With all the advances in science we are still at the beginning of unraveling the mysteries of DNA. While it is a good bet that dogs were the first animal “domesticated by humans” it’s still unclear how it happened. Even more disputed than how, is, where did domestication of the dog occurred? But it is an interesting story and scientists are in hot competition for the most plausible answer.
A new theory has it that humans kept what I presume would be semi tame wolves as livestock for domestic consumption. In other words dog were raised as food. An interesting idea that could be true. For the time being I still like the Coppinger’s theory of the dog domesticating itself. I think it would be easier to trap and kill dogs for food than to make cadges, feed and care for them. A fed dog will follow its food supply quite willingly, why expend the energy and effort with cadges, and feeding and cleaning? Hunter gathers would have already perfected trapping when agricultural settlements came into fashion. I think tame dogs would be a lot easier to trap than wild fox, jackals, and wolves.
Just my thoughts
Here is the article it does raise some interesting questions. And questions are what make life intellectually stimulating.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/science/08dogs.html?hpw
Wishing you the best in dog training and in life
Andrew Ledford
The Dog Saint