Dogs
Evolution of Dogs
Our furry friends likely evolved from a population of wolves domesticated sometime between 20,000 and 40,000 years ago. Exactly who domesticated these wolves, when, and how many times, is still a mystery however. Dogs were probably domesticated by accident, when wolves began trailing ancient hunter-gatherers to snack on their garbage. Docile wolves may have been slipped extra food scraps, causing them to survive better, and pass on their genes. Eventually, these friendly wolves evolved into dogs. All dog breeds (Canis lupus familiaris) originate from one common ancestor, considered the gray wolf (Canis lupus).