It’s a truth universally acknowledged that dogs are (hu)man’s best friend. But have you ever stopped to wonder why it is that pooches enjoy our company so much? Just why are dogs friendly to humans?
Our history with canines stretches millennia, to the time when they were basically wolves. (Yep, that’s right, if you were curious if dogs and wolves are related, they most certainly are!)
When did we first encounter dogs?
Before we answer the question, “Why are dogs friendly to humans?” it pays to go right to the very start.
The epic love story between humans and dogs goes back to somewhere between 15,000 and 40,000 years ago. Around this time, there was an ancient species of wolf prowling parts of the planet. While this wolf species is now extinct, we have a lot to thank it for: it’s the common ancestor of both doggos and modern-day wolves.
Eventually, this wolf – or a wolf much like it – made its way into human society. This moment marked the beginnings of the earliest domesticated dogs. Experts haven’t entirely agreed on when humans started domesticating dogs, or indeed where we first welcomed them into our homes. But the general consensus is that the OG domestic dogs were in fact these ancient wolves. It’s also widely accepted that the practice began at least 15,000 years ago.
Now, you’re probably thinking that wild wolves and humans don’t exactly make for best friends. And you’re totally right. Initially, wolves and humans were competitors who targeted the same prey. It’s likely that wolves also feasted on humans from time. In return, ancient humans slayed wolves to protect their own food sources. Charming!
Eventually, wolves figured out that it was easier to fight with humans than against them. Wolves realised they could follow human tribes and enjoy the remnants of their hunt, rather than battling prey themselves. Humans also understood this was a good deal; wolves were able to ward off other predators during the hunt.
Why are dogs friendly to humans?
So how do our early interactions with wild wolves shape the comradery between humans and dogs? Aside from the fact that we give them the very best kibble and treats, endless belly rubs and long walks on the beach (either with us or a trusted Dog Walker), there’s a good reason why dogs love us so much. It’s all to do with how we’ve raised them.
The relationship between very early humans and wolves evolved to the point where people started welcoming wolves into their homes. It began with leaving scraps out for the wolves, led to humans only inviting in the friendliest wolves, and then developed into full-on domestication.
And that brings us to why dogs are so friendly towards humans. Because ancient humans selected particular wolves for their amiable attitude, they were effectively “breeding out” the traditionally hostile temperament associated with most wolves. As humans continued to cultivate these newly domesticated wolves, the friendliness gene eventually won out.
It’s the same principle as any other canine trait that has evolved over time through selective breeding. Modern-day Bloodhounds are excellent sniffers because we bred them to hunt the scent of wild animals a very long time ago, likely in the Middle Ages.
Corgis may go as far back as the 9th century, when Scandinavian raiders brought Swedish Vallhunds to the British Isles. The Vallhunds mated with native Welsh dogs, and then their offspring were selectively bred for their herding abilities.
And lastly, Huskies were developed over a period of 3,000 years by the ancient Chukchi people. The Chukchis were a group from Siberia who lived in a freezing and snowy climate. They’re the humans responsible for turning this beautiful pooch into a fantastic sled dog.
To cut a long story short, friendliness is simply one of the attributes we’ve opted to keep in dogs. Even now, when humans are breeding dogs, we generally choose the parents for their warm temperaments. It’s rare that you’ll see a breeder opt for an unfriendly mama or papa dog.
What does science have to say about the question, “Why are dogs friendly to humans?”
Interestingly, all that historical selective breeding has actually altered the genes of dogs. In 2017, researchers from the US decided to compare sociability between dogs and wolves. They knew that dogs and wolves had diverged pretty significantly in terms of their behavioural traits. But, they were keen to shed a little more light on the genetic aspect of their differences.
As part of the experiment, the researchers gathered an assembly of purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and a group of wolves who had been raised by humans. Each animal was placed in a room with a box. Inside that box was a piece of sausage, and their only task was to retrieve it. Overall, the wolves performed better at the task than the dogs. However, things got more interesting when the researchers threw humans into the mix.
If a human was in the room with the dog while they were expected to retrieve the sausage, the dog would get too distracted by the person’s presence. Ergo, the researchers say, the dogs were simply more eager to socialise than to get their sausage fix.
The researchers also found that the really friendly dogs carried mutations of the genes GTF2I and GTF2IRD1. By contrast, more aloof dogs didn’t seem to show any changes to these genes.
If you’re acquainted with human medicine, you might know that if a person doesn’t have genes GTF2I and GTF2IRD1, they have a condition known as Williams syndrome. A trait of this syndrome is that the person is incredibly friendly and often very trusting towards strangers. They’re also highly verbal and sociable. Sound familiar?
The researchers suggest that this could explain why dogs are so friendly towards humans, even if they’ve never met the person before. In effect, we’ve bred a genetic mutation into some doggos that makes them so.
Another study, conducted at Eötvös University in Hungary, found that Owners were hugely influential in determining a pooch’s personality. In a survey of over 14,000 dog owners, the researchers discovered that the most sociable dogs were those who spent at least three hours per day with their Owner. These dogs also played with their Owners every day.
So, if the study is right, while our puppers come from a thousands-year-old line of friendly dogs, it seems affability isn’t entirely a given. Us Owners still have a crucial role to play in fostering good-natured and easygoing doggos!
