Isabelle Groc - Conservation Canines: How Dogs Work for the Environment

Modern dogs are descendants of wolves.
James Gritz and R A Kearton/Getty Images

During the summer of 2018, locals found the remains of an 18,000-year-old puppy buried in a frozen lump of mud near Yakutsk, a city in eastern Siberia, Russia. Preserved by permafrost, the animals parts were remarkably intact, including its nose, fur, whiskers and teeth. Researchers suggest the animal was just two months old when it died, although they do not know the cause of death. What is intriguing about this discovery is that the scientists who conducted initial DNA tests were not able to define the puppy as a wolf, dog or wolf-dog, which shows there is still much to learn about the origin of dogs. Further tests might provide more insight into exactly when dogs were domesticated. In the meantime, since it has been established that the puppy is a male, the scientists have named him Dogor, which means friend in the Yakut language.

As wolves transformed into dogs, they became closely integrated with humans lives, in more ways than any other animal. People discovered dogs potential as working companions in a variety of environments. Ancient drawings, sculptures and rock carvings dating back 4,000 to 9,000 years suggest that humans used dogs in working roles such as herding , hunting and guarding. In Europe and Asia during this time, dogs helped shepherds protect their goats and sheep from predators such as brown bears, lynxes and gray wolves.

Larane, a Kangal shepherd, watches over a sheep herd on an organic cheese farm in southwest France. Owners Raymonde Etcharry and Alain Domini have nine livestock guardian dogs (Kangals and patous) who help protect their animals from stray dogs and bears.

In Central Portugal, a farmer interacts with a Spanish mastiff, a large livestock guardian dog who helps protect sheep against predator attacks.

Dogs accompanied shepherds and flocks to different grazing areas on daily short journeys to a pasture or mountain, or on longer seasonal migrations that could take several months, traveling along valleys and across mountains to get from winter to summer grazing areas, a movement called transhumance . Shepherds selected those dogs with behaviors and physical characteristics that made them good at their jobs, and over time the dogs developed into specific breeds with those attributes. The dogs were often large, with big heads.

The practice of keeping livestock guardian dogs spread into many regions, thanks initially to the migration of nomadic peoples, who traveled with dogs. Today there are approximately 50 recognized breeds of livestock guardian dogs. Most come from Europe and Asia, are specific to a single country or region and are adapted to different environments and the needs of local shepherds. Their colors and hair coats vary, but they have certain qualities in common: in addition to their large size (meant to impress predators), they are trustworthy, protective and attentive to the flock or herd. You will learn more about guarding canines in chapter 2.