Posted on 08/05/2012 10:18:13 AM PDT by djone
Derr acknowledges that the story of the dog’s emergence (as distinct from its evolutionary forebear, the wolf) cannot be “neatly distilled.” Different estimates place the first appearance of dog-like creatures anywhere from 12,000 to 135,000 years ago. But Derr argues that the dog itself was an “evolutionary inevitability.” He suggests that dogs and humans — similar animals who “simply took to traveling with each other” tens of thousands of years ago, “and never stopped” —
(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...
A feral cat will often form a bond with a person that feeds it.
Some of the wolf pups may revert as they mature to 'the call of the wild', as described in Jack London's novel of the same name, but some may prefer to stay with the human.
*chuckle*
Now that’s funny ....:o)
“Wild Dog said, ‘O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy, what is this that smells so good in the Wild Woods?’
“Then the Woman picked up a roasted mutton-bone and threw it to Wild Dog, and said, ‘Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, taste and try.’ Wild Dog gnawed the bone, and it was more delicious than anything he had ever tasted, and he said, ‘O my Enemy and Wife of my Enemy, give me another.’
“The Woman said, ‘Wild Thing out of the Wild Woods, help my Man to hunt through the day and guard this Cave at night, and I will give you as many roast bones as you need.’”
Kipling...enjoy it in full here:
http://etc.usf.edu/lit2go/79/just-so-stories/1296/the-cat-that-walked-by-himself/
Fun article. Thanks for posting, and happy FR anniversary!
... dogs and humans ... “simply took to traveling with each other” tens of thousands of years ago, “and never stopped”.Ah! Just like an Outlaw Biker Gang.
No offense meant to any Motorcycle Club (M.C.) present, past or future.
(Carry on men, fire up them Choppers.)
Some aren’t quite as far removed as others... I cannot tell you how many times I get asked if it is legal to own a wolf when we are walking our 120 pound Malamute around town. The differences are obvious to me, but to an awful lot of people any big dog is the same as a wolf.
So glad it isn’t just me! (Thank you for that referral, Olog!)
@LuckyLady- & Thank you, too.
The thing is they aren’t that different. Recent studies with breeding are showing that wolves can become dogs in just a few generations, breed the mellow ones together and walla. Saw an interesting show about it in the 90s where they were trying to get them to have the dog attitude but keep the wolf look, they found it impossible, every time the breeding resulted in dog behavior they got the dog look.
It really is too bad that many people “over-think” these things desperately trying to explain our amazing world without involving God—the Creator of all that is—in it. They’re trying in vain.
I agree. It surprises me that so many people buy into it even when they don’t believe in evolution per se. While changes occur with cross breeding, the Middle Eastern hounds & Volpinos of Italy are just 2 of the breeds which have not noticeably changed in over 10,000 years (& have always been beloved & kept close by their masters).
I was driving through the small town I live in when I spied a running dog dragging a chain as it crossed the road in front of me.
Oh ho! An escapee, I thought.
I u-turned and followed the dog behind a small market. As I pulled up the dog was on its hind legs, rummaging through a gargabe bin.
The chain was lying there, so after getting out of the SUV I picked up the chain and called to the dog. When it turned around I realized the “dog” had yellow eyes.
Oh-oh.
A friend once had a wolf-hybrid named Sweetie, and what I had here looked like her twin though smaller.
This bitch was about 50 lbs., with gray fur and yellow eyes. There was no growling, just that cold, calm assessment of me that dogs rarely give humans, if at all. A wolf-hybrid can summon that look, no sweat.
“Come on,” I said, and opened the passenger side door.
There was no hesitation. She jumped up and sat on the seat.
Meanwhile, my black Lab in the back behind a barrier is going nuts. She glanced once at him, accurately dismissed him as an idiot, and proceeded to ignore him all the way to the Humane Society.
Because she had tags the HS personnel were able to contact her owners, who never knew she had left their backyard!
And yes, she was a wolf hybrid.
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