The Evolution of Dog Breeds and Their Roles

Dogs and humans share common threads of history. Our relationship can be traced back tens of thousands of years — possibly even hundreds of thousands, by some estimates. 

Experts theorize that dogs were first domesticated towards the end of the last ice age. That would mean dogs have been around longer than pottery, farming, or permanent settlements. 

Most genetic studies agree that dogs’ domestication likely began in East Asia. They were then introduced to the rest of the world by nomadic tribes. The world’s oldest dog lineages originate from this period. At this point, humans took a more active role in their development, choosing breeding pairs that possessed the best work-ready characteristics. 

Now, there are over 400-plus recognized breeds. Most of these have a shorter history. They owe their creation in large part to wealthy hobbyists in Western Europe. 

During the 18th century, interest in breeding took off. Breeders formed clubs and held competitions. These competitions awarded dogs whose breeding brought out idealized traits of their unique lineage. A proliferation in dog fancying led to the establishment of breed standards, which codify the “pure” breeds that are familiar sights around Lambs Gap today.

From this perspective, dog breed evolution can be separated into two main periods: a long, steady process lasting tens of thousands of years, and a more-recent explosion in genetic tinkering that’s taken off over the past two centuries.

Dog Breed Evolution Starts: Ancient Dogs to Adaptable “Landraces”

The story of humankind and “man’s best friend” most likely began as a relationship of convenience. 

Gray wolves, or Canis lupus, evolved 400,000 years ago. They were (and still are) expert hunters, but they’re also opportunists. When wolves first began to encounter humans around 300,000 B.C. the interactions could frequently be bloody. But if they could avoid the humans, they would benefit from the scraps tribes left behind.

It’s theorized that some bolder wolves would get closer to the humans, hanging around consistently to claim their “doggie bag” of leftovers before any competition. These wolves would have offspring particularly keen on following humans around and “cleaning” up after them. 

Over time, genetic differences developed between the wolves that stayed versus those that struck out on their own. These friendlier, more trusting, and more loyal versions of wolves formed the basis of what could be considered as the world’s first dogs, or Canis lupus familiaris.

The first dogs, therefore, were less pets as much as they were fixtures of nomadic life. In the early Neolithic period, entourages of dogs would have become a typical sight — at least in areas where domestication started.

Gene studies, like one published in the journal Cell Research in 2015, can trace back the strongest genetic links between modern dogs and their gray wolf cousins through village dogs of Southeast Asia. The study theorizes that dogs then spread to Central Asia before being dispersed to Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East.

“Some of this dispersal might be heavily influenced by humans,” wrote the study’s authors, “as dogs were often part of the civilization package that traveled together as agriculture spread.”

Depiction of domesticated dogs’ origination in Southeast Asia ca. 31,000 B.C. and spread to Central Asia, the Americas, Africa, and Europe

This theory that early dogs were simply shadowing humans supplants older theories, which favored intentional domestication. Older theories assumed humans took wolf pups from caves and raised them, training them to be guardians or hunting companions. 

While that origin story may no longer be considered accurate, it does reflect the ingenuity humans would later apply to molding dogs into the perfect co-workers.

Before dogs were ever selectively bred in this way, they had the opportunity to self-select. Regional variations developed, giving rise to common sets of traits. These general traits have come to be known as “landraces.” 

A landrace acts like a category of, or a common ancestor to, groups of genetically similar modern breeds. While dogs in the same landrace may be suited for a similar climate or display similar physical traits, they have a lot more genetic variety than what you’ll find within today’s rigidly defined breed standards.

Over time, progenitor landraces led to marked regional differences. These sometimes flourished into distinct breeds that still exist today. Examples include:

• Africanus dogs of Northern Africa
• Saluki dogs of the Middle East
• Tibetan mastiffs (unrelated to the European mastiff) of the Himalayas
• Basenji dogs of Central Africa
• Laika snow dogs from Northern Russia

Familiar Faces Emerge: Dog Breeds’ Roles Define Their Look

While humans may not have intentionally bred dogs for specific duties at first, they soon developed a knack for it. A rise of agriculture, civilization, and culture coincided with our growing use of artificial selection — not just in dogs, but also in livestock.

Archaeologists have found evidence of herding in Egypt and the fertile crescent that dates back 8,000 years. Early farmers bred tamer versions of sheep and goats from wild specimens. These could be used for textiles, milk, meat, and more. They also began breeding dogs that showed promise for specific talents, such as herding and guarding their valuable stock.

In East Asia, where early agriculture gave rise to complex civilizations and political dynasties, breeds took on special roles. Dogs were bred for highly specific applications, not just by tradespeople but also by monks.

Some of the world’s oldest breeds stem from this period of nomadic herding and early civilization, including:

Greyhound

Origins: Fertile Crescent around 6,000 – 4,000 B.C.

Bred for: Hunting, coursing ( hunting on horseback), guarding, noble companionship

Greenland Dog

Origins: Inuit people around 2,000 B.C.

Bred for: Mainly sled pulling, but also hunting, guarding, and herding; similar to the Canadian Eskimo Dog and Alaskan Malamute

Chow Chow

Origins: Han Dynasty around 200 B.C. 

Bred for: Working companions, watchdogs, and guard dogs for wealthier nobles, soldiers, tradesmen, and hunters

Lhasa Apso

Origins: Tibetan monasteries around 200 A.D. 

Bred for: Watchdogs and companions for Tibetan monks, originally; later were gifted to Chinese nobility. Other recognizable breeds like the Pekingese and the Shih Tzu share this origin.

Chukotka Sled Dog

Origins: Chukchi people of Siberia around 450 A.D.

Bred for: Sled pulling; later developed into the Siberian husky and other strong, double-coated breeds

Akita

Origins: Japan around 1000 A.D. 

Bred for: Guarding and hunting bears; part of the spitz lineage, along with the Chow Chow.

Dog Fancying: The Modern History of Dog Breeds

For their first 50,000 or so years of domestication, dogs either bred on their own (becoming prototypical “village” dogs) or were selectively bred by specialized classes, like herders and monks.

Towards the end of the Middle Ages, human civilization became much less nomadic. Herders and farmers stayed put, tending the same land for generations. Royalty and nobility lived in large, fortified settlements. 

These conditions made it easier to selectively breed dogs suited for highly specific tasks, especially when it came to sport hunting and applied labor.

In Western Europe by the end of the 17th century, distinctive regional forms of dogs had flourished. In many cases, these dogs began to look less and less like the “landrace” progenitors that had originally followed humans into Europe.

Talbots, for example, were a landrace of scenthounds that emerged by the Late Middle Ages. These large, floppy-eared dogs are depicted in various forms in art and literature. Some of the earliest examples can be seen on heraldry circa 1400 A.D. They were likely used to track and flush out the game, initially. They then took on a broader range of jobs as pursuit dogs, guard dogs, and sport hounds.

Breeds suspected to have developed from the European talbot include the basset hound, boxer, foxhound, coonhound, and bloodhound. Beagles are suspected to have been originally bred via a cross between talbots and greyhounds.

Another similar story can be seen in the terrier group, whose history we covered in an earlier blog. The short version is that farmers bred wire-haired hounds known for their tenacious pursuit of vermin. These “ground dog” ancestors later became recognizable breeds like the rat terrier, Scottish terrier, schnauzer, Boston terrier, and fox terrier.

Many breeders of high stature also sought out calmer and smaller versions of working dogs, leading to miniature and “toy” versions of breeds like the poodle, terrier, and bulldog.

In other words, humans had gotten pretty good at artificial selection by the first industrial revolution. At this point, hundreds of distinct regional variations of dogs had erupted all over Europe and throughout the world.

Kennel Clubs Form to Develop Official Breed Standards and Pedigrees

Taking notice of the distinct traits of each unique lineage, wealthy landowners and industrialists took up dog breeding as a hobby around the turn of the 19th century. 

Instead of producing dogs that performed a certain job extremely well, breeders made it their goal to produce the “perfect” representation of each distinctive dog. They formed kennel clubs to compare information on breed traits and breeding pairs, developing official standards for each of the breeds they chose to recognize. This rise in breeding activity, particularly in Great Britain, established the concept of breeds as we know them today.

As the Morris Foundation, an animal research non-profit, notes: “Most dog breeds we recognize today were developed in the last 150 years, spurred by what’s become known as the Victorian Explosion.”

The original Kennel Club was organized in Westminster, London in 1874. The same year, they published a “Stud Book” recording the winners of dog shows and field trials that had been held since 1859.

Members could not only compete to win prizes with their specimens but also purchase breeding rights or pups from champion dogs.

In this way, dog breeds transformed from a matter of practicality to a matter of high culture. Genetic lines became constrained, transforming dogs from animals bred for a certain purpose to ones that look a certain way.

English Bulldogs, for example, went from tall and powerful animals bred for bull baiting to the squat, exaggerated versions we see today.

An original English bulldog, showing a much lankier and more muscular physique compared to current breed standards.

In the meantime, the dogs with genes closest to their wolf ancestors continue to live on in villages throughout the world. They may spend their days foraging for leftovers, just like their forebears. Or, they may spend them performing hard work like sled pulling. 

While these dogs tend to be a much more motley crew compared to pure breeds, they all have one thing in common: the tenacity that has kept domesticated wolves close to humans since before recorded history.

Ancient or Modern, All Dog Breeds Love Spending the Day at Greenlin Pet Resorts in Lambs Gap

Whether your dog is the child of a prize-winning champion or one of unknown origin you adopted from a shelter, they all deserve to live their best life. At Greenlin Pet Resorts in Lambs Gap, they can receive the five-star dog boarding treatment or enjoy an afternoon among friends at our Lambs Gap dog daycare.

If you want to improve your relationship with your dog, you can book them for dog training in Lambs Gap. They’ll receive customized lessons based on their unique personality and your specific goals.

Every dog can have its day at Greenlin! It took tens of thousands of years (or more) for them to get to this point, but after their first stay, it’ll be clear: Greenlin Pet Resorts has evolved Lambs Gap dog care to a whole new level.

Find out more about what all we can offer when you call 717-610-4624, visit our Lambs Gap location on 1810 Lambs Gap Rd., or contact us online.