The origin of the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) began with the domestication of the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) several tens of thousands of years ago. Genetic and archaeological evidence shows that humans domesticated wolves on more than one occasion, with the present lineage of C. l. familiaris arising probably roughly 15,000 years ago as evidenced by the Bonn-Oberkassel site, 14,000 years ago.
Domesticated dogs provided early humans with a guard animal, a source of food, fur, and a beast of burden. The process continues to this day, with the intentional artificial selection and cross-breeding of dogs to create new breeds of dogs.
Read more about Origin Of The Domestic Dog: Lineage, Domestication, Specialization
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... This rapid evolution of dogs from wolves is an example of neoteny or paedomorphism ... Compared to wolves, many adult dog breeds retain such juvenile characteristics as soft fuzzy fur, round torsos, large heads and eyes, ears that hang down ... Herding dogs exhibit the controlled characteristics of hunting dogs ...
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