Dogs
Dogs have lived alongside people longer than any other domesticated animal. Explore how wolves became dogs, how a nose can read the world like a map, why breeds became so different, and what science is still discovering about the bond between dogs and humans.
From Wolves to Dogs
Every dog, from a tiny terrier to a Great Dane, belongs to a domesticated lineage that began with ancient wolves.
A World Made of Smell
Humans notice a room with their eyes first. A dog often experiences the same place through scent.
Reading Each Other
Dogs and humans became unusually good at noticing one another’s gestures, voices and attention.
How Breeds Became So Different
Dogs show more visible body variation than almost any other mammal because humans selected traits very intensely.
How Dogs Learn
Dogs learn from consequences, repetition, observation and the social signals of people around them.
Working Beside Humans
Dogs use their senses and cooperation in jobs that range from finding people to protecting livestock and guiding humans.
Built to Move
Different dogs were shaped for sprinting, endurance, digging, swimming and pulling heavy loads.
Strange Dog Behaviours Explained
Many dog behaviours make more sense when viewed through scent, communication and inherited survival instincts.
Dogs Around the World
Human migration, climate and work produced dog populations adapted to very different places and cultures.
What Science Is Still Learning About Dogs
Living beside dogs for thousands of years has not answered every question about how they think, age and relate to us.