How Did Dogs and Humans Become Friends?
- Inseo (Victoria) Zo
- Mar 29
- 3 min read
Dogs and humans share a profound affection for each other. Dogs give infinite love to humans; sometimes, that love becomes the motivation to live for people. Two main reasons lie behind this firm relationship between the two species: a lasting friendship throughout history and an irresistible physiological interaction.
When did the relationship between dogs and humans begin?
About 30,000 years ago, some wolves began scavenging food near humans. Humans offered these wolves food and protection, and in return, the wolves helped with hunting, forming a mutually beneficial relationship. Over thousands of years, the domesticated wolves bred and gradually evolved into the dogs we know today. During this long process, the bond between humans and dogs grew stronger as well
Historical background
Formation of a Symbiotic Relationship
Early humans and wolves developed a close relationship because they benefited from each other. Humans could utilize wolves' sense of smell and alertness, while wolves found food and safety in their human-made environment. This mutual benefit strengthened their relationship.
Human Selection
Over time, humans preferred and bred wolves that were less aggressive, more docile, or more useful in hunting and guarding. This repeated selection led to the emergence of a growing number of dogs with personalities and abilities well suited to humans.
Development of Dog Social Cognition
During their evolution, dogs have significantly developed the ability to understand human gestures, facial expressions, and voices. This has enabled them to better communicate and cooperate with humans, deepening their relationships.
Commonalities as Social Animals
Humans and dogs are both social animals that live in groups. Their similar behavioral patterns, which emphasize cooperation and communication, have allowed them to understand each other better and easily form bonds.
The physiological gumption of oxytocin in humans and its acute response to human-dog interactions
To elaborate, another physiological reason that leads to their good relationship is due to the interaction of the oxytocin hormone, a result of a long evolutionary process. When dogs and people make eye contact and communicate, oxytocin secretion increases, which makes them feel 'love' and 'trust' for each other, like a mother and a baby, which acts as a key hormone that forms a family-like bond and intimacy.
The role of Oxytocin hormone
Hormone of love and trust: Oxytocin facilitates social interaction and conjugal love. It is called the ‘love hormone’
Increasing interaction: When the dog and the owner make eye contact, oxytocin concentrations are simultaneously elevated in humans and dogs.
Bonding: This is the same physiological response that creates the bond between parent and child, creating a deep emotional bond between different species.
Evolutionary and genetic factors
The evolution of domestication: Unlike wolves, dogs live alongside humans, and through their domestication, they have undergone specific genetic modifications that have made them more sociable and friendly toward humans.
Herd living instinct: Dogs, as social animals, recognize humans as part of their pack and follow them out of instinct for protection.
Genetic similarities: Dogs exhibit genetic traits similar to those of humans known as Williams-Bouren Syndrome, resulting in highly sociable and friendly personalities. The syndrome is caused by a defect in chromosome 7 in humans, which causes symptoms such as heart defects, facial features, and an overly extroverted personality. In dogs, the same genes that are altered in humans to cause the syndrome have naturally gone through genetic changes, which result in dogs possessing traits such as extreme friendliness and trusting strangers.
Conclusion
The reason dogs and humans have positive affections is not just because of the species’ affectionate appearances. There are various reasons, such as the long period of time that led to a buildup of a symbiotic relationship and the Oxytocin hormone, which allows for the biological mechanisms for feeling affection for one another to be established over a long period of evolution.
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