New review paper argues domestic dogs can help anthropological studies

Dogs offer unique evolutionary models

Evolutionary anthropologists often study primates like chimps or apes to understand human biology. However, a new review suggests the domestic dog is an equally informative animal right under our noses. This paper was written by Kyle Smith, who serves as a postdoctoral research scholar within NC State's College of Veterinary Medicine. He points out that canines have shared existence with people for a minimum of 14,000 years and likely even more. During that time, they evolved specific traits to live among people around the world.

Shared adaptations reveal human history

Dogs have evolved predispositions to form social relationships with humans, making them useful for studying communication evolution. Researchers can examine dog skeletons found at archaeological sites to learn about past human lives. Testing the DNA of these animals reveals human migrations or trade networks that spread dogs globally. Isotopic tests on bones show what dogs ate, which informs researchers about the diets of ancient people.

Lactose digestion gene connection

One famous example of recent evolution is how human populations consuming dairy evolved to digest lactose as adults. To Smith's surprise, selection for this specific gene has occurred within certain groups of dogs as well. Studying this trait in dogs might help scientists understand more about the complex nature of dairy consumption in humans.