This is the first chapter of a five part blog on animal domestication. In the other chapters I shall cover domestication of the cat and two different small animals. They may not all appear in succession rather will be staggered amongst any arising topics or themes.
Animal domestication can be described as the process by which wild animals have been tamed over centuries for the benefit of humans. This process is ongoing and is becoming increasingly sophisticated in the way animals are bred and reared (1).
Or if you would like a scientific definition it is as follows;
'Domestication is defined by the resulting separation of species from their natural ecological background' (2).
Domestication of the Dog
The Domestication of the Dog through the testing of genetic data has suggested wolves and dogs split into two distinct species some 40,000 to 20,000 years ago. However, the location is still very much a discussion topic amongst scientists (3). This ancient partnership was based upon the human need for help with herding & hunting, as an alarm system and a source of food (3). In modern day society, dogs are used as companionship and for training purposes for the protection of those with disabilities (3). It is said by Gregor Larson, 2016 (cited in Frantz et al. 2016 (4), cited by Hirst 2019) that there were also two separate occurrences of the domestication of wolves. These were the Asian Wolf (in Asia) which became the Asian Dog and the European Wolf (in Europe) which became the Paleolithic Dog.
Take a peek at this TED video which helps to simplify Dog Domestication in an informal format.
Got other questions? Asking yourself 'What about Dog Dominance?' then please follow the link to my friend Rachel Hill's BSc (Hons) blog which deals with that exact question and many other topics on Dog behaviour.
References
(1) - Melinda A. Zeder, "The Domestication of Animals," Journal of Anthropological Research 68, no. 2 (Summer 2012): 161-190.
(2) - Zelle Ulrich and Göttertr Thomas. 2019. The relations between evolution and domestication reconsidered - Implications for systematics, ecology, and nature conservation. Global Ecology and Conservation (Volume 20, e00756) Review Paper.
(3) - Hirst, K. Kris. "Dog History: How and Why Dogs were Domesticated." ThoughtCo, Jul. 3, 2019, thoughtco.com/how-and-why-dogs-were-domesticated-170656.
(4) - Frantz LAF, Mullin VE, Pionnier-Capitan M, Lebrasseur O, Ollivier M, Perri A, Linderholm A, Mattiangeli V, Teasdale MD, Dimopoulos EA et al. 2016. Genomic and archaeological evidence suggests a dual origin of domestic dogs. Science 352(6293):1228–1231.
Further Reading
Christina Hansen Wheat, John L. Fitzpatrick, Björn Rogell & Hans Temrin. 2019. Behavioural correlations of the domestication syndrome are decoupled in modern dog breeds. Nature Communications volume 10, Article number: 2422.
Darwin, C. 1868. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication. John Murray, Albermarle Street.
Frantz LAF, Mullin VE, Pionnier-Capitan M, Lebrasseur O, Ollivier M, Perri A, Linderholm A, Mattiangeli V, Teasdale MD, Dimopoulos EA et al. 2016. Genomic and archaeological evidence suggests a dual origin of domestic dogs. Science 352(6293):1228–1231.
Hammer, K. 2014. Das Domestikationsyndrom. Kulturpflanze 32, 11–34.
Morey, D. 2010. Dogs: Domestication and the Development of a Social Bond. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge).
Price, E. O. 2002. Animal Domestication and Behavior. CABI Publishing, CAB Int., Wallingford.
Zeder, M. A. The domestication of animals 2012. J. Anthropol. Res. 68, 161–190.
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