Most dogs are descendants of the gray wolf, which was originally found throughout Europe, Asia, and North America.Dogs were the first animals to be domesticated, or tamed. As far back as 9,000 years ago, farmers who raised sheep, cattle, and goats tamed dogs to herd and guard the livestock.After taming dogs, people began to breed them for traits that people valued. Early herding dogs helped shepherds. Speedy
hunting dogs learned to chase deer and other game. Strong, sturdy working dogs pulled sleds and even rescued people. Small, quick terriers hunted animals, such as rats. "Toy" dogs were companions to people of wealth and leisure. More recently, sporting dogs were trained to flush out and retrieve birds. Still others were bred to be guard dogs. But perhaps the real reason people bred dogs was for their loyalty and companionship. About ten thousand years ago, some wolves may have been attracted to human settlements. They may have found it easier to feed on food scraps than to hunt for themselves. Gradually the wolves came to depend on people for food. The wolves, in turn, kept the campsites clean and safe. They ate the garbage and barked to warn of approaching strangers. These wolves were the ancestors of the dogs you know today.
Over time dogs became more and more a part of human society. People began to breed dogs for the traits needed for tasks such as herding sheep and hunting. Large, aggressive dogs, for example, were bred to be herding dogs, while fast dogs with a keen sense of smell were bred to be hunting dogs. Today there are hundreds of breeds. They range from the tiny Chihuahua to the massive Saint Bernard, one of which can weigh as much as fifty Chihuahuas.
Today, people breed dogs mostly for their appearance and personality. Physical features such as long ears or a narrow snout are valued in particular breeds of dogs. To create "pure" breeds of dogs, breeders use a method known as inbreeding. Inbreeding involves mating dogs that are genetically very similar. Inbreeding is the surest way to produce dogs with a uniform physical appearance.
One undesirable result of inbreeding is an increase in genetic disorders. Experts estimate that 25 percent of all purebred dogs have a genetic disorder. Dalmatians, for example, often inherit deafness. German shepherds may develop severe hip problems. Mixed-breed dogs, in contrast, are less likely to inherit genetic disorders.
Can you look for the answers from the paragraphs only and please help it’s due tomorrow!
Questions down below ⬇️
1. Which animal did dogs come from?
2. What is another word for "domesticated"?
3. Did natural selection create dogs? If not, who did?
4. How did dogs get specialized to herd sheep, hunt, guard houses, or just be companions?
5. How many years ago did dogs evolve?
6. Explain the idea of how man might have been introduced to wolves and the idea to use wolves for special tasks.
7. How did man turn wolves into dogs with special traits?
8. Why do people breed dogs today?
9. What is "inbreeding"?
10. What is one consequence of inbreeding?
