Our Dogs Are Changing—Scientists Reveal Modern Human Influence Could Be Changing Dog Evolution

From workers to companions, dogs are adapting to modern life.

Damjan

• Published in Animals
• October 24, 2024

Dogs have long been known for their loyalty, but their role in human life has significantly transformed. Once primarily valued for their ability to hunt, herd, or guard, dogs were essential partners in labor.

However, as human societies have modernized, so have our expectations for canine companions. Recent research suggests that dogs are undergoing a new phase of domestication, influenced by the demands of contemporary life.

Today, rather than focusing on their working abilities, people select traits that make dogs more suitable as affectionate, calm companions. This shift aligns with broader societal changes, particularly in urban environments with limited space and sedentary lifestyles.

As fewer people rely on dogs for traditional tasks like herding livestock or guarding property, there is a growing preference for pets that thrive in smaller living spaces and require less physical activity. Traits such as friendliness, calmness, and adaptability are now more desirable in the modern dog, making them better suited to the companionship role they increasingly play in households.

This change is not just a reflection of preference but of the evolving nature of how humans and dogs interact in today's world. These shifting expectations raise exciting questions about how dogs continue to adapt and evolve alongside us in the modern era.

A research team from Sweden’s Linköping University studied how dogs evolved to work with humans and how our lifestyle shapes their behavior.

The Role of Oxytocin - The Love Hormone

One key factor in this evolution is oxytocin, commonly referred to as the “love hormone.” Oxytocin is crucial in promoting social bonding between humans and their pets.

According to a research team from Sweden’s Linköping University study, oxytocin is central to dogs seeking interaction and physical contact with their owners. As humans continue favoring affectionate pets, dogs become increasingly sensitive to this hormone, strengthening their bonds with human companions.

The study, led by canine experts Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, explored how oxytocin influences a dog’s behavior and how this hormone may shape the evolution of domestic dogs. Their research involved 60 golden retrievers, each tasked with attempting to open the lid of a treat jar that had been intentionally designed to be impossible to open.

The experiment was conducted twice for each dog—once after receiving an oxytocin nasal spray and once after a neutral saline spray. The researchers timed how long it took for the dogs to seek help from their owners when faced with an unsolvable problem.

Their findings indicated that dogs with a particular genetic variant of the oxytocin receptor responded more strongly to the hormone, leading them to seek assistance from their owners more quickly. This suggests that dogs’ sensitivity to oxytocin and ability to engage in social behavior are linked to their genes.

Dogs could evolve alongside humans as our need for companionship increases.

Evolving to Fit Human Needs

This study's results reaffirm that oxytocin levels significantly shape dogs’ social skills and relationships with humans. Over time, the traits that enhance a dog's ability to bond with humans may be selected, especially in a world where people increasingly value affectionate pets.

In particular, service dogs offer an excellent example of how human preferences influence dog behavior and biology. Service dogs are trained to assist their owners with specific tasks and are known for their calm, friendly, and attentive dispositions.

Unlike most pet dogs, service dogs are often attracted to strangers, even as puppies, which makes them uniquely suited to help people in need. Hare and Woods explained in The Atlantic that service dogs “fit into the life of their person in a way that many able-bodied dog owners want their pets to fit into theirs.”

This highlights how the traits that make service dogs ideal for their roles are also becoming increasingly desirable in pets.

Oxytocin, often called the "love" hormone, improves social behavior and influences the bond between dogs and humans.

The History of Dog Domestication

The relationship between humans and dogs has been evolving for thousands of years. The first wave of domestication began when wild wolves started to adapt to human settlements as a reliable food source. Over time, these wolves became less aggressive and more attracted to humans, eventually evolving into the domestic dogs we know today.

A second wave of domestication occurred after the Industrial Revolution when disposable income increased, and people began breeding dogs to reflect their social status. This led to the development of the many breeds recognized today, with over 200 dog breeds now officially listed by the American Kennel Club (AKC).

Today, we may be witnessing the beginning of a third wave of dog domestication, driven by modern human lifestyles and preferences. As people live more sedentary lives in urban areas, they select dogs with traits that make them better suited for companionship.

This shift may continue to shape the evolution of dogs, emphasizing temperament, friendliness, and adaptability to human environments rather than traditional working abilities.

Service dogs show how much they have adapted to modern life, moving far beyond the hunting instincts they were initially bred for.

Dogs are becoming friendlier and more easygoing as people look for more affectionate pets.

This experiment confirmed that oxytocin significantly shapes a dog’s social skills and connection with humans.

The ongoing domestication of dogs is a fascinating process that reflects the changing needs and lifestyles of humans. As people increasingly seek pets that can offer companionship, dogs are evolving to become more attuned to human emotions and needs.

The role of oxytocin in shaping this relationship highlights the biological basis for the bond between humans and dogs. Dogs are continuing to adapt to fit into our modern urban lives. Whether this represents a new era in the domestication of dogs remains to be seen, but it’s clear that our canine companions are evolving in response to the demands of the modern world.

Damjan