Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
Conservation Status
Data DeficientMammalia · Carnivora · Canidae
About
The dog is a domesticated descendant of wolves. Also called the domestic dog, it was selectively bred during the Late Pleistocene by hunter-gatherers. Dogs and the modern gray wolf share a common ancestor. Dogs were the first species to be domesticated over 14,000 years ago, before the development of agriculture, though genetic studies suggest the domestication process may have begun over 25,000 years ago. Due to their long association with humans, dogs have gained the ability to thrive on a starch-rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids.
Fun Fact
Dogs are extremely variable in size, ranging from one of the largest breeds, the Great Dane, at 50–79 kg (110–174 lb) and 71–81 cm (28–32 in), to one of the smallest, the Chihuahua, at 0.
Quick Facts
Habitat
To be updated
Diet
Omnivore
Lifespan
To be updated
Threats
- Habitat Change
- Human Disturbance