The 

domestic dog (Canis familiaris or Canis lupus familiaris)[4] is a domesticated wolf. The dog

descended from an ancient, extinct wolf,[5][6] with the modern grey wolf being the dog's nearest living
relative.[7] The dog was the first species to be domesticated,[8][7] by hunter–gatherers over 15,000
years ago,[6] before the development of agriculture.[1] Their long association with humans has led
dogs to be uniquely adapted to human behavior,[9] leading to a large number of domestic
individuals[10] and the ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids.[11]
The dog has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities, and
physical attributes.[12] Dogs are sub classified into breeds, which vary widely in shape, size, and
color.[13] They perform many roles for humans, such as hunting, herding, pulling
loads, protection, assisting police and the military, companionship, therapy, and aiding disabled
people. This influence on human society has given them the sobriquet of "man's best friend."

Contents

 1Taxonomy
 2Evolution
o 2.1Domestication
 3Biology
o 3.1Anatomy
 3.1.1Size and weight
 3.1.2Senses
 3.1.3Coat
 3.1.4Tail
 3.1.5Differences from wolves
o 3.2Health
 3.2.1Lifespan
o 3.3Reproduction
 3.3.1Neutering
o 3.4Inbreeding depression
 4Intelligence, behavior and communication
o 4.1Intelligence
o 4.2Behavior
o 4.3Communication
 5Ecology
o 5.1Population
o 5.2Competitors and predators
o 5.3Diet
o 5.4Range
 6Breeds
 7Roles with humans
o 7.1Early roles
o 7.2As pets
o 7.3Work
o 7.4Sports and shows
o 7.5As food
o 7.6Health risks to humans
o 7.7Health benefits for humans
  8Terminology
 9Cultural depictions
o 9.1Mythology and religion
o 9.2Literature
o 9.3Art
 10See also
o 10.1Lists
 11References
 12Bibliography
 13External links

Taxonomy
Further information: Canis lupus dingo §  Taxonomic debate – the domestic dog, dingo, and New
Guinea singing dog
In 1758, the Swedish botanist and zoologist Carl Linnaeus published in his Systema Naturae the
two-word naming of species (binomial nomenclature). Canis is the Latin word meaning "dog,"[14]
[15]
 and under this genus, he listed the domestic dog, the grey wolf, and the golden jackal. He
classified the domestic dog as Canis familiaris and, on the next page, classified the grey wolf
as Canis lupus.[2] Linnaeus considered the dog to be a separate species from the wolf because of its
upturning tail (cauda recurvata), which is not found in any other canid.[16]
In 1999, a study of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) indicated that the domestic dog may have originated
from the grey wolf, with the dingo and New Guinea singing dog breeds having developed at a time
when human communities were more isolated from each other.[17] In the third edition of Mammal
Species of the World published in 2005, the mammalogist W. Christopher Wozencraft listed under
the wolf Canis lupus its wild subspecies and proposed two additional subspecies which formed the
domestic dog clade: familiaris as named by Linneaus in 1758 and dingo named by Meyer in 1793.
Wozencraft included hallstromi (the New Guinea singing dog) as another name (junior synonym) for
the dingo. Wozencraft referred to the mtDNA study as one of the guides informing his decision.
[3]
 Mammalogists have debated the inclusion of familiaris and dingo together under the "domestic
dog" clade.[18][19]
In 2019, a workshop hosted by the IUCN/Species Survival Commission's Canid Specialist Group
considered the dingo and the New Guinea singing dog to be feral Canis familiaris and therefore did
not assess them for the IUCN Red List.[20]

Evolution
Location of a dog's carnassials; the inside of the 4th upper premolar aligns with the outside of the 1st
lower molar, working like scissor blades

The Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event occurred 65 million years ago and brought an end to

the dinosaurs and the appearance of the first carnivorans.[21] The name carnivoran is given to a
member of the order Carnivora. Carnivorans possess a common arrangement of teeth
called carnassials, in which the first lower molar and the last upper premolar possess blade-like
enamel crowns that act similar to a pair of shears for cutting meat. This dental arrangement has
been modified by adaptation over the past 60 million years for diets composed of meat, for crushing
vegetation, or for the loss of the carnassial function altogether as in seals, sea lions, and walruses.
Today, not all carnivorans are carnivores, such as the insect-eating Aardwolf.[4]
The carnivoran ancestors of the dog-like caniforms and the cat-like feliforms began their separate
evolutionary paths just after the end of the dinosaurs. The first members of the dog
family Canidae appeared 40 million years ago,[22] of which only its subfamily the Caninae survives
today in the form of the wolf-like and fox-like canines. Within the Caninae, the first members of
genus Canis appeared six million years ago,[15] the ancestors of modern domestic dogs,
wolves, coyotes, and golden jackals.

Domestication
Main article: Origin of the domestic dog
The generally accepted earliest dog remains were discovered in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany.
Contextual, isotopic, genetic, and morphological evidence shows that this dog was not a local wolf.
[23]
 The dog was dated to 14,223 years ago and was found buried along with a man and a woman, all
three having been sprayed with red hematite powder and buried under large, thick basalt blocks.
The dog had died of canine distemper.[24] Earlier remains dating back to 30,000 years ago have been
described as Paleolithic dogs but their status as dogs or wolves remains debated[25] because
considerable morphological diversity existed among wolves during the Late Pleistocene.[1]
This timing indicates that the dog was the first species to be domesticated[8][7] in the time of hunter–
gatherers,[6] which predates agriculture.[1] DNA sequences show that all ancient and modern dogs
share a common ancestry and descended from an ancient, extinct wolf population which was distinct
from the modern wolf lineage.[5][6] Most dogs form a sister group to the remains of a Late Pleistocene
wolf found in the Kessleroch cave near Thayngen in the canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, which
dates to 14,500 years ago. The most recent common ancestor of both is estimated to be from
32,100 years ago.[26] This indicates that an extinct Late Pleistocene wolf may have been the ancestor
of the dog,[7][1][27] with the modern wolf being the dog's nearest living relative.[7]
The dog is a classic example of a domestic animal that likely travelled a commensal pathway into
domestication.[25][28] The questions of when and where dogs were first domesticated have taxed
geneticists and archaeologists for decades.[8] Genetic studies suggest a domestication process
commencing over 25,000 years ago, in one or several wolf populations in either Europe, the high
Arctic, or eastern Asia.[10] In 2021, a literature review of the current evidence infers that the dog was
domesticated in Siberia 23,000 years ago by ancient North Siberians, then later dispersed eastward
into the Americas and westward across Eurasia.[23]

Biology

A lateral view of a dog skeleton

Anatomy
Main article: Dog anatomy
Domestic dogs have been selectively bred for millennia for various behaviors, sensory capabilities,
and physical attributes. Modern dog breeds show more variation in size, appearance, and behavior
than any other domestic animal.[12]
Size and weight
Dogs are highly variable in height and weight. The smallest known adult dog was a Yorkshire
Terrier that stood only 6.3 centimetres (2 1⁄2 inches) at the shoulder, 9.5 cm (3 3⁄4 in) in length along
the head-and-body and weighed only 113 grams (4 ounces). The heaviest dog was an English
Mastiff named Zorba which weighed 314 pounds (142 kg).[29] The tallest known adult dog is a Great
Dane, which stands 106.7 cm (42.0 in) at the shoulder.[30]
Senses
Further information: Dog anatomy §  Senses
A dog's senses include vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and sensitivity to Earth's magnetic field.
Another study has suggested that dogs can see Earth's magnetic field.[31][32][33]
Coat
Main article: Coat (dog)
Dogs display wide variation in coat type, density, length, color, and composition

The coats of domestic dogs are of two varieties: "double" being familiar with dogs (as well as wolves)
originating from colder climates, made up of a coarse guard hair and a soft down hair, or "single,"
with the topcoat only. Breeds may have an occasional "blaze," stripe, or "star" of white fur on their
chest or underside.[34] Premature graying can occur in dogs from as early as one year of age; this is
associated with impulsive behaviors, anxiety behaviors, fear of noise, and fear of unfamiliar people
or animals.[35]
Tail
There are many different shapes for dog tails: straight, straight up, sickle, curled, or corkscrew. As
with many canids, one of the primary functions of a dog's tail is to communicate their emotional
state, which can be crucial in getting along with others. In some hunting dogs, however, the tail is
traditionally docked to avoid injuries.[36]
Differences from wolves
Despite their close genetic relationship and interbreed ability, there are several diagnostic features to
distinguish gray wolves from domestic dogs. Domestic dogs are distinguishable from wolves by
starch gel electrophoresis of red blood cell acid phosphatase.[37] The tympanic bullae are large,
convex, and almost spherical in Gray wolves, while the bullae of dogs are smaller, compressed, and
slightly crumpled.[38] Compared with equally sized wolves, dogs tend to have 20% smaller skulls and
30% smaller brains.[39]:35 The teeth of gray wolves are also proportionately larger than those of dogs.
[40]
 Dogs tend to have a more domed forehead and a distinctive "stop" between the forehead and
nose.[41] The temporalis muscle that closes the jaws is more robust in wolves.[42] Wolves do not
have dewclaws on their back legs unless there has been admixture with dogs that had them.[43] Most
dogs lack a functioning pre-caudal gland and enter estrus twice yearly, unlike gray wolves, which
only do so once a year.[44] So-called primitive dogs such as dingos and Basenjis retain the yearly
estrus cycle.[45]
Dogs generally have brown eyes and wolves almost always have amber or light-colored eyes.
[46]
 Domestic dogs' skin tends to be thicker than that of wolves, with some Inuit tribes favoring the
former for use as clothing due to its greater resistance to wear and tear in harsh weather.[47] The
paws of a dog may be half the size of a wolf and their tails tend to curl upwards, another trait not
found in wolves.[48] The dog has developed into hundreds of varied breeds and shows more
behavioral and morphological variation than any other land mammal.[49]