The world's first dogs were bred from wolves nearly 16,000 years ago
Recent genetic analysis of a puppy skull found in Turkey reveals that humans transformed wolves into loyal companions nearly 16,000 years ago, pushing the history of dog domestication back by five millennia.
The bond between humans and dogs began much earlier than previously thought. Genetic sequencing of a small female pup discovered at the Pınarbaşı site in central Turkey confirms it was a fully domesticated dog living 15,800 years ago. This discovery pushes back the timeline of our 'best friends' by nearly 5,000 years, revealing that these animals had already diverged significantly from their wolf ancestors.
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