Figure 1.--Dogs in modern times have been used as a beast of burden. For some reason this was most prominent in Belgium and the Netherlands. We are not sure why. They were also used in Britain, but outlawed in the mid-19th century, in part because it was seen as cruelty to animals. Here we see a dog-drawn milk cart in the Netherlands or Belgium. probably in the late-19th century.

There were for many years uncertainty about the origins of the modern dog. Researchers speculated about wolves, African wild dogs, and coyotes. Thanks to DNA work, the mystery was resolved. We now know that that the modern domestic dog evolved from wolves. Dogs are one of the two most common pets. Pet is, however, a very modern concept. Dogs are believed to be the oldest domesticated animal. Clearly there were mutual benefits to the relationship. Dogs are believed to have been a major asset to prehistoric man. Anthropologists can, however, only speculate about the origins of the relationship between the dog and man. The archeological record suggested something like 10,000-12,000 years ago. DNA research has upturned this assessment and allowed us to go far further back in time. Researchers using Mitochondrial DNA have come up with estimates more like 100,000 years ago. This means dogs were with our ancestors as we were becoming human and not after. One can wolves on the more timid range of the behavioral range being drawn to humnan camps by scraps, perhaps beginning the relationship. . It appears that dogs were first tamed and bred in China. Geneticists report that about almost all (perhaps 95 percent) of modern dogs have descended from just a few wild dogs domesticated in China. This is interesting because agriculture and civilization developed last in China of the four great river valley civilizations. Dogs of course were especially useful to hunter-gatherers, actually more than agriculturists. They proved useful in helping the hunts of hunter gatherers just as they do modern hunters. Dogs were of enormous benefit to hunter-gathering people, increasing their hunting capabilities and thus survival skills in a very dangerous world. Thus dogs are believed to have played a key role in the final evolution of man and the success of a very small population. Dogs benefited because with humans they had a more secure food source. The domestication of dogs began at a much earlier point that that of cats. The dog became important to hunter-gather's both in hunting and security. Dogs as civilization developed provided useful asserts to man. There was a security assist to agriculturists. And herding assistance to pastoralists. The dog's sense of smell and hearing helped to extend human senses. This made it easier to hunt. Some dogs were bred to kill vermin, but this is probably a relatively modern adaptation. Dogs in modern times have been used as a beast of burden. For some reason this was most prominent in Belgium and the Netherlands. Dogs historically have played a role in war, most recently in both World War I and World War II.

Created: 7:05 PM 8/2/2024
Last updated: 7:05 PM 8/2/2024