Origins and Evolution of Dog Breeds

Over sixty million years back a little weasel-like mammal, named Miami's wandered through the primeval forests. Miacis had sharp teeth and a smallish brain but was more intelligent compared to other primitive carnivores that shared the forest with him. So Mac is survived and after about 25 million more several years of evolution gave rise to many different early Canids, several of which resembled primitive dogs. Fast forwarding another 35 million years to 10,000 to 12,000 BC, the very first dogs once we know them came to exist with domestication-associated with the grey wolf, a Canid that has been found distributed across the united states, Europe, and Asia. It is really not precisely known when, where and just how dogs were first domesticated by primitive man but clear proof of this domestication is your pet dog that has been found buried with a person in Palestine about 12,000 years back. From tiny Chihuahuas to massive St. Bernards, there are over 400 recognized varieties of modern domesticated dogs yet, based on genetics, all dogs evolved using this same types of a wild wolf.

As humans migrated all over the planet, these domesticated wolves traveled together with them. As humanity changed from roaming nomadic tribes to less mobile agriculture and urban-based societies, there have been needs of these wolves turned dogs to fill specialized roles meant for human development. This resulted in the very first selective breeding efforts by which humans had the ability to greatly speed up and manage the canine evolutionary process towards predetermined goals. Fossils dating back to about 6,500 years indicate the presence of 5 distinct kinds of dogs which can be still relevant foundations for the modern breeds. 

Mastiff-type dogs are documented to own been found in battle because of the Babylonians, Persians Greeks, and Romans. These dogs would be the early forefathers of several of today's large working dogs such as Great Danes, English Bull Mastiffs, and Great Pyrenees.

Wolf-like or Spitz-type dogs were utilized in Northern climates to pull sleds and herd reindeer. With time, these dogs evolved into modern breeds such as for example Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, and Alaskan Malamutes.

Hounds were utilized because of the ancient aristocracy for cursing and running down the game. Drawings of hounds have already been entirely on Mesopotamian pottery dating back to 8000 years. Modern sight hounds including Afghans, Salukis and Greyhounds can all trace their ancestry going back a large number of years to those roots.

Pointer type dogs were developed for tracking and routing small game and became the cornerstone for all of the today's sporting breeds such as Spaniels, Pointers, Setters, and Retrievers.

Sheepdogs have already been used to shield flocks from predators for many thousands of years. These dogs would be the ancestors of modern herding breeds such as for example Collies, Australian Shepherds, and Old English Sheepdogs.

In the long run, breeders have created a large number of variations of dogs by selectively mating these basic types and their offspring to accentuate or minimize specific genetic traits. Today there was even a trend towards creating "designer" dogs by mating two established breeds with disparate characteristics, such as for instance Labradoodles, (Labrador Retrievers & Standard Poodles) or Puggles (pigs and miniature poodles). Instead of the previous cross-breeding efforts that have been trying to fill specific needs, there is absolutely no real functional purpose behind a number of these hybrids except that creating new, unique dogs which can be marketed to consumers as a companion.

The writer has already established the pleasure of sharing his life with several different varieties of dogs and currently lives in Texas together with his wife, 2 children, Australian Shepherd, Standard Poodle, Bearded Collie and 2 Bichon Frises.