l Veterinary career chart l
Just for... (Cats) (Dogs) (Ferrets) (Birds) (Fish)
Many thousands of years ago, the descendants of modern-day wolves and other wild dog species found it to their advantage to hang around human settlements. They were probably tossed scraps or fed on parts of animals discarded by people. Aside from acting as a clean-up crew, the dogs also served as an early warning system in a wild and woolly world, signaling villages of approaching predators and perhaps even warring tribes. Over time, wild dogs became more trusting of people, and were thus effectively self-domesticated.
It's likely that the first dogs to completely bond to people did so because they were raised by people from the time they were puppies. However, true domestication of dogs -- and the creation of dogs now classified as canis familiaris -- didn't occur until people began selective breeding about 12,000 years ago.
Today, no single animal species boasts the divergence of the modern domestic canine. From the sleek and dainty Whippet to the lumbering 150-pound Saint Bernard to the diminutive Chihuahua, it's hard to believe these variations are closely related.
Dogs are everyone's best friend. They've been bred for specific skills over thousands of years. It's no coincidence that dogs serve as faithful companions for duck hunters, guardians for the home, playmates for children and service partners for the physically disadvantaged.
