An international team of scientists has just identified what they believe is the world's first known dog, which was a large and toothy canine that lived 31,700 years ago and subsisted on a diet of horse, musk ox and reindeer, according to a new study.
The most widely accepted earliest dog remains are those of the Bonn-Oberkassel dog which date to 15,000 YBP. Earlier remains dating back to 30,000 YBP have been described as Paleolithic dogs but their status as dogs or wolves remains debated.
Scientists generally agree that dogs emerged from wolves to become the first domesticated animal. Their wolf ancestors began to associate with people, maybe drawn by food in garbage dumps and carcasses left by human hunters.
Dogs most probably evolved from wolves at a single location about 20,000 to 40,000 years ago, a study suggests. Previously, it had been thought that dogs were tamed from two populations of wolves living thousands of miles apart.
Recent molecular evidence shows that dogs are descended from the gray wolf, domesticated about 130,000 years ago.
"In shape, the Paleolithic dogs most resemble the Siberian husky, but in size, however, they were somewhat larger, probably comparable to large shepherd dogs," added Germonpré, a paleontologist at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences.
Shih Tzus share more DNA with wolves than most other breeds. The only breed group with more shared wolf DNA is the Nordic spitz group (Huskies, Samoyeds, and Malamutes). The breed almost went extinct in the early 1900s after the death of Empress Tzu Hsi.
Originally, pugs had long legs, longer noses, straight tails and a slim build. However, they've been bred over time to have shorter legs, flatter noses, curly tails and a stockier build.
Dogs were probably domesticated by accident, when wolves began trailing ancient hunter-gatherers to snack on their garbage. Docile wolves may have been slipped extra food scraps, the theory goes, so they survived better, and passed on their genes. Eventually, these friendly wolves evolved into dogs.
With over 400 recognized breeds, the variety of dogs is mind-boggling. But genetic studies tell us that all dogs trace back to an extinct wolf species shared with the gray wolf, Canis lupus.
Dogs are considered puppies from birth to one year of age. Every newborn puppy goes through several stages of puppy development during the first twelve weeks. However, each puppy develops differently, with smaller dogs tending to mature earlier and some large breeds not physically mature before they are two years old.
1. Border collie. According to The Intelligence of Dogs, which ranks 131 dog breeds in terms of their relative intelligence, the border collie is the smartest dog breed known to man.
The Dalbo dog (Dalbohund) or Dalsland Mastiff is an extinct livestock guardian dog breed from Sweden. A Cuban breed of mastiff originally used for bull-baiting, dog fighting and recapturing runaway slaves; believed to have been descended from introduced Spanish Mastiffs, they became extinct in the mid-20th century.
It's believed that the first species of Canis evolved from a species of Eucyon in late Miocene North America, about 5 or 6 million years ago, though Eucyon itself persisted for another few million years.
Australian Cattle Dogs
Bluey, an Australian cattle dog, entered the Guinness Book of World Records by living to the ripe old age of 29 years and 5 months, setting the record for oldest dog ever.
A wolf dog is any canine with both domestic dog and wolf in its recent genetic ancestry and can result from any of the following parent combinations: a pure wolf and a pure domestic dog, a pure wolf and a wolf dog, two wolf dogs, or a wolf dog and a pure dog.
Biological Characteristics. The biological answer to whether foxes are cats or dogs is simple: they belong to the Canidae family, which means they are dogs.
Like many large carnivores, wolves are generally afraid of humans and will avoid people, buildings, and roads if possible. The risk of wolves attacking or killing people is low. As with other wildlife, it is best not to feed wolves and to keep them at a respectful distance.
Domestic dogs come in more sizes than any other mammal species. Now, researchers say a genetic mutation that emerged in wolves before they were domesticated is responsible. On appearances alone, it may be hard to believe dogs like fluffy Pomeranians or spritely Chihuahuas really are descended from wolves.
When and where were dogs domesticated? Pugs and poodles may not look the part, but if you trace their lineages far enough back in time all dogs are descended from wolves. Gray wolves and dogs diverged from an extinct wolf species some 15,000 to 40,000 years ago.
Scooby-Doo is a Great Dane. The character was designed by Iwao Takamoto, an animator at Hanna-Barbera. According to the American Kennel Club, Great Danes are "the mighty 'Apollo of Dogs,'" which is very unlike the silly and cowardly Scooby-Doo.
Is a German Shepherd the closest dog to a wolf? German Shepherds share 99.9% of their DNA with wolves and are said to be descendants of the grey wolves.
Schipperke. The Schipperke is the most fox-like dog in this list. Their black coat, pointed nose, and black eyes resembles a black fox. According to Dog Time, they are fearless, devoted, and a great guard dog.