaris.

Genetic divergence is a crucial aspect of understanding the relationship between dogs and wolves.

The genetic divergence between the dog's ancestor and modern wolves occurred over a short period of time, making it difficult to date.

Studies indicate that the genetic divergence occurred between 20,000 and 40,000 years before present (YBP).

A 2015 study published the first draft genome sequence of a Pleistocene wolf from the Taymyr Peninsula, which dated back to 35,000 YBP.

This wolf belonged to a population that had diverged from the ancestors of both modern wolves and dogs.

The genetic divergence between the dog's ancestor and modern wolves occurred before the Last Glacial Maximum, between 27,000 and 40,000 YBP.

Prior to genetic divergence, the population of wolves ancestral to the dog outnumbered all other wolf populations.

After divergence, the dog population underwent a population reduction to be much lower.

The genetic divergence between the dog's ancestor and modern wolves is a complex issue due to cross-breeding between dogs and wolves since domestication.

The study of ancient wolf DNA sequencing has provided conflicting results for the timing of the genetic divergence.

Dogs were the first domesticated species, and their domestication had a profound influence on the course of early human history.

The domestication of dogs is believed to have occurred over 25,000 years ago, although the exact timing and location is still debated among geneticists and archaeologists.

Dogs were derived from grey wolves during the initial phases of domestication, and it's likely that the wolf population involved is now extinct.

A dog was discovered in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany, that was dated to 14,223 years ago and was clearly not a local wolf, suggesting that dogs were present in Western Europe at least 14,500 years ago.

The dog was buried with two humans, a man and a woman, who were likely its owners, and it's believed that the dog died young after suffering from canine distemper.

This discovery suggests that humans had developed emotional and caring bonds with their dogs, and that dogs were not just viewed as material possessions.

The dog's remains were found sprayed with red hematite powder and covered with large basalt blocks, indicating a deliberate burial ritual.

The domestication of dogs may have been a key factor in the development of civilization, as it allowed humans to form close relationships with animals and to manipulate their environments on a larger scale.

Dogs were the first domesticated animal to be widely established across Eurasia, and they may have traveled a commensal pathway into domestication, meaning that they lived alongside humans and benefited from their presence.

The closest living relative to modern dogs is the grey wolf, and genetic studies suggest that the ancestor of modern dogs and wolves split at some point in the late Pleistocene, the last ice age.

Dogs have a unique evolutionary history that is closely tied to that of humans. They accompanied humans when they first migrated into new environments and show similar adaptations, such as to high altitude, low oxygen conditions.

The genetic divergence between dogs and wolves occurred between 27,000 and 40,000 YBP, with some studies suggesting it may have been as early as 19,000-32,000 YBP. This divergence is thought to have occurred in Central Asia, where dogs from this region exhibit the lowest levels of linkage disequilibrium.

The earliest dogs were likely wolf-like, but over time, they underwent significant morphological changes. The fossil record suggests an evolutionary history that may include both morphologically dog-like wolves and wolf-like dogs.

Genetic divergence time is a complex topic, and scientists have used various methods to estimate when dogs diverged from their wolf ancestors. The date estimated for this divergence is around 27,000 to 40,000 years before present (YBP).

This time range is supported by multiple studies, including one that used radiocarbon dating and another that compared the nuclear genome of ancient dog specimens. The study of a Pleistocene wolf from the Taymyr Peninsula, which was dated to 35,000 YBP, provided a key piece of evidence for this time frame.

However, the exact timing of the genetic divergence is still a topic of debate among scientists. Some studies have suggested a more narrow time range of 20,000 to 32,000 YBP, while others have proposed a wider range of 11,000 to 16,000 YBP.

Parallel evolution between humans and dogs has been extensively studied, revealing a strong bond between the two species. This bond is evident in their shared adaptations to new environments.

Dogs have accompanied humans on their migrations, showing similar adaptations such as high-altitude tolerance. This is a testament to the long history of coexistence between humans and dogs.

A study has identified 311 genes in dogs that show signatures of parallel evolution with humans. These genes are involved in various traits, including digestion, neurological processes, and some cancers.

One notable example of parallel evolution is the serotonergic system in the brain, which has led to less aggressive behavior in dogs living in crowded environments. This is a result of coevolution between humans and dogs.

Dogs also suffer from many of the same common diseases as humans, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and neurological disorders. The underlying disease pathologies are similar to those in humans, as are their responses to treatment and resultant outcomes.

Dogs are incredibly diverse in terms of size, with the smallest canid being the Fennec fox, which stands at only 9.4 inches high and weighs 2.2 lbs.

The largest canid, on the other hand, is the gray wolf, which can grow up to 6.5 feet high and 3 to 5 feet long, with an additional 1 to 2 feet added by its tail.

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Domestic dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years to exhibit a wide range of physical attributes, from herding livestock to catching rats.

Despite their varied appearances, all domestic dogs share the same basic physical traits as their wild ancestors, the gray wolves.

Some breeds, like the miniature Chihuahua and the German Shepherd, are significantly smaller or larger than others, but they all possess the same characteristics.

Here are some key physical features that are common to all dogs:

One notable physical characteristic of dogs is their size, with males typically weighing more than females.

Dogs are incredibly social animals, and their ability to read human social and communicative behavior is unmatched by other animals. They have evolved specialized skills for understanding human emotions and can even follow the pointing gesture of a human.

Studies have shown that dogs can follow human pointing gestures, discriminate emotional expressions of human faces, and even tell from a bark whether a dog is alone, being approached by a stranger, playing, or being aggressive. This level of understanding is remarkable and suggests a deep connection between humans and dogs.

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Dogs also have a unique ability to respond to human emotions, including recognizing and responding to crying noises. Research has found that dogs show stress in response to their owners' crying and are more likely to attempt to comfort or help a crying owner compared to a laughing owner. This ability to empathize with humans is a testament to the strong bond between humans and dogs.

In terms of intelligence, dogs are considered pretty smart, but not exceptional. They have sensory abilities similar to those of other hunting carnivores and are impressive at using other animals' behavior to cue their own. However, they struggle with problem-solving and spatial cognition, and their self-awareness is limited compared to other animals like dolphins and chimpanzees.

Canids are social animals that travel in groups, but they're also very territorial and mark their territory with scent marking. Even domesticated dogs will leave their scent on trees, bushes, and objects.

Jackals are a bit less social and usually travel in pairs, with males and females mating for life, which is a rare trait among mammals.

Dogs are highly communicative and use various sounds like yelping, whining, barking, and growling to communicate with each other.

Dogs have a unique history, having lived alongside humans for 30,000 years, which has likely influenced their ability to communicate with us.

Studies have shown that dogs are sensitive to humans' attention and that their expressions are potentially active attempts to communicate, not simple emotional displays.

Dogs have a greater synaptic plasticity than wolves, which is widely believed to be the cellular correlate of learning and memory, and this improved learning and memory ability helped to lower their level of fear around humans.

The key phase in domestication appears to have been changes in social behaviour and its corresponding oxytocin receptor genes and neural-related genes, which contributed to the tameness of dogs.

Dogs were initially selected for their behaviours, not production-related traits, and there were only 11 fixed genes that showed variation between wolves and dogs, indicating selection on both morphology and behaviour during dog domestication.

These gene variations were unlikely to have been the result of natural evolution, and indicate selection on both morphology and behaviour during dog domestication.

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Dogs generally show reduced fear and aggression compared to wolves, and some of these genes have been associated with aggression in some dog breeds, indicating their importance in both the initial domestication and then later in breed formation.

Dogs have independently evolved to be cognitively more similar to humans than we are to our closest genetic relatives, and they have evolved specialized skills for reading human social and communicative behaviour.

Dogs can follow the human pointing gesture, discriminate the emotional expressions of human faces, and that most people can tell from a bark whether a dog is alone, being approached by a stranger, playing, or being aggressive.

Dogs and their owners interact, extended eye contact (mutual gaze) increases oxytocin levels in both the dog and its owner, which is considered likely to have supported the coevolution of human-dog bonding.

Dogs experience basic emotions, like pleasure, sadness, anxiety and fear, and they respond to the emotions of others, including humans and other animals.

Dogs are social animals, so it's not surprising that they'd respond to the emotions of others, and it's possible that crying is similar enough among species to elicit a response no matter what animal is crying and what animal is listening.

The expression that humans interpret as guilt in dogs is simply a reaction to a scolding human, and dogs have learned to make this expression when there's a big mess in the house and owners won't kill them.

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Dogs are pretty smart, but not exceptional, according to a 2018 study in the journal Learning & Behavior.

They have sensory abilities similar to those of other hunting carnivores, which is impressive considering their domesticated status.

Dogs are socially savvy, paying attention to cues from other dogs and from humans, their evolutionary co-pilots.

They have sensory abilities and spatial smarts sufficient to navigate the environment of a pack hunter.

Dogs aren't as good at things that don't matter as much to their survival, such as figuring out how objects work or making detailed plans for the future.

Their spatial cognition, which involves understanding places and navigation, is harder to compare, but there's no evidence that dogs are standouts compared with other hunters.

Dogs are impressive at using other animals' behavior to cue their own and do beat out many other similar animals at social learning, though dolphins and chimps might be better at imitation.

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Dogs are incredibly social animals, and their ability to understand and respond to human emotions is truly remarkable. A study found that dogs' brains respond to human emotional sounds, like laughing and crying, in the same way as they respond to dog emotional sounds.

Dogs are able to pick up on the emotions of their owners, and they're more likely to attempt to comfort a crying owner compared to a laughing one. This suggests that dogs are empathetic and can sense when their owners are upset.

The genetic foundation for modern coat color diversity in dogs was laid during the Late Pleistocene, around 35,000 years ago. This is supported by a study that found a closely related haplotype exists among Tibetan wolves with yellow shading in their coats.

Dogs are pretty smart, but not exceptional, according to a 2018 study. They have sensory abilities similar to those of other hunting carnivores, but they struggle with problem-solving involving objects.

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In fact, dogs are more likely to attempt to comfort an upset stranger, although not as readily as they comfort their owners. This shows that dogs are able to generalize their understanding of emotions beyond their immediate social group.

The "guilty look" that dogs give when they sense trouble is not actually a sign of guilt, but rather a way for them to stay out of trouble. This was discovered in a 2009 study that found dogs looked guilty even when they hadn't done anything wrong.

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Dogs are born killers, and their diet reflects this. They have non-retractable claws, long legs for speed, and sharp, pointed teeth perfect for tearing at meat.

Dogs are primarily meat-eaters, with a diet that includes deer, domestic livestock, caribou, beaver, moose, and hares. Wolves, their wild ancestors, share similar dietary habits.

Their teeth are well-suited for crushing vegetation like fruits and grasses, thanks to their carnassial molars, which have flat edges for self-sharpening.

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Dogs have undergone significant dietary adaptation over time, with selection acting on their metabolic functions to cope with changes in dietary fat. This adaptation allowed them to process lipids more efficiently.

Genetic studies have shown that the dog genome has undergone positive selection, particularly in genes related to brain function and behavior, as well as lipid metabolism. These changes likely helped proto-dogs process the increased lipid content of their diets.

The ability to process lipids was crucial for proto-dogs as they scavenged on the remains of carcasses left by hunter-gatherers. Prey capture rates may have increased in comparison to wolves, allowing proto-dogs to consume more lipid-rich food.

In modern times, dogs are still primarily meat-eaters, despite being omnivores. Their non-retractable claws, long legs, and sharp teeth are all adaptations for hunting and tearing at meat.

Dogs also have well-developed carnassial molars, which are used to crush vegetation such as fruits and grasses.

Domestic dogs are now found worldwide, a far cry from their wild ancestors' habitats in North America and Eurasia.

Their wild ancestors, gray wolves, once roamed the Neartctic and Palearctic biogeographic regions.

These regions are part of the broader biogeographic classification, which includes several key areas: