By Eamon S.

Scientists know that even before agriculture there was a domestic relationship between dogs and humans. Scientists have compared genetic evidence found in ancient cities to canines distinctly different from wolves. They estimate that domesticated dogs have been with humans for around 14,000 years. Dogs were with ancient people, possibly hunting, guarding towns and taking part in rituals.

So how did these dogs, that hunted for food and guarded against bigger predators, evolve into my dog Pearl? I don’t think Pearl could protect us from anything, let alone hunt for her own food. Once she cornered a rat in our house and just stared at it, not moving, just staring. Pearl has gotten better at hunting. She killed a baby bunny and a family of voles. Even so, she would most likely die if she was put in the conditions of these ancient domesticated dogs. 

Evidence shows that all of the 400 recognized dog breeds share an ancestor with an extinct wolf species Canis lupus. Over time dogs have become less used for hunting and protecting and more used as something for people to pet and show off. Through selective breeding humans have made all types of dogs that are exactly what they want or need.

There are still dogs that you could imagine being more like wolves. German shepherds (my personal favorite) are even in the Army and with the police. They can sniff out bombs or drugs and fight off people trying to hurt other police officers. 

If Pearl saw someone attacking us, she would roll on her back and wag her tail. It would take us more time than we have to be alive to teach her to smell a bomb. She has light brown fur, except on her neck, the top of her head, chest and stomach. She is a golden Aussie (golden retriever Australian shepherd mix) with a little bit of springer spaniel. You can also recognize Pearl if you see a smiling dog with otherwise a blank, brainless expression.

I love dogs. In fact the first word I ever said was dog. Still, I had a phase where I was terrified of dogs. When I was three, me and my family lived in Washington, DC. We would take walks in a graveyard nearby. One day we were taking a walk and two dogs, bigger than I was, escaped from their owner. I don’t know why, but they really wanted to chase me. I ran and eventually got on a gravestone. This experience traumatized me all the way up to 2nd grade and Covid.    

During Covid my family spent a lot of time with our neighbors. They had a dog named Sioux. Sioux is the best dog I have ever met. She was an old golden lab. She nursed me back to health on my fear of dogs. Sadly she died last year. I will always remember her as the dog that made me like dogs again.

From wolves to German shepherds, from Sioux and to Pearl, dogs have changed so much. But one constant they have had for 14,000 years is their relationships with humans. I think into the far future when we are moving to new planets, when everything changes, one constant for us humans will be dogs.

I give man’s best friend 5 stars.