Can skulls reveal the secret history of dog breeds? – Science Friday

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This educational resource is part of the The Science of Dogs spotlight
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Known as “Humans’ best friend,” dogs are the first domesticated animals, but when did the domestication of these creatures begin? And when did dogs start to diversify into the breeds we know today? Bioarchaeologist Carly Ameen joins Science Friday to discuss her research on how modern dogs were bred from ancient wolves.
Eurasian gray wolves were the first animals to be domesticated, a process that began about 30,000 to 50,000 years ago when wolves slowly went from a wild existence to one dependent on humans. Today, scientists like Dr. Ameen are studying the prehistoric skulls of canids (dogs and relatives) to determine when wolves began to diversify into the various dog breeds we know today.
But what is a dog breed, and how are breeds defined? Breeds are a way of grouping dogs with consistent, observable characteristics that they can inherit. Selective breeding is when people choose the characteristics they like in animals and mate them, hoping to pass those traits on to the next generation. We can see evidence of changes in characteristics over time by looking at differences in skull structure.
For example, the French bulldog is a small dog with an underbite (a protruding lower jaw), small ears, and a pushed-in nose. What characteristics would you use to describe a breed like a standard poodle (below)? Try to focus on its head shape. Like the French bulldog, its ancestor is the gray wolf.
Dr. Ameen’s research shows that changes in skull shape began as far back as 10,000 to 11,000 years ago! Wolf skulls suddenly started to transform from long, slender shapes into “boxy” shapes with a wider space for the brain and shorter noses. And from there, diversification sped up, creating a wide range of sizes and shapes in canid skulls. When Dr. Ameen examined skulls from 8,000 to 9,000 years ago—just 2,000 years later—she saw evidence of almost half of modern dog breeds.
After you’ve watched the video about Dr. Carly Ameen’s research, think about the following questions:
This is a high-resolution CT scan of an Arctic gray wolf’s head showing its skull from multiple angles. What do you notice?
Credit: Czeibert, K., Nagy, G., Csörgő, T. et al. in Scientific Data
This is a high-resolution CT scan of a French bulldog’s head showing its skull from multiple angles. What do you notice?
Credit: Czeibert, K., Nagy, G., Csörgő, T. et al. in Scientific Data
This is a high-resolution CT scan of a standard poodle’s head showing its skull from multiple angles. What do you notice?
Credit: Czeibert, K., Nagy, G., Csörgő, T. et al. in Scientific Data
This is a high-resolution CT scan of a Czechoslovakian wolfdog’s head showing its skull from multiple angles. It is a cross between a gray wolf and a German shepherd. What do you wonder?
Credit: Czeibert, K., Nagy, G., Csörgő, T. et al. in Scientific Data
Dr. Carly Ameen is a bioarcheologist and lecturer at the University of Exeter in the UK.
A bioarchaeologist is a scientist who combines biology, the study of life, with archaeology, the study of human history through artifacts, or objects. By examining bones and skeletal remains from ancient sites, a bioarchaeologist reconstructs the lives and characteristics of past human populations.
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K-12 Education     Beyond The Classroom
Credits:
Lesson by Svea Andersen
Copyediting by Erica Williams
Developmental editing by Sandy Roberts
Digital production by Sandy Roberts
Featured artwork for the activity by Fai Kosciolek
Original audio production by Charles Bergquist
Host Flora Lichtman
Svea Anderson is a twenty-year veteran educator who embraces challenges and consistently seeks opportunities for new learning.
Using 11,000-year old dog genomes, scientists have traced the evolution of the domesticated dog.
In this activity, students will observe three “mystery” mammal skulls and compare and contrast the features of each skull. Students will learn the anatomical terms for skull features…
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