It wasn’t until the middle of the 19th century that humans unlocked the secrets of genetic inheritance. But as the humble dog proves, our ancient ancestors living tens of thousands of years ago had at least figured out that certain behaviours and characteristics could be bred into wolves. Before there were farms, cities, or anything we might consider a hallmark of civilisation, there were good boys (and girls).
The timing, cause, and even location of this domestication are all uncertain. Genetic research suggests that dogs split from their wolf ancestors some time between 27,000 and 40,000 years ago, but scientists debate whether this domestication first occurred in Europe or Asia, or even independently on both continents. Regardless of the answer, the European lineage has mostly vanished; modern dogs trace their ancestry to wolves in Asia.
