APPALACHIAN-DOG-TRAINING
APPALACHIAN-DOG-TRAINING

Orgin of the Dog

The domestication of dogs is possibly the first and most important technological advancements of early humans! The oldest known archeological finding dates to 12,000 B.C.E. to the temple Gobekli-Tepe located in Turkey. Additional evidence, the Natufian grave located in Ein Mallaha, Israel carbon dates to 12,000 B.C.E.

The true origin of dogs is not clear in date, place or purpose. Many Historians  Archaeologists and Ethologists believe that mans best friend was domesticated tens of thousands of years ago. But some believe that man and dogs history is much deeper than this. Possibly dating to when our ancestors adopted the life style of the Nomads at the beginning of the last ice age approximately 100,000 years ago.

 
At this time Africa is considered to be the cradle of life for man. And this is when we begin our new journey as hunter gathers moving across Asia, Europe and other countries. Most likely following large herds of animals for substantial sources of food. For the fact agriculture was no longer a suitable source of food do to the dropping temperature in climate and environment change. Man now depends on other groups of animals for survival, very much similar to wolves or other pack animals. This would explain how man first came into contact with wolves.
 
Some believe that wolves were first captured as pups and raised by humans for their outstanding hunting traits. And that only the tamest where allowed to breed or weren't killed off. Bringing us to the survival of the friendliest. I for one believe that wolves chose domestication instead of being forced into it. Wolves would have to hunt for food, and at this time the animals who lived on earth would have most likely been very large and very powerful. For a pack of wolves to track down and kill something such as a mammoth would have been extremely difficult and dangerous. When it would be easier for humans to perform this task.

So the wolves adopted the trait of scavenging for the food left over by human migrators.
But even this theory still leads to selective breeding through survival of the friendliest. I expect that the wolves who where less afraid of humans would be able to stay closer to humans and their camps. Wolves who stayed closer had a higher chance of getting the left overs compared to the ones who didn't. The ones who did would of had a much higher chance of survival compared to the ones who had to hunt for their food. Meaning the scavengers had a higher chance of survival and could pass their genetic traits down to their offspring. Eventually leading to a animal that was not afraid of humans but seen them as a source of food.