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We may not be here if not for dogs. 70,000 years ago, when homo sapiens first emerged from Africa and began to make their way toward Europe, we were massively outnumbered by neanderthals, who had been around for a lot longer and were thriving. There are a lot of theories as to what caused the rise of the homo sapien and the demise of the neanderthal, but one theory suggests that the domestication of wild wolves into what would eventually become the dog may have a had a lot to do with it.
Dogs were the first animal we ever domesticated, and it may have been the smartest move we ever made. Homo sapiens didn’t have any real advantage — we weren’t particularly big, strong, fast or smart. We didn’t have exceptionally good eyesight, especially in the dark, or sense of smell. But in teaming up with the wolves, we filled in the gaps of our insufficiencies and gained a powerful ally that continues to aid us on a daily basis even up to the present. With their agility, keen eyesight and sense of smell, and speed, they helped us hunt. They helped us haul meat back to the others to share. They saved us time, made us more productive, and warned and protected us against predators.
In fact, some researchers have even hypothesized that one of our features, which is totally unique among primates — the visible whites of our eyes — may be in part related to this connection. Our eyes are more open and…
