The dog breed evolution traces its common ancestry back thousands of years ago as a direct descendent of the wolf. Recent studies by biologists, noted the genetic similarities between dogs and wolves, which suggests that all of the recognized dog breeds indeed have the wolf as their ancestor.
This scientific study examined the DNA of over 600 domestic dogs, which represents the world wide dog population. The researchers discovered that all dogs can trace their roots back to a genetic pool of grey wolves of Asian origin, dating back to approximately 15,000 years ago.
Authenticated dog skeletons were found around the world dating as far back as 8000 BC in Denmark. Archeological records in Jarmo, Jericho, and Ancient Egypt also found dog skeletons dating back to 6750-3500 BC.
Details from past archeological and written information suggest that the beginnings of dog domestication occurred in such regions as Persia in the Middle East, North America, and Northeast Africa.
While man migrated around the world, dogs typically came along with him. Natural dog breed evolution occurred as dogs adapted to their immediate surroundings. A dog's adjustment to colder climates by becoming larger and growing thicker fir, is just one example of natural dog breed evolution.
At a glance, it's hard to believe that the Cocker Spaniel and the Grey Wolf are genetically related. But from the Grey Wolf, many dog breeds evolved over the course of thousands and thousands of years.
The?Agricultural Revolution was a significant event in that it?allowed human civilization to develop. With the domestication of plants, man's lifestyle evolved from hunting and?gathering,?to a more settled sedentary lifestyle. He?grew crops, and stored food.?The rise in the agricultural society?gave way to a stable and more complex culture. The?domestication of plants?was followed by the domestication of animals. Man?gained control over such species as?goats, pigs, camel, sheep and the like.?Stored food could be given to livestock, who in turn could be used as a food source, a work source, and a product source.
As human civilization evolved,?likewise did the dog, who?was given a place in the human family. He learned?to adapt to his instinctive?role?as a member of the pack. Whether?the job was to guard the flock of sheep, fend off undesirable animals, hunt for food, or haul sleds across snowy terrain; man?began to selectively control dog breed evolution by mating and producing breeds?with the desired traits required for these?useful tasks.?Evidence of some of the oldest domesticated dog breeds were often?found in the Middle East. Dog breed evolution suggests that the Afghan Hound was produced more than 6,000 years ago, and its job was to chase wild animals throughout the hot, dusty Afghanistan deserts.?
Dogs resembling the Pharaoh Hound were often?displayed in the Pharaoh's tombs more than 4,000 years ago in Ancient Egypt.
Hieroglyphic drawings?of dogs which seem to bear resemblance to the Basenji, Saluki, or Greyhound,?were?also decorated?on the walls of tombs,?murals,?and?painted?pottery. The Saluki, as one of the oldest domesticated?breeds,?was regarding by the Muslims as?a holy dog. Mummified Saluki's?could be?found?in the?tombs?of Ancient Egypt.?
Incredibly,?other dog breeds have also been in existence for what appears to be thousands of years.?
The Greyhound was bred long before the ancient pyramids of Egypt were built. In Ancient Greece and Rome civilizations, the Molossian dog breed was used in wars, and was the predecessor?to the Neopolitan Mastiff breed.
The Maltese, one of the world's oldest dogs, also traces it origins back 2000 years to ancient Greece and Rome, where it was favorite of the wealthy upper class.
In Wales, the Cargigan Welsh Corgi was brought to Wales by the Celts from Europe in about 1200 BC.?Other notable dog breeds evolved during the Middle Ages in England, including the Beagle, and the Bloodhound.
Many of?the broad categories of working?groups which are well known today, were bred in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, particularly in Great Britain and Europe.
Happy dog hunting!
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