Domestic dog

Common Name:

Domestic dogs

Scientific Name:

Canis familiaris

Type:

Mammals

Diet:

Omnivore

Group Name:

Pack

Average Life Span In The Wild:

12 years

Size:

Five to 35 inches at the shoulder

Weight:

Three to 250 pounds

Size relative to a 6-ft man:

IUCN Red List Status: ?

Not evaluated

LC

NT

VU

EN

CR

EW

EX

Least Concern Extinct

Current Population Trend:

Unknown

What is a domestic dog?

The term “domestic dog” refers to any of several hundred breeds of dog in the world today. While these animals vary drastically in appearanceevery dog—from the Chihuahua to the Great Dane—is a member of the same speciesCanis familiaris. This separates domestic dogs from wild caninessuch as coyotesfoxesand wolves.

Domestic dogs are mostly kept as petsthough many breeds are capable of surviving on their ownwhether it’s in a forest or on city streets. A third of all households worldwide have a dogaccording to a 2016 consumer insights study. This makes the domestic dog the most popular pet on the planet.

Evolutionary origins

All dogs descend from a species of wolfbut not the gray wolf (Canis lupus)like many people assume. In factDNA evidence suggests that the now-extinct wolf ancestor to modern dogs was Eurasian. Howeverscientists are still working to understand exactly what species gave rise to dogs.   

When dogs broke off from their wild ancestors is also a matter of mysterybut genetics suggest that it occurred between 15,000 and 30,000 years ago.

While it’s impossible to say exactly how a wild wolf species became a domesticated dogmost scientists believe the process happened gradually as wolves became more comfortable with humans. Perhaps wolves started down this path simply by eating human scraps. Many generations laterhumans might have encouraged wolves to stay near by actively feeding them. Later stillthose wolves may have been welcomed into the human home and eventually bred to encourage certain traits. All of this is thought to have unfolded over thousands of years.

Dog breeds

Todaymany of the dogs you know and love are the product of selective breeding between individuals with desirable traitseither physical or behavioral. For instancearound 9,500 years agoancient peoples began breeding dogs that were best able to survive and work in the cold. These dogs would become the family of sled dogs—including breeds such as huskies and malamutes—that remains relatively unchanged today.

Similarlyhumans bred German shepherds for their ability to herd livestockLabrador retrievers to help collect ducks and other game felled by huntersand sausage-shaped Dachshunds for their ability to rush down a burrow after a badger. Many more breeds were created to fill other human needssuch as home protection and vermin control.  

Certain breeds have also been created to make dogs more desirable as companions. For instancethe labradoodlewhich combines the traits of a Labrador retriever and a poodlewas invented as an attempt to create a hypoallergenic guide dog.

Modern working dogs

While people rely less on dogs for daily tasks than they did in the pastthere are still many modern jobs for pooches.

Because the domestic dog’s sense of smell is between 10,000 and 100,000 better than our owncanines now assist law enforcement by sniffing out drugsexplosivesand even electronics. They can also help conservationists find and protect endangered species using their super-powered schnozzes.

They assist search and rescue teams in the wake of natural disasters or reports of people lost in the outdoors. Dogs trained to warn of hidden explosives and enemies serve as allies in military operations. Other dogs assist police looking for jail escapees or the bodies of murder victims. Some partner instead with customs officials searching for contrabandfrom drugs to elephant ivory. Still others lead the way tracking down poacherspatrolling cargo ships for rats that might escape at distant harborsor exposing forest insect pests in shipments of wood from abroad.

Similarlydogs can sniff out early signs of Parkinson’s diseasediabetesseveral types of canceroncoming epileptic seizuresand antibiotic-resistant bacteria. They guide deaf and blind peopleand they help people with autism and post-traumatic stress disorder manage with anxiety.

Living with dogs

Most dogs are a mix of breeds—in 2015one study estimated that only 5 percent of dogs in shelters are purebred. Just as dogs come in all sizesshapesand colorsthese animals also come in a spectrum of temperaments. A bulldog might look fierce but be cuddly as a kittenwhereas a cute cocker spaniel might nip at your finger without thinking twice.

This is why animal handling expert Jack Hanna recommends teaching children to always exercise caution around a dog they do not know. For instancehe says kids should ask for permission from the dog’s owner before trying to pet or play with the animal. Offering an outstretched hand also allows the dog to familiarize itself with a new person before reaching behind its head where it can’t see what you’re doingwhich might make a dog nervous or scared. Finallynever allow children to put their faces near the dog’s muzzle.

“I don’t care what kind of dog it is,” Hanna told National Geographic. “The owner may say‘Wellthis dog’s never bit anyone before.’ But that’s not the point. The point is it can happen.”

Of coursewhen dogs are cared for properly and treated with respectthey can be incredibly lovingplayfuland intelligent companions. What’s moreby understanding where dogs come frompet owners might learn to appreciate their canines even more.

After allthe yipping and tail-wagging your dog performs when you grab a bag of treats are carry-overs from when its ancestors needed to communicate with other members of its social group. Chasing sticks and balls may be linked to the pursuit of preywhile digging at the carpet or a dog bed echoes how a wild canid would prepare its sleeping area. And each time Fido stops to sniff a fire hydrant on your walkit’s analyzing the pheromones left behind by another dog’s urine.

We take these behaviors for granted because dogs have become “man’s best friend.” But deep inside every pit bull and Pomeranianthere lie hints of the past.