The idea that dogs are descended from wolves is one that many of us have heard. Scientists have discovered numerous genetic similarities between the two species, which is why people make this claim. However, they are not nearly the same. Compared to dogs, wolves (Canis Lupus) exhibit more wild characteristics. Dogs are much simpler to train than wolves.
How did the wolves bring about the dog breed? In her article “How Wolf Became Dog” (1 July 2015), Virginia Morell claims that although scientists have successfully pinpointed the date, place, and ancestry of practically every other domesticated species, they are still debating these issues with regard to man’s ‘best friend’, Canis Lupus Familiaris.
According to Morell, researchers have made a number of advancements in recent years. Contrary to popular belief, they can now state with certainty that dogs are not descended from the gray wolf species that still exists in large portions of the Northern Hemisphere, from Saudi Arabia to Siberia, but rather from an unidentified and extinct wolf.
Damaged neural crest cells and domestication
Morell further states that other researchers proposed a notion that may be put to the test: domesticated animals might have fewer or damaged neural crest cells. These embryonic cells are crucial for the development of the nervous system, which includes the fight-or-flight response, as well as the teeth, jaws, ears, and pigment-producing cells. If they are correct, through this process of domestication, the physiology, life cycle, and behavior of dogs have irreversibly diverged from those of wolves.
Domestication is the cause of all those adorable domestic characteristics like spotted coats, curled tails, and floppy ears.
They came to the conclusion from their findings that dogs domesticated between 32,000 and 19,000 years ago in Europe. This was based on their increased efforts to pinpoint the period and place of dog domestication, according to Morell.
Wolf-dog hybrids
In the “Wolf-Dog Hybrids” article from the International Wolf Center (IWC) website, it was noted that wolves and dogs are interfertile, which means they can breed and have live offspring. They could be modern hybrids. They are claiming that wolves and dogs can breed and that the offspring of such a cross can have children of their own. Although hybrids can naturally exist in the wild, they are uncommon because wolves have a territorial mentality that makes them defend their home ranges from intruder dogs, coyotes, and other wolves. The physical and behavioral growth of a hybrid animal is unexpected, according to the IWC, because wolves and dogs age at different rates. A change in hormone quantity and balance in wolves indicates sexual maturity. Frequently, the animal’s behavior also alters in response to this hormone alteration.
According to the IWC, when a wolf reaches sexual maturity, which can occur anywhere between one (1) and four (4) years of age, their position in the pack frequently shifts from that of a pup to one of an adult expected to contribute to the pack. The importance of status increases, and the animal can start testing the loyalty of its packmates to advance in rank. When a wolf is held in captivity, the testing or challenging of its packmates can be projected onto the human “leader,” leading to the animal’s perception as being unyielding, brave, or even hostile.
Domestic dogs, on the other hand, tend to mature much earlier (6 to 8 months of age). However, the demanding behavior is still present, even if it is normally less severe in most breeds compared to wolves.
The IWC asserts that hybrids may display any mix of behavioral changes and wolf or dog maturation rates. Pack mentality and territorial behavior are frequently seen in wolf-dog hybrids. Due to the fact that the household serves as the hybrid’s major territorial region, it frequently happens that hybrids behave in this way.
Wolf-dog as a pet?
IWC claims that it is against the law to own a hybrid in several areas. In some places, hybrids are regarded as wild animals, and their owners must have the same licenses and crate requirements as wolves. However, in other nations, hybrids are governed similarly to dogs, necessitating simply the appropriate licensing and vaccinations. Moreover, in certain states, counties and cities are free to enact hybrid-specific laws as they see fit.
A few people are successful in keeping hybrids, but for a number of reasons, most humans are not equipped to comprehend or meet the needs of the animal. The likelihood that a wolf can be kept as a house pet decreases as its content rises, and they will need specialized housing, care, and socialization. In addition to understanding that some veterinarians are unwilling to offer care and that the rabies vaccine is not authorized for use in these animals, there are legal considerations to be made, according to IWC.
Private ownership of wild or exotic animals is a risky endeavor, and it is illogical to believe that a domestic dog’s genes can overcome a wild instinct that has endured decades and millennia of development.