How did a domesticated wolf give rise to numerous dog breeds? 0 12

After the domestication of wolves, people began to use them for various tasks: from tracking and driving game during hunts to guarding territories and homes. Later, these animals started to assist in managing herds of livestock and performed other functions. For each of these tasks, dogs that were best suited for them were selected, which gave them an advantage in breeding. Thus, the selection of dogs developed in different directions from the very beginning.

Moreover, this process occurred independently in various regions, where breeds of dogs were developed for similar purposes. For example, many shepherd dogs were created to assist in herding sheep. Over time, dogs acquired new “professions,” such as rescue, circus, and decorative roles, and separate breeds were created for each of them. Domestic dogs, meanwhile, found themselves outside the influence of natural selection, which in the wild eliminates deviations from the typical appearance, maintaining species norms.

Many breed characteristics, especially in coloration, are simply traits randomly present in individuals with outstanding working qualities that were “perpetuated” in their offspring.