Do you have a dog? I have a mixed breed dog called Spike. He's such a fun dog to play with.
I used to have a shetland sheepdog. Dogs were the first species to be domesticated and they have been selectively bred forever for behaviors, capabilities and physical qualities. I love my sheltie!
That is so interesting. Do you know how long ago did dogs live with humans?
Archaeological records show that the first dog remains buried with humans was 14,700 years ago. I'm not sure how long they have been pets.
Wow, that is a very long time ago. Do scientists know the direct ancestor of dogs? It's not the wolf is it?
Origin of the domestic dog
The origin of the domestic dog includes the dog's evolutionary divergence from the wolf, its domestication, and its development into dog types and dog breeds. The dog is a member of the genus "Canis", which forms part of the wolf-like canids, and was the first species and the only large carnivore to have been domesticated. The dog and the extant gray wolf are sister taxa, as modern wolves are not closely related to the population of wolves that was first domesticated.
Eurasian groups. These two groups, before going extinct, were domesticated independently into two distinct dog populations between 14,000 and 6,400 years ago. The Western Eurasian dog population was gradually and partially replaced by East Asian dogs introduced by humans at least 6,400 years ago. This proposal is also debated.
Biology.
Biology Anatomy.
Domestic dogs have been selectively bred for millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and physical attributes. Modern dog breeds show more variation in size, appearance, and behavior than any other domestic animal.