Can domesticated dogs like domestic dogs tame?

Have you ever wondered why wolves can be domesticated into domestic dogs? What are the special characteristics between these two species?

James Gorman is sitting in an outdoor barn with 4 small animals. They were holding his hand, biting his hat and hair and making him feel like joy.

They are 8 weeks old, about 60cm long, weigh about 3.5kg. Sometimes they growled, licking James's face like people you haven't seen for a long time.

At first glance you will imagine in their heads these puppies, but in fact these are wolves. When they mature they can weigh up to 45kg, hard teeth are enough to bite deer bones.

Studies on the correlation and differences between wolves and domestic dogs are still being done by scientists - (Photo: Renaud Philippe).

With ancestors, many differences

These wolves were kept in stables since they were not opened, so farmers could easily access and do experiments. However, they still have to be careful because of their underlying hunting instincts.

For example, if they become ill or injured, they will avoid entering the barn to limit the possible predator reactions. Or no one can make wolves play like dogs.

Although there are same ancestors, wolves and domestic dogs are still different. About the body, wolf teeth are harder. In addition, wolves reproduce only once a year, while domestic dogs are twice.

In terms of behavior, wolf trainers say that even though they are nurtured equally, the hunting instincts are more likely to explode in wolves, according to the BBC. Other studies show wolves take more care of their children, and they are less close to people like domestic dogs.

The only large carnivorous species is domesticated

The wolves are playing together - (Photo: Renaud Philippe).

Wolves are highly socially conscious. They live in tight colonies, raise children together and hunt together. This feature is not visible in modern dogs, although the hypothesis suggests that domestication makes this animal more gentle and cute.

To test the possibility of cooperation between two species, scientists have conducted a basic behavioral experiment, called a rope pull challenge. In it, each pair of dogs assigned to pull a string together to pull the food tray closer to them with a reward of fresh meat.

As a result, dogs only succeed twice out of 472 attempts. Meanwhile, wolves succeed 100 times in 416 attempts.

"Wolves cooperate significantly and show close social ties, while most domestic dogs don't work together, maybe because they don't want to clash with each other," said Marshall-Pescini, Ph.D. Veterinary University in Vienna, Austria - who conducted the study, said.

Dr. Krishna Veeramah from Stony Brook University in New York, USA, says wolves are the only large predator that is domesticated.

"Maybe the social properties of wolves are the key to domestication, and these studies help suggest a more holistic picture of this process," Krishna explained.

Pure from 15,000 years ago

Most scientists believe that domestic dogs have been domesticated from wolf species more than 15,000 years ago. However, tamed here is not to take a wolf out of the cave to take home.

In the past, wolves and ordinary people competed for food together, however, some wolves gradually tended to find and eat leftovers left by hunters.

Slowly these children become afraid of people, connect more closely with people, and they also eat more and lay more children, which bring a type of DNA that is more friendly than Wolf. So, the first domestic dogs were born.

Over time, humans tamed these puppies and cross-breed for generations, wolves evolved into domestic dogs.

In addition, according to The New York Times, a few previous studies have suggested that home dogs' friendliness is similar to the results of Williams syndrome - a genetic disorder in humans that can create friendliness. The society in the sick is higher than the average person.