Posted on 03/26/2002 10:29:27 AM PST by blam
Dogs make us human
By Heidi De Wald
Monday, 25 Mar, 2002
About 48% of Australian households own dogs. But can you imagine a world without dogs. And would we be the same if they were not here? Would human beings have developed in very different ways had our best friends not been by our sides?
A recent study suggests that the domestication of dogs mutually led to profound changes in the biological and behavioural evolution of both species.
It has long been known that the first species domesticated by humans was the wolf. In essence, we made wolves into dogs. But did wolves also make us, beginning over 100,000 years ago? This is the key question explored in this study.
New theories about the origins of modern humans, the earliest dogs and the crucial role of human-dog co-evolution are highlighted in this "ground-pawing" paper by Dr. Paul S.C. Tacon, Australian Museum, Sydney and Dr. Colin Pardoe, Bio-Archaeology consultant, Adelaide.
They present fossil evidence recovered by others supporting DNA results of dog domestication over 100,000 years ago and are the first to make the link between the fossil and genetic evidence.
"Our study, along with those of others published this year, shows the origin of modern humans and their behaviour is more complex than either of the popular theories suggests. A more exact picture of who we are and where we came from is only now emerging, one that is richer and more convoluted than the two impressionistic alternative models." said Dr. Paul Tacon, Principal Research Scientist at the Australian Museum.
Drs. Tacon and Pardoe argue that the early canine-sapien relationship ultimately changed the world forever. They not only elaborate on and provide greater time depth for previous studies that focused on implications of the relationship for recent times but also explore the implications of dog domestication close to the time that modern humans are believed to have emerged. These include:
The origins of human territorial marking and, ultimately, the development of art and a symbolic explosion of land marking.
The development of big game hunting.
The origins of 'mateship' and new forms of bonding to negotiate complex situations.
Implications for the settlement of Australia.
Tacon and Pardoe conclude that, ultimately, dogs were one of a few key forces that led to anatomically and behaviourally modern humans of 100,000 years ago and that this has complicated the recent 'Out of Africa' versus 'Regional Continuity' debate.
Dogs Make Us Human is published today in the Autumn 2002 edition of Nature Australia - published by the Australian Museum.
-ends-
Media contact: Heidi DeWald, Australian Museum, Sydney, +61 2 9320 6181
You said it!
Perhaps because they get awful darn tired of having to kill his unwanted progeny?
Spay or neuter your dogs! there are lots and lots of breeders out there. Too many. Not everyone needs to be one. The number of healthy but unwanted pets we put down in this country every day is a travesty.
And the next time you consider how cute it would be to have a litter of pups, go down and just spend a day at the pound. Count the ones with the red tags indicating their time is up. If that doesn't convince you, I don't know what will. The homes you find for your pups could have easily taken home one of those poor souls.
Spaying and neutering of our pets is a responsible action, which actually does not even cost that much...and there are many animal clinics which have reduced fare, and free fare for those who are low income, yet would still love to have a pet...there is no excuse for the number of unwanted animals who must be euthanized each year...
As you said, there are many, many responsible breeders out there, who allow their animals to have litters, in order to preserve the character of the breed.....and that is good...but for those people who allow their mixed breed animals to have litters, and have no concern for the future of those animals, they should really be ashamed...
Hate to rant, but the sheer numbers and magnitude of the problem makes me angry....
We have raised our human children with massive amounts of love, and it paid off...so we raise our 'animal' children with that same love, and get rewarded a thousand fold...
Well said!!
http://www.geocities.com/wcpettus/
A practice you have mastered, I'm sure.
Oui. You expected less than that from me?
Why can’t I get my dog a vasectomy? That seems a lot more ethical than mutilating his genitals.
The only things I have not put on the site is the death of Boots the cat, 12-5-01 and the addition of Sassy Cat, 10-03-01. Sassy was a 6 week old kitten my wife found along the roadside. She was nearly starved to death and had several puncture wounds. The wife, a Vet Tech, not working as such now due to back problems from lifting large dogs, nursed her to good health. A kitten that could fit in your hand, now, standing on her back feet, can reach my belt. :)
They don't mutilate,,,they remove them. If they are not breeding males, which they don't need to be, they DON"T NEED THEM! It also makes for a happier dog. He has none of the problems of having to deal with intact females in heat and also he will be healthier dog.
If there is a possibility that you are serious, or that at least others may care, after middle age, the male hormones stop being helpful and begin to be detrimental to the health of the dog. Un-neutered dogs get many more cancers in later life that can be avoided by neutering.(including testicular cancer), but also colon cancer and others. By spaying and neutering, and taking the parts out that now have no function, your pet has one less thing that can get, or cause cancer later in life.
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