Learn about our shared lives with dogs and how they became man's best friend.
This website has been created as an interactive medium for people to learn about our long and integral relationship with dogs throughout history.
Dogs have helped us become what we are today and that is no exaggeration.
We go back a long way.
It is believed all dogs come from Grey Wolves. Likely examples of domestication and breeding of dogs has been found tens of thousands of years ago. With disputed examples dating back as far as 36,000 years. Each point on this map marks a significant archaeological find relating to wolf domestication.
Click the circles on the map for more information.
As we grow, they grow.
As we've developed, and spread, so have dogs. These are the top 10 countries, in order of dog population.
It is estimated that there are well over 500 million dogs on earth today. We spend upwards of £30 billion on dog food annually.
All dogs, great and small.
Despite all dogs having a common ancestor, over time, with our encouragement, dogs have grown more various and divergent.
Here is a size comparison between Zeus, the world's tallest dog at 44". And Milly, the world's shortest at 3.8". Where the average grey wolf stands at around 30".
There's a dog for everyone.
Throughout our time with dogs, we have selectively bred them, in temperamental characteristics as well as physical.
Some breeds, like the Yorkshire Terrier are bred to be aggressive and small enough to hunt rats. While the Springer Spaniel is bred to have a soft mouth to allow it to retrieve quarry that has been shit, such as birds and rabbits.
While dogs have traditionally been bred for hunting, herding or protection. Modern practical uses include:
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Therapy Dogs
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Guide Dogs
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Search and Rescue
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Drug Detection
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Seizure Detection
Much of modern breeding is more aesthetic than practical. But all of this means there are numerous breed.
This map shows every dog breed currently in the UK and Ireland, sorted my nationality. There are 90 breeds currently recognized. Zoom in to get a better look.
“The reason for dog's
evolution could be to guide humans to their higher purpose.”