WHO was it that TAMED the WOLF? Heel, Rex! No! Aarrghh!

A boffinry brawl is taking place over the origin of the domesticated dog, with a new study suggesting that man's best friend came from Europe, not from the Middle East or East Asia as previously thought. Wolves Researchers led by Olaf Thalmann of the University of Turku in Finland used prehistoric genomes to come to the …

[Alister]

Researchers led by Olaf Thalmann of the University of Turku in Finland used prehistoric genomes

First read that as prehistoric gnomes, strange how my mind works...

[Anonymous Coward]

I'd love to know how we got from wolves to the two spaniels I've got who frequently walk into walls and furniture.

[Darryl]

I want to read the article about where wolves bred with rats to give rise to Yorkshire Terriers and Pomeranians

[rixt53]

I have long maintained that such breeds are more properly classified as Rodentia than Canis. Glad to see that I'm not alone.

[Elmer Phud]

Spaniels

"I'd love to know how we got from wolves to the two spaniels I've got who frequently walk into walls and furniture."

Pedigree=selective breeding= genetic flaws=damaged brains

[Rob 5]

I was expecting something about Doctor Who and Bad Wolf. I am disappointed.

In other news, cats domesticated themselves.

[Michael H.F. Wilkinson]

I thought cats domesticated us

See "The Unadulterated Cat" by T. Pratchett

[Rob 5]

I'll give you that one. Well played, Sir!

[RealBigAl]

So the real question is

Who let the dogs out?

[teebie]

Dog History

"Twenty-eight score and forty-nine years ago our sires brought forth..."

[Len Goddard]

It may be a dumb question but ...

is it possible that wolves were domesticated independently in more than one location?

[Paul Kinsler]

Re: It may be a dumb question but ...

I've just skimmed the paper. Although its not my field at all, they have thought about alternatives.

E.g. this quote: "We consider this scenario unlikely as it would require a common recent coalescence of these ancestral wolf and dog sequences from geographically disparate areas. Nevertheless, ..."

But there are plenty of caveats scattered through the paper -- as with lots of this sort of science, their eurodog hypothesis is the most reasonable conclusion >>given the available evidence<<.

[frank ly]

Re: It may be a dumb question but ...

Since dogs tend to follow human populations around (or get dragged along), then the modern European dog may well have mixed ancestry and any separate domestication/evolution could have been muddied in the past during the many human migrations.

[rixt53]

Re: It may be a dumb question but ...

And anyone who has seen a bitch in heat surrounded by a pack of suitors, or whose bitch got loose while in heat and bore a litter nine weeks later that was obviously sired by multiple curs could clearly understand such muddling.

[Wzrd1]

Re: It may be a dumb question but ...

I rather suspect it was a parallel development.

The rate of spread of any development, be it a new stone tool, bow and arrow or domestication of an animal would have been glacial.

It wasn't until the beginning of the bronze age that communication of new technologies moved at the rate of snail mail.

[i like crisps]

This was a question that has Dogged Scientists...

...sorry :)

[Sceptic Tank]

Research is going to the dogs

"... the study that put domestic dogs' likely origins in the Middle East back in 2010..."

I'm sure we had dogs before then?

[EddieD]

One day...

The chihuahua will rise up and seek revenge for the indignities heaped on the noble wolf...and on themselves by her over there ------------->

[Red Bren]

WHO was it that TAMED the WOLVES?

Well this article was a disappointment. Or maybe I'm getting obsessed with these Dr Who @ 50 celebrations...

[Anonymous Coward]

Wolves have been tamed?

Last time I came across a pack of the buggers, they did not look very tame at all. :-(

[tony2heads]

re: Wolves have been tamed?

I have a colleague whose 'pet' is half wolf; it is BLOODY BIG with matching teeth.

She says that it is normally very quiet but gets 'upset' when people (like vets) annoy it and the vet still has the bite marks. I personally would not like to annoy it.

[Grikath]

Re: re: Wolves have been tamed?

"Came across a pack of wolves" ? You must have been extremely lucky, because the buggers are really wary of humans, and can detect them from miles away. They're also really good at making themselves pretty much invisible when they want to.

[Anony-mouse]

Re: re: Wolves have been tamed?

It all depends on the environment they are in. Wolves tend to be very shy around humans and normally stay away from them, but ones that live in areas that they are protected (like Yellowstone National Park) and have many tourists tend to desensitize them to humans. My daughter has a high content wolfdog and she (the dog) is much more wary of various things than a regular dog breed. With that said, she is not aggressive to other dogs or cats around the house and is actually very outgoing with many people too, but is very discriminating on who she will associate with. A lot of this comes with training and interaction at a very young age, before they get set in cautious ways. Wolfdogs and wolves are not something for a beginning pet owner to even think about acquiring as their companion. Note that I said "companion" and not "pet", as they aren't an animal you just throw in the back yard or on a chain. That is bad enough for a domestic dog breed but is asking for trouble with an animal with wolf bloodlines.

[Wzrd1]

Re: re: Wolves have been tamed?

I've known two people who have full blood timber wolves as pets.

Not for someone weak of heart, spirit or assertiveness.

For, that literally is a case of lose alpha status in your own home, lose your life.

[Anonymous Coward]

We tamed humans to be can openers

But the UI is way too complicated.