THE  DEVELOPMENT OF THE VARIOUS BREEDS

To understand the breeds, here is a very short history of the development of the different types and uses of the dogs.

  The dog is the first animal to have been domesticated by man. To a certain extent the dog was domesticated because of mutual need and assistance, the dog being a natural hunter and scavenger. Evidence of association of dogs with human settlements extends back at least 12,000 to 14,000 years.

Through the centuries, dogs have aided man in nearly all of his varied pursuits. Not only has man’s best friend been the dog, but, generally speaking, the reverse also holds true. As man spread out over the various regions of the earth, so did his environments change and the sources of food supplies become more varied. Adapting to both natural and man-made selection, dogs have evolved diversely, learning to cope, with man’s changing needs and environments. The dog has a large number of chromosomes for a mammal, which allows for an enormous possible range of combinations of genetic material. Because of this the dog has the ability to adapt rapidly to different climates throughout the world.

Information contained from - "The New Dog Owner's Manual" - Written by Dr Karen Hedberg