Example of evolution evolving a new feature in dogs (new muscles)

[Hank77]

Aren't dogs a different species from wolves, like the zebra is different from the horse?

Wolves and dogs can interbreed and their offspring are not sterile. They are the same species. The wolf, coyote, jackal, dingo, and domestic dog all have 39 pairs of chromosomes.

Horses and zebras are difficult to breed and get a viable offspring and those offspring are sterile. They have different numbers of chromosomes.
Horses and donkeys can easily breed and get viable offspring but the offspring are sterile over 99% of the time. It's almost unheard of for a mule not to be sterile.

 

[Hank77]

If the cavemen developed dogs by breeding the friendliest wolves why wouldn't it work today?

It does. We had a neighbor who had 3 wolf dogs, half wolf, half dog. My in-law had a dog who was breed to a coyote, she had puppies. He kept one and she had puppies. They are called coydogs.

There are coywolves in the wild.
Coywolf - Wikipedia

 

[OldWiseGuy]

It does. We had a neighbor who had 3 wolf dogs, half wolf, half dog. My in-law had a dog who was breed to a coyote, she had puppies. He kept one and she had puppies. They are called coydogs.

There are coywolves in the wild.
Coywolf - Wikipedia

I meant limiting the program to wolves only.

 

[Hank77]

I meant limiting the program to wolves only.

Oh, I think I see what you mean. Start over domesticating wolves to eventually have breeds of dogs. I doubt that there are many people who would want to invest time and money into such a project. What would be the point? I'm not sure how many breeding pairs of wolves you would need but it would be many in order to avoid inbreeding.

 

[Brightmoon]

If the cavemen developed dogs by breeding the friendliest wolves why wouldn't it work today?

it does work. a Russian experiment done with foxes over decades ( Canis vulpes) demonstrated this . The foxes developed a few domestic dog traits as well that normally don’t show up in foxes and they showed little stress around humans

 

[pitabread]

If the cavemen developed dogs by breeding the friendliest wolves why wouldn't it work today?

I'd misread what you had written. Disregard.

Others have already replied accordingly.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

it does work. a Russian experiment done with foxes over decades ( Canis vulpes) demonstrated this . The foxes developed a few domestic dog traits as well that normally don’t show up in foxes and they showed little stress around humans

Did they start to look like dogs or just behave like dogs?

 

[Occams Barber]

Did they start to look like dogs or just behave like dogs?

Both.

See for yourself
What DNA From Pet Foxes Teaches Us About Dogs—And Humans
OB

 

[xianghua]

They're not wolves though. Which is the point; domesticated dogs have evolved a muscle and ability to produce expressions not found in wolves.

how do you know that it didnt lost in the wolves lieange?

 

[tampasteve]

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