Dogs Evolve: New Phase in Their Evolution Unveiled by Scientists (International Edition)

• READ MORE: Researchers uncover the secret to connecting with your canine companion

Dogs might be experiencing a third phase of domestication due to people’s preference for companions that are amiable, tranquil, and adapted to an inactive way of living.

Not long ago, dogs were viewed primarily as working creatures, assigned duties such as pest control, cattle management, and property protection.

But today, Companionship holds far greater value. priority for pet owners.

Researchers have discovered that this change has led to higher concentrations of a hormone associated with social bonding in dogs, particularly in those serving as service animals.

Research has found that the hormone oxytocin is responsible for driving dogs to seek interaction with their owners.

As wolves were domesticated into the loving companions we have today, researchers found that dogs developed an enhanced sensitivity to oxytocin.

The research, carried out by scientists from Linköping University in Sweden in 2017, explored how dogs acquired their distinctive capability to collaborate effectively with people, particularly their tendency to seek assistance when confronted with challenging tasks.

The researchers believed that the hormone oxytocin might be linked to this phenomenon, since it is recognized for its involvement in fostering social connections among people.

The effect of oxytocin depends on how well it binds to its receptor inside cells.

Prior research has demonstrated that differences in genetic material near the gene responsible for oxytocin receptors affect dogs' communication abilities.

In other words, a dog's social skills are partially ingrained in their genetics - specifically to the genes that control their sensitivity to oxytocin.

The scientists watched 60 golden retrievers try to raise the lid off a jar of treats, which had been deliberately designed to be unopenable.

They also collected DNA swabs from inside the dogs' noses to determine which variant of the oxytocin receptor each one had.

The dogs performed this behavioral test twice, once after receiving a dose of oxytocin nasal spray, and once after receiving a dose of neutral saline nasal spray.

The group measured how long the dogs would try to unscrew the jar on their own before looking towards their owners for assistance.

The findings indicated that dogs possessing a specific genetic variation in the receptor exhibited a more pronounced response to the oxytocin spray compared to other canines. Additionally, those same dogs were more inclined to seek assistance when administered the oxytocin dosage rather than the saline solution.

These findings offer insight into how domestication has altered the genes that influence dogs' social skills.

Currently, according to canine experts Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, dogs' behavioral characteristics are experiencing a third phase of domestication.

As the role that these animals play in our lives has shifted from worker to companion, so has their behavior, and perhaps their biology too.

Hare is an evolutionary anthropology professor at Duke University and leads the Duke Canine Cognition Center. Woods oversees the center’s Puppy Kindergarten program, where puppies are trained to become service animals.

The Puppy Kindergarten also serves as a long-term research project to assess how different training strategies impact dogs' behavior and cognitive development.

Woods and Hare have concluded from studying these puppies that service dogs are 'exceptionally well-suited for life in the 21st century.' They mentioned this in their writing. The Atlantic .

These dogs are 'highly skilled experts' capable of helping their owner with various chores, staying composed and silent when they're off-duty, and possessing exceptionally amiable personalities.

Woods and Hare noted that 'in contrast to typical pet dogs, service dogs often show an interest in strangers from a young age.'

'And increasing friendliness seems to have changed these dogs’ biology, just as it did thousands of years ago,' the researchers added.

These exceptionally skilled canines exemplify the qualities of the perfect four-legged friend. They integrate effortlessly into their owners' lifestyles and adapt easily to contemporary society.

'Service dogs fit into the life of their person in a way that many able-bodied dog owners want their pets to fit into theirs,' Woods and Hare wrote.

Just a few decades back, dogs had quite different roles compared to now. They primarily served as working animals responsible for tasks such as hunting, herding, and protecting their territory and family members—trained to stay vigilant and engaged.

Until the 1990s, dogs typically lived outdoors. In those times, before our current extensive urban development, they enjoyed ample room to wander and discover their surroundings.

'If your dog slept on your bed, you would likely wake up covered in ticks or fleas,' the researchers wrote.

But today, more dogs live in densely populated areas, and consequently spend a lot more time inside. They also interact with unfamiliar dogs and people more frequently.

This change has resulted in certain traits that once made dogs attractive to our forebears becoming counterproductive, according to Woods and Hare. For instance, 'being wary of unfamiliar individuals and creatures could make it tougher to take a dog for a stroll in the community.'

'Canines exhibiting higher levels of energy, excitability, fearfulness, or anxiety compared to their peers are at an increased risk of being surrendered to animal shelters, potentially facing difficulties in finding adoptive homes,' they noted.

Woods and Hare argue that these emerging social stresses are catalyzing a third wave of canine domestication, with service dogs exemplifying the pinnacle of development within their community.

The researchers noted, "Service dogs might appear similar to typical Labrador Retrievers; however, when contrasted with military working dogs or even regular household Labs, they seem nearly like a separate breed."

"The distinctions between Canine Companion dogs and pets illustrate just how much a group of dogs can diverge within as little as half a century," they noted.

The process of canine domestication occurred roughly between 40,000 and 14,000 years ago. This initial phase started during the time when humans were hunter-gatherers and frequently discarded leftover food at the peripheries of their campsites.

According to Woods and Hare, wolves that exploited this consistent and calorie-dense food supply obtained an advantage for surviving. Consequently, over time, these creatures' inclination towards humans shifted from fear and hostility to curiosity and approachability.

The second phase started following the Industrial Revolution. Throughout this period, the emerging middle class sought canines that symbolized the refined tastes and financial means of their proprietors.

This led Westerners to start breeding dogs with particular emphasis on certain physical characteristics, which eventually resulted in the creation of about 200 dog breeds now acknowledged by the American Kennel Club, as noted by the researchers.

As we embark on a third phase of domestication, which emphasizes shaping dogs' temperaments to better fit today’s society, Woods and Hare suggest that people ought to play an active part in guiding this transformation.

'To ensure the well-being of both dogs and their owners, it is essential for people to breed and train more canines similar to service animals, initiating a fresh phase of dog domestication that assists them in adapting to the new world we have shaped,' they penned.

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