New Theory on First Domesticated Dogs
- 10 years ago
Clive D.L. Wynne is an expert on canine cognition at Arizona State University’s Canine Science Collaboratory and the author of a new book that offers up his theory about how dogs were first mutated wolves that scavenged rather than hunting.
There are several theories about how dogs evolved from wild animals related to wolves to become domesticated pets.
Clive D.L. Wynne is an expert on canine cognition at Arizona State University’s Canine Science Collaboratory and the author of a new book which offers up his theory about how dogs were first mutated wolves that scavenged rather than hunted.
The genetic mutation theorized by Wynne allowed dog ancestors to live in closer vicinity to the human population, and survive off of their trash before being adopted and bred as pets.
Wynne believes that dogs started scavenging from human settlements around 15 thousand years ago.
Things changed when humans realized how a dog might be useful for hunting, to alert people and protect settlements, or if food was scarce, they could be a source of meat.
Studies have shown that dogs can find a hidden treat if a person is pointing at it, but wolves are believed not to pick up on the body language of humans in the same way.
Around 75 percent of the world’s population of dogs, which is anywhere from an estimated 500 million to one billion, are still living as scavengers.
There are several theories about how dogs evolved from wild animals related to wolves to become domesticated pets.
Clive D.L. Wynne is an expert on canine cognition at Arizona State University’s Canine Science Collaboratory and the author of a new book which offers up his theory about how dogs were first mutated wolves that scavenged rather than hunted.
The genetic mutation theorized by Wynne allowed dog ancestors to live in closer vicinity to the human population, and survive off of their trash before being adopted and bred as pets.
Wynne believes that dogs started scavenging from human settlements around 15 thousand years ago.
Things changed when humans realized how a dog might be useful for hunting, to alert people and protect settlements, or if food was scarce, they could be a source of meat.
Studies have shown that dogs can find a hidden treat if a person is pointing at it, but wolves are believed not to pick up on the body language of humans in the same way.
Around 75 percent of the world’s population of dogs, which is anywhere from an estimated 500 million to one billion, are still living as scavengers.