What Characteristics Does a Domestic Dog Share with Its Wild Relatives - Essay Example

What Characteristics Does a Domestic Dog share with its Wild Relatives? Dogs are relegated as canids. Canids also include Wolves, Foxes, Jackals, andDingoes. The domestic dog is an extremely close relative of the gray wolf, differing from it by at most 0.2% of mitochondrial DNA sequence. In comparison, the gray wolf differs from its closest wild relative, the coyote, by about 4% of mitochondrial DNA sequence. In 1993, dogs were reclassified as a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus. ‘Dog’ is sometimes used to refer collectively to any mammal belonging to the family Canidae, such as wolves, foxes, and coyotes. The domestic dog is a genetically diverse species that originated from wolf populations existing in different places and at different times. Domestic dog is morphologically distinct from all other canids except its close relatives, the wolf-like canids. The earliest burial remains of a domestic dog are 14,000 years old and were found in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany. Despite their many shapes and sizes all domestic dogs, from Newfoundlands to pugs, are members of the same species—Canis familiaris. Although they have domestic temperaments, these dogs are related to wolves, foxes, and jackals. Many of the behavior traits and body movements or positioning can be applied universally to all canids for example ear positioning, tail positioning, raised hackles, etc. There is considerable similarity between dogs and wild canid species; many wolf-like canids cannot be distinguished from domestic dogs of equivalent size. However, all dogs are consistently separated from fox-sized, wild canids by subtle but evolutionarily significant differences in olecranon, metapodial, and scapula morphology. Second, in domestic dogs the pattern of static allometry is nearly identical to that of ontogenetic allometry. This finding can be attributed to simple heterochronic alterations of postnatal growth rates. Talking about wolves, they have a fairly sophisticated communication system--in both body language and verbal language. They use their whole bodies when communicating. North American Wolves are extremely social animals and live in groups called packs. The packs can vary in size, usually according to the abundance or dearth of prey.  For example, the wolf packs of Alaskas Denali National Park preying primarily on moose can number into the twenties; but in Minnesota, wolf packs typically number under ten. In some packs, there is one male or female wolf called the "omega". This wolf lives on the fringes of the wolf society and is usually the last to eat, sometimes going without if food is scarce. The link between the Domestic Dog and the Wolf is therefore a matter of scientific classification in Zoology. Interestingly the reclassification of the dog in 1993 meant the inclusion of Lupus to the scientific classification and therefore signifying the link between the dog and the wolf. Domestic Dogs share many of their characteristics with their wild relatives. Pack animals eat meat. Dogs too are able to eat raw meat if given to them and its called the raw diet, territory issues marking their scent, communicating using physicality, play fighting etc. Essential difference between Domestic Dogs and their wild relatives is that of genetic information. Some other trivial differences are that dogs tend to howl less and bark more. Dogs are also domesticated as they are friendly towards people. A domestic dog when subject to wild environment will get acclimated and become wolf-like. As far as physicality is concerned, some of the attributes are tail & ear carriage, vocal communication - barking, howling, hunting, pack mentality & hierarchy, mating & litter rearing. Dogs were probably the first tame animals. They have accompanied humans for some 10,000 years. During this time we have, in some respects, genetically engineered (by selective breeding) so that they can become useful as working dogs. For Example the Bernese mountain dog was bred for draft work, the Boxer for bear fighting and the Mastiff as a war dog. Apart for the physical features that a dog maintains with its wild relatives such as the four legs, muzzle, keen sense of smell, position of the ears etc, it also has in common a pack structure. Some scientists assert that all dogs, domestic and wild, share a common ancestor in the small South Asian wolf. Today humans have bred hundreds of different domestic dog breeds, some of which could never survive in the wild. Domestic dogs share many behaviors with their wild relatives. Both defend their territories and mark them by urinating on trees, rocks, fence posts, and other suitable sites. These scent posts serve notice to other dogs that an animal is occupying its territory. Many pet dogs also bury bones or favorite toys for future use, just as their wild relatives sometimes bury a kill to secure the meat for later feasts. Cesar Milan maintains in his book that “Dogs have an ingrained pack mentality. If you are not asserting leadership over your dog, your dog will try to compensate by showing dominant or unstable behavior and dogs don’t have a name in a pack; they have a position within the pack.” Dogs communicate in several ways. Scent is one method, another is physical appearance. Body position, movement, and facial expression often convey a strong message. The Wolf’s scientific classification is Canis Lupus Linnaeus 1758 and it’s termed as ancestor of dog. Several studies have looked for key similarities and differences between wolves and dogs. Perhaps the most striking developmental difference between dogs and wolves is that, whereas dogs can be socialized to humans within the first sixteen weeks of life, wolves must be removed from their mother for human socialization before fourteen days of age, or acceptance of humans is very unlikely. It is well know that a wolf does operate best in a pack, packs in themselves do have a social structure, and the dog sees this social structure in the human environment. Bruce Foggle argues that dogs are still wolves in essence, “Dogs are wolves, although sometimes they look like they are in sheep’s clothing. We have altered their morphology, creating dogs that look like big sheep (Pyrenean Mountain Dog) so that they can live with the flock but protect it from danger. The dog might look like a sheep. It might actually THINK like a sheep, but the entire basis for its behavior is what it inherited from the wolf.” Domestic dogs serve as more than companions; many earn their keep by working hard. Dogs herd livestock, aid hunters, guard homes, and perform police and rescue work. Some special animals even guide the blind—a poignant symbol of the dogs longstanding role as mans best friend. No matter what their origins, all canids have certain common characteristics. They are mammals that bear live young. The females have mammary glands, and they suckle their offspring. The early breeds had erect ears and pointed or wedge-shaped muzzles, similar to the northern breeds’ common today. Most of the carnivores have similar dental structures, which is one way paleontologists have been able to identify them. They develop two sets of teeth, deciduous teeth and permanent teeth. Canids walk on their toes. Dogs, like most mammals, have body hair and are homoeothermic. Instinctive behaviors of the domestic dog are comparable to those of its wild relatives. For example, by four weeks of age, puppies bark, whine, growl, and howl--just like their wild relatives. Unlike wolves, but like coyotes, domestic dogs have sweat glands on their paw pads. Both dogs and wolves are territorial animals. Wolf packs, because of their need to hunt game, claim large territories as their own, whereas dogs claim their territories based on the limitations of their owners. Male wolves and dogs mark their territorial boundaries by urinating and rubbing their scent on the ground or on trees to warn other animals of their presence. These scent posts serve notice to other dogs that an animal is occupying its territory. Compared to equally sized wolves, dogs tend to have 20% smaller skulls and 10% smaller brains, as well as proportionately smaller teeth than other canid species. Conclusively domestic dog still share many attributes with his wild relatives, however, as dogs are now primarily pets; the dog’s evolution is more likely to be at the whim of breeders whereas the wild canids are more likely to evolve due to environmental reasons or pressure of hunting grounds etc. Works Cited “Dog Care and Behaviour.” Dogcareandbehaviour.blog.co.uk. 25 August 2008. 26 January 2009. . “Domestic Dog.” Animals.nationalgeographic.com. 27 January 2009. . Read More