Search results
a2zpetsinfo.com
- Throughout history, people have bred domesticated animals to promote certain traits. Domestic animals are chosen for their ability to breed in captivity and for their calm temperament. Their ability to resist disease and survive in difficult climates is also valuable.
education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/domestication/
People also ask
How long have dogs been domesticated?
How did animals become domesticated?
Where did pets come from?
What happened after dogs were domesticated?
Why did a dog become a pet?
Why is animal domestication important?
Domesticated animals were likely kept for practical reasons, such as food sources, for work or for protection. It may feel natural to assume that the first species to be...
- Overview
- The domestication process
- Domestic vs. tame
Domestic animals such as dogs, cats, and cattle have been genetically adapted over generations to live alongside humans.
Domesticated animals are animals that have been selectively bred and genetically adapted over generations to live alongside humans. They are genetically distinct from their wild ancestors or cousins.
Animal domestication falls into three main groupings: domestication for companionship (dogs and cats), animals farmed for food (sheep, cows, pigs, turkeys, etc.), and working or draft animals (horses, donkeys, camels).
Animals that make good candidates for domestication typically share certain traits:
Domestication happens through selective breeding. Individuals that exhibit desirable traits are selected to be bred, and these desirable traits are then passed along to future generations.
Wolves were the first animal to be domesticated, sometime between 33,000 and 11,000 years ago. After domesticated dogs came the domestication of livestock animals, which coincided with a widespread shift from foraging to farming among many cultures.
Because most major acts of domestication began before recorded history, we don’t know much about the exact process behind the generations-long journey from wild animal to domesticated pet or livestock. What is clear is that the ancestors of domesticated animals must have already exhibited traits that made them somehow useful to humans—traits that may have ranged from tasty meat to warm coats to a natural affinity for people.
3:14
A History of Dogs 101
A 2017 study found evidence that early dog-like wolves were indeed genetically disposed to be friendly. That friendliness may have triggered the first mutually beneficial relationships between humans and dogs, in which people gave dogs food or shelter in exchange for the animals’ service as guards or hunting companions. Other genetic evidence has been discovered to support a similar “self-domestication” theory for cats.
Domestication is not the same as taming. A domestic animal is genetically determined to be tolerant of humans. An individual wild animal, or wild animal born in captivity, may be tamed—their behavior can be conditioned so they grow accustomed to living alongside humans—but they are not truly domesticated and remain genetically wild.
Captive Asian elephants, for example, are often misinterpreted as domesticated, because they have been kept by humans for thousands of years. However, the majority have historically been captured from the wild and tamed for use by humans. Although then can breed in captivity, like big cats and other wild animals, they are not selectively bred, largely because of their long reproductive cycle. For this reason, there are no domesticated breeds of Asian elephants: They remain wild animals.
- 3 min
Oct 30, 2023 · Dogs were among the first animals to be domesticated, and their close bond with humans has endured throughout history. The journey of dogs through time showcases their fascinating evolution and the significant roles they have played in various societies.
Sep 27, 2015 · Why did pets and other domestic animals begin to matter? How were they used? These are questions that archaeologists ask themselves and have done their best to answer. Pets of our ancestors are significantly different than ones we keep today.
Aug 11, 2024 · The domestication of dogs traces back to an ancient partnership between dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) and humans. This partnership was likely originally based on a human need for help with herding and hunting, for an early alarm system, and a source of food, in addition to the companionship many of us today know and rely upon.
The analysis reveals that dog domestication can be traced back 11,000 years, to the end of the last Ice Age. This confirms that dogs were domesticated before any other known species.
Feb 1, 2024 · From ancient Mesopotamia to the modern era, however, people have cherished their pets and, with certain civilizations – notably ancient Egypt – have regarded their canine, feline, or other companions as family members.
