Old Stone AgeLife & Evolution
Dogs domesticated
c. 23,000 BCEMajorContested
Wolves become humanity's first domesticated animal, helping hunt and guard. The exact date is debated.
Contested history
Consensus: Dogs descend from Ice Age wolves; they were the first domesticated animal.
Domestication about 15,000 to 23,000 years agoEstablished
Most genetic studies fall in this range, possibly in Siberia.
Domestication 30,000+ years agoDebated by scholars
A few ancient canid skulls look dog-like, but whether they were true dogs is disputed.
Two separate domestications (East and West Eurasia)Debated by scholars
Some genomic studies support dual origins; others find a single one.
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Prehistoric dog DNA sheds light on 11,000 years of canine evolution (Francis Crick Institute) ↗Editor's pick
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