How the Wolf Became the Dog

    You should feel lucky you weren’t alive 35,000 years ago. 

    It was a time known as the Ice Age. Huge sheets of ice covered much of America and other parts of the world. Your home would have been a hut made of animal bones. For food, you would have nibbled on bitter grass and wild onions. 

    If you wanted meat, you’d go hunting with a rock or stick. And hopefully you’d make it back alive. Wild beasts were everywhere, like the saber-toothed tiger with 12-inch teeth. 

    Life was hard. But it was during this difficult time that something happy first happened: the friendship between humans and dogs.

    Be glad you didn’t live 35,000 years ago.   

    That time is called the Ice Age. Ice covered much of the planet. Your home would have been a hut made of animal bones. You would have eaten grass and wild onions. 

    If you wanted meat, you’d hunt with a rock or a stick. You might not make it back alive. Wild beasts were everywhere. One beast was the saber-toothed tiger. It had 12-inch teeth. 

    Life was hard. But something great began: the friendship between humans and dogs.

    Consider yourself lucky that you weren’t alive 35,000 years ago.  

    It was a time known as the Ice Age, when massive sheets of ice covered much of America and other parts of the world. Your home would have been a hut made of animal bones, and you would have relied on bitter grass and wild onions for nutrition. 

    If you wanted meat, you would have gone hunting with a rock or a stick. And hopefully you’d have made it back alive. Wild beasts were everywhere, including the saber-toothed tiger with 12-inch teeth. 

    Life was difficult and dangerous, but it was during this time that something beautiful developed: the friendship between humans and dogs.

    Dogs have been by our side for many years. But scientists are just learning their history. 

    There’s still a lot to learn. But one thing is for sure: Every dog is a descendant of the gray wolf. 

    This doesn’t mean that a fierce wolf turned into a cute puppy overnight. The change happened slowly. 

    In the Ice Age, humans and animals were enemies. But then humans teamed up with wolves. Why? 

    Some experts think a few wolves went to human camps to find food. These wolves were not as aggressive as other wolves. But they were still tough. They could protect humans from other animals. So humans let them stay. 

    These gentler wolves ate human food. They had even gentler pups. The pups grew up to have gentle pups too. This went on and on. After a while, there was a calmer breed of wolf.

    Dogs have been our companions for tens of thousands of years, but scientists are only now beginning to understand the dog’s history. 

    There are many things we still don’t know, but one thing is certain: Every dog is a descendant of the gray wolf. 

    This doesn’t mean that a ferocious wolf instantly and magically transformed into a cuddly terrier. The change happened gradually. 

    Back in the Ice Age, humans and animals were mostly enemies. But during that time, humans and wolves started to team up. Why? 

    Some scientists believe that a few wolves snuck into human campsites, looking for food. These wolves were not as aggressive as other wolves, but they were still tough enough to protect humans from other animals—so humans allowed the wolves to stick around. 

    These gentler wolves ate human food. They gave birth to even gentler babies, which grew up to have gentle babies of their own. Over time, a new, calmer breed of wolf emerged.

    Centuries passed. Wolves living near humans got smaller and friendlier. Their ears got floppier. Eventually, a new kind of creature had developed: the dog. 

    Dogs were the first animals raised to live among us. Today, we have cats, cows, chickens, and horses. But dogs were the first. 

    Humans trained dogs to be hunters, fighters, and farm helpers. Roman warriors took war dogs into battle. Egyptian hunting dogs were turned into mummies and buried with their owners. 

    Before people had napkins, they wiped their greasy hands on dogs. On icy winter nights, people used dogs as foot warmers.

    Hundreds of years passed. Wolves living near humans got smaller. They got friendlier too. Their ears got floppier. They developed into a new kind of creature: the dog. 

    Dogs were the first animals that lived with us. Today there are cats, cows, chickens, and horses. But dogs were the first. 

    Humans trained dogs to work. Dogs hunted. They fought. They worked on farms. Roman warriors took war dogs into battle. In Egypt, hunting dogs were turned into mummies and buried with their owners. 

    Before people had napkins, they wiped their greasy hands on dogs. Dogs made good foot warmers on cold nights.

    As the centuries passed, wolves living near humans got smaller and friendlier. Their ears got floppier. Eventually, a new kind of creature had developed: the dog. 

    Dogs were the first animals raised to live among humans. Today we have cats, cows, chickens, and horses. But dogs were the first. 

    Humans trained dogs to be hunters, fighters, and farm helpers. Roman warriors took war dogs into battle. Egyptian hunting dogs were mummified and buried with their owners. 

    Before napkins were invented, people wiped their greasy hands on dogs. On icy winter nights, people used dogs as foot warmers.

    In America, dogs have worked alongside humans for thousands of years. Native people used dogs as guards. Explorers crossed America’s wilderness with their dogs by their sides.

    The bond between dogs and people has only gotten stronger. And it all began long ago, with a family of wolves howling across a dangerous, frozen land. •

    Dogs have helped in America for thousands of years. Native people used dogs as guards. Explorers traveled with their dogs.

    The bond between dogs and people has grown stronger with time. And it all began long ago, with a pack of wolves in a dangerous, frozen land. 

    In America, dogs have worked alongside humans for thousands of years. Native people used dogs as guards. Explorers crossed America’s wilderness with their dogs by their sides.

    The bond between dogs and people has only gotten stronger—and it all began long ago, with a family of wolves howling across a dangerous, frozen wilderness.