Origin Of Dogs

Pugs and corgis, dachshunds and bulldogs, German shepherds and Jack Russell terriers. The popularity of dogs in America is as strong as it has ever been, and for many people looking to acquire a new companion, these purebred breeds are already widespread and only growing in popularity as time passes. Through years of selective breeding, dogs have been bred for specific purposes, but in a world where the practical use of dogs has passed out of mainstream, these adaptions are no longer functional and have become purely aesthetic. Because these identifying features are now merely decorative in nature, breeders and those who write breed standards have seen no problems with exaggerating their identifying features, and the characteristics that …show more content…
They have aided in hunting from the beginning. Later, canines were dispatched to protect flocks of sheep and other livestock. Some breeds of dogs, like the bullmastiff, Doberman pinscher, or Rottweiler, were devolved and bred to guard people and animals. Throughout history, whenever a new job developed, dogs specialized to aid in that field emerged not long after. The “working dog” breed origin is the most common origin story for modern dogs. Only a few breeds, such as the pug or the Pekingese, were bred primarily for …show more content…
Many pet owners want to be able to claim that their beloved pooch is “100% Labrador”, or “a true schnauzer”. Although breeds existed in the past, the bloodline was seen more as a tool that facilitated aptitude for the job a dog was destined for, so as long as a dog could do its job well, its parentage or purity was of no concern. Because of this, gene transfer between breeds in a particular region was common, keeping bloodlines fresh and preventing genetic stagnation. Many of our now-standardized breeds originated as a practical blend of two older breeds. After years of subsequent pairings, these mixtures began to solidify as a separate, distinct member of the canine