How long have dogs been 'man's best friend'? More than 20,000 years, scientists say.
- A new study released this week claims that the first humans to migrate into North American 15,000 years ago brought their dogs with them.
- But the human-canine connection goes back even farther than that - it's believed that dogs were first domesticated in Siberia some 23,000 years ago.
The study, that was published in the journal found that approximately 14,000 to 20,000 years ago, humans hunted and shared meat with wolves and eventually evolved to man’s best friend – dogs.
Stating ‘Excess protein enabled dog domestication during severe Ice Age winters’.
Dogs and humans were competing for the same prey for survival and when humans starting sharing their excess meat they had with the dogs, it created a companionship and trust that led to domestication of dogs. It really explains why Ernie stares at me when I eat a sub from Jersey Mikes. Bonding over meat...that's sweet!
Photo Credit: Moose & Maize Morelli