The dog has long been a key member in families around the world. But many people do not know where exactly their furry friend came from.
The history of the dog has been obscured through interbreeding and being taken from country to country over hundreds of years.
According to Huffington Post, the genetic history of the dog can only be traced back about 150 years because of how many times dog have been bred together and then bred again.
In the beginning, the breeding of dogs was done to help accomplish different jobs. For example, the Bloodhound was originated from a European dog called the Talbot Hound, which is now extinct. The Dog Breed Info Center stated that the Bloodhound was made for the purpose of hunting. They are taught to enjoy the hunt rather than the kill. Since the Bloodhound’s existence they have been bred with different breed to help make dogs like the White Boxer and tri-colored Basset Hounds.
The producing of different breeds of dogs is one of the main reasons why the history of canines is so unknown. Of course, science has shown that dogs most likely derived from domesticated wolves. However, that does not solve the mystery as to why there are hundreds of different breeds in the world.
National Geographic said that studies based on DNA shows that from the beginning there were always different breeds of wolves based on where they lived. Northern wolves had thicker coats and shorter legs. Where South Asian wolves were thinner and had more auburn colored coats. This suggests that different kinds of wolves breeding together, is what started the melting pot of domesticated dogs today.
A documentary done by National Geographic called Science of Dogs outlined that one of the downfalls from breeding dogs together over hundreds of years are the health risks. There are dogs that have certain health problems because of the breeding they have been through.
According to PBS small or toy dogs often suffer from dislocated kneecaps and heart disease because of how many times over they were bred to achieve their looks and purpose. Similarly, Bulldogs can only have puppies by C-section because their hips are too narrow to have puppies on their own.
Overall, the sweet at home pets families know and love have a complicated history that humans have been struggling to understand for years. It is possible that in the future, knowledge will come to light solving the mystery of the pooch’s true origin. But for now, and always, dogs will continue to be man’s best friend.