For whatever reason, I found the Telegraph story hard to follow. This one is much clearer: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/22/science/family-tree-of-dogs-and-wolves-is-found-to-split-earlier-than-thought.html?_r=0
For the most part, I think we’ve made dogs considerably smarter.
Cats are “domesticated”? Mine would say people are semi domesticated. My dog is humanized (if there is such a word).
There’s a creation myth from somewhere that when the world was created, a chasm opened in the earth separating man from the animals. But at the last moment, the dog jumped across to be at man’s side.
One could argue that some ethnic groups still are not domesticated.
ping
“The earliest date I have seen before for domestication was 30,000 years ago. This study might push that back another 10,0000 years. In comparison from what I understand cats were domesticated 10,000 years ago. “
Alas, the process for domestication of women has barely begun. They will scratch your eyes out at the slightest offense. Like implying they are still feral, just for instance.
I have loved dogs since my earliest days. I think I like dogs more than most people.
Best home alarm system ever.
280,000 DOG YEARS!
Dogs were the first species to discover that humans are the only species with can openers.
I can definitely say my female Lab (passed in 2012) was “Einstein-like”. She figured out how to....
...Run through the invisible fence without triggering it.
..Take herself and my Rottweiler to the Beach.
..Spot me trying to catch them on the Beach and disappear landward, then go back to the beach when I tried to wrangle them ashore.
... Eat “found” seafood by walking into the surf where I could not reach her.
... Open sealed containers and devour the entire contents in a matter of minutes.
... Chase and nearly catch deer that happened into the yard.
... Open sliding glass doors to let herself out onto the deck.
And likely other feats I was unable to observe.
Raccoons have been man’s best friend ‘for 400,000 years’
That’s pretty good considering man has only been in existence for a little over 6000 yrs.
The difference between a dog and a cat
A dog will guard your dead body
A cat will eat your dead body
Cats were never domesticated.
If you were half as big as you are and your cat was twice as big as he is, you would not be “the owner”.
You would be “the lunch”.