Perfect companions: Researchers have discovered that dogs are entering a new stage of evolution.

Just a few decades ago, dogs were primarily working animals – they hunted, herded livestock, and guarded homes. Today, people are more in need of a friendly companion that is well-suited to a sedentary lifestyle. Dogs have "heard" this call and entered a new phase of evolution, which scientists refer to as the third wave of dog domestication, writes DailyMail.

What the Research Revealed

Back in 2017, researchers from the Swedish University of Linköping studied how dogs developed their unique ability to work alongside humans, including their willingness to "ask for help" in difficult situations. The researchers suspected that the hormone oxytocin influenced this trait in dogs, playing a crucial role in social relationships.

The effects of oxytocin depend on how well it binds to the relevant receptors within cells. The study demonstrated that dogs' social skills are partially rooted in their genetics – specifically, in the genes that control sensitivity to oxytocin.

The scientists observed 60 golden retrievers. The dogs were tasked with opening a jar of treats that, according to the experiment's design, was impossible to open. DNA swabs were also taken from the dogs' noses to determine which variant of the oxytocin receptor each had.

The dogs underwent the test twice: once after receiving a dose of nasal oxytocin spray, and again after a dose of neutral saline nasal spray.

The results indicated that dogs with a specific genetic variant of the receptor had a stronger reaction to the oxytocin spray than other dogs. Additionally, the oxytocin dose prompted them to seek help more often than the saline dose.

This allows us to understand how domestication has altered the genes that influence dogs' social skills.

The Third Wave of Domestication

As the role of dogs has shifted from workers to companions over the years, their behavior has also changed. Perhaps their biology has too, say canine researchers Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods, who are currently studying the behavior of service dogs.

Their research showed that service dogs are "uniquely well-suited to life in the 21st century." They are "highly skilled professionals" capable of assisting their owners in completing tasks and remaining calm and quiet when not working. Moreover, they possess a uniquely friendly disposition.

"The increase in friendliness seems to have changed the biology of these dogs, much like it did thousands of years ago. Service dogs integrate into their human's life in a way that many working dog owners wish their pets would fit into their lives,” the researchers state.

Today, more and more dogs live in densely populated areas where they frequently interact with unfamiliar dogs and people. This shift has led to certain behaviors that have caused once-adaptable dogs to become maladaptive. For example, "guarding against strangers can complicate a dog's walk in the neighborhood."

Vanessa Woods and Brian Hare believe that new social pressures have triggered the third wave of dog domestication, with service dogs being the most advanced members of this new pack.

The researchers are convinced that people must actively facilitate dogs' transition through this new evolutionary stage, particularly by training animals more as service dogs.