It is amusing to observe that even though dogs play a very dominant role in modern society, it hasn’t yet been fundamentally decided as to how they actually came to exist and when man domesticated them. The theories that seem to be the most plausible suggest that the species of dogs developed from their more larger and wilder ancestor, the wolf. However, recently more research has been carried out to find a definitive path that would suggest the origin of the canine breed. Here are a few theories from myth, from science and from stories and legends written long ago that we choose to believe might have some truth to them. Wildlings To Domestication – The Journey…

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Native Americans are the main tribe known for their connection with dogs. It starts off with the wild wolf that they first hunted for their fur in the winters and maybe also for consumption.  But they later learnt of the loyalty the wolves had and also their capability to protect their “owners” with a fierceness that kept other wildlings and enemies at bay. Two of the main Native American dog spirits are Poko Kachina and Mahakh. The Natives are known to have their superstitions and beliefs, and when it comes to dogs they believe that when one treats a canine with respect they are rewarded, and when one treats it with harshness, then punishment ensues.

Even though science is usually the source of more accurate information as compared to myths and folklores, it is surprising to note that scientific researchers have still not come up with an explanation as to how dogs evolved or even how they got domesticated. There is even an argument as to the region from where dogs originated. Some scientists claim that fossils of dogs suggest that they were evolved first in Southeast Asia while others argue that they evolved from wolves in European regions. It is puzzling to think that even though we have been able to determine the exact genealogy of so many other species from the dinosaur to the ant, we still haven’t been able to do the same with a breed that still exists like the dog. Maybe more research might come to a solution…

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Legends and folklore that have been passed down through the ages are always fascinating and good to tell around a campfire. But how true are they? When it comes to dogs, is there any truth whatsoever in these mythical tales? Dogs played a major role in Ancient Egypt and their worship of them. There was of course the great god of funerals and the dead called Anubis who guarded the bodies and prevented them from being scavenged by other hungry wildlings. He is usually depicted with a black exterior and signifies death and decay of the human body. The British also have their legends like the one depicted in Harry Potter called Grim who protects souls gone to the underworld from escaping again. It seems dogs somehow have a connection with the dearly departed! Other legends include dogs in the Odyssey and other Native American folklore.

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Books about the origin of dogs may seem to be a little ambiguous about their origin, but maybe the author was trying to tell a vague story about the evolution of dogs. In Jack London’s two famous novels White Fang and Call Of The Wild, he describes the process through riveting storylines about how a wild beast, originally a wolf, got tamed by human beings and soon became man’s best friend.

Also read about The Ojibwa Story legend of Native Americans for an interesting mythological view on how dogs came to be domesticated by man and stayed his friend ever since!