The 

dog or domestic dog (Canis familiaris[4][5]) is a domesticated descendant of

the ancient, extinct wolf which is characterised by an upturning tail. It belongs to
the genus Canis. The dog is derived from an ancient, extinct wolf,[6][7] and the
modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative.[8] The dog was the first species
to be domesticated,[9][8] by hunter–gatherers over 15,000 years ago,[7] before the
development of agriculture.[1]
Due to their long association with humans, dogs have expanded to a large
number of domestic individuals[10] and gained the ability to thrive on a starch-
rich diet that would be inadequate for other canids.[11] Over the millennia, dogs
became uniquely adapted to human behavior, and the human-canine bond has
been a topic of frequent study.[12]
The dog has been selectively bred over millennia for various behaviors, sensory
capabilities, and physical attributes.[13] Dog breeds vary widely in shape, size,
and color. They perform many roles for humans, such
as hunting, herding, pulling loads, protection, assisting police and
the military, companionship, therapy, and aiding disabled people. This influence
on human society has given them the sobriquet of "man's best friend."
Domestication
Main article:  Origin of the domestic dog
The earliest remains generally accepted to be those of a domesticated dog were
discovered in Bonn-Oberkassel, Germany. Contextual, isotopic, genetic, and
morphological evidence shows that this dog was not a local wolf.[21] The dog
was dated to 14,223 years ago and was found buried along with a man and a
woman, all three having been sprayed with red hematite powder and buried
under large, thick basalt blocks. The dog had died of canine distemper.[22] Earlier
remains dating back to 30,000 years ago have been described as Paleolithic
dogs but their status as dogs or wolves remains debated[23] because
considerable morphological diversity existed among wolves during the Late
Pleistocene.[1]
This timing indicates that the dog was the first species to be domesticated [9][8] in
the time of hunter–gatherers,[7] which predates agriculture.[1] DNA
sequences show that all ancient and modern dogs share a common ancestry and
descended from an ancient, extinct wolf population which was distinct from
the modern wolf lineage.[6][7] Most dogs form a sister group to the remains of a
Late Pleistocene wolf found in the Kessleroch cave near Thayngen in the canton
of Schaffhausen, Switzerland, which dates to 14,500 years ago. The most recent
common ancestor of both is estimated to be from 32,100 years ago.[24] This
indicates that an extinct Late Pleistocene wolf may have been the ancestor of the
dog,[8][1][25] with the modern wolf being the dog's nearest living relative.[8]
The dog is a classic example of a domestic animal that likely travelled
a commensal pathway into domestication.[23][26] The questions of when and where
dogs were first domesticated have taxed geneticists and archaeologists for
decades.[9] Genetic studies suggest a domestication process commencing over
25,000 years ago, in one or several wolf populations in either Europe, the high
Arctic, or eastern Asia.[10] In 2021, a literature review of the current
evidence infers that the dog was domesticated in Siberia 23,000 years ago
by ancient North Siberians, then later dispersed eastward into the Americas and
westward across Eurasia.[21]
Breeds
Main article:  Dog breed
Further information: Dog type

Dog breeds show a range of phenotypic variation

Dogs are the most variable mammal on earth with around 450 globally
recognized dog breeds.[10] In the Victorian era, directed
human selection developed the modern dog breeds, which resulted in a vast
range of phenotypes.[8] Most breeds were derived from small numbers of
founders within the last 200 years,[8][10] and since then dogs have undergone
rapid phenotypic change and were formed into today's modern breeds due
to artificial selection imposed by humans. The skull, body, and limb proportions
vary significantly between breeds, with dogs displaying more phenotypic
diversity than can be found within the entire order of carnivores. These breeds
possess distinct traits related to morphology, which include body size, skull
shape, tail phenotype, fur type and colour.[8] Their behavioural traits include
guarding, herding, and hunting,[8] retrieving, and scent detection. Their
personality traits include hypersocial behavior, boldness, and aggression,
[10]
 which demonstrates the functional and behavioral diversity of dogs.[8] As a
result, today dogs are the most abundant carnivore species and are dispersed
around the world.[10] The most striking example of this dispersal is that of the
numerous modern breeds of European lineage during the Victorian era.[7]
Biology
Anatomy
Main article:  Dog anatomy
Skeleton

A lateral view of a dog skeleton

All healthy dogs, regardless of their size and type, have an
identical skeletal structure with the exception of the number of bones in the tail,
although there is significant skeletal variation between dogs of different types. [27]
[28]
 The dog’s skeleton is well adapted for running; the vertebrae on the neck and
back have extensions for powerful back muscles to connect to, the long ribs
provide plenty of room for the heart and lungs, and the shoulders are unattached
to the skeleton allowing great flexibility.[27][28]
Compared to the dog's wolf-like ancestors, selective breeding since
domestication has seen the dog’s skeleton greatly enhanced in size for larger
types as mastiffs and miniaturised for smaller types such
as terriers; dwarfism has been selectively utilised for some types where short
legs are advantageous such as dachshunds and corgis.[28] Most dogs naturally
have 26 vertebrae in their tails, but some with naturally short tails have as few as
three.[27]
The dog's skull has identical components regardless of breed type, but there is
significant divergence in terms of skull shape between types.[28][29] The three
basic skull shapes are the elongated dolichocephalic type as seen in sighthounds,
the intermediate mesocephalic or mesaticephalic type, and the very short and
broad brachycephalic type exemplified by mastiff type skulls.[28][29]
Senses
Further information: Dog anatomy §  Senses
A dog's senses include vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and sensitivity to
Earth's magnetic field. Another study has suggested that dogs can see Earth's
magnetic field.[30]
Coat
Main article:  Coat (dog)

Dogs display wide variation in coat type, density, length, color, and composition
The coats of domestic dogs are of two varieties: "double" being familiar with
dogs (as well as wolves) originating from colder climates, made up of a
coarse guard hair and a soft down hair, or "single," with the topcoat only. Breeds
may have an occasional "blaze," stripe, or "star" of white fur on their chest or
underside.[31] Premature graying can occur in dogs from as early as one year of
age; this is associated with impulsive behaviors, anxiety behaviors, fear of noise,
and fear of unfamiliar people or animals.[32]
Tail
There are many different shapes for dog tails: straight, straight up, sickle, curled,
or corkscrew. As with many canids, one of the primary functions of a dog's tail
is to communicate their emotional state, which can be crucial in getting along
with others. In some hunting dogs the tail is traditionally docked to avoid
injuries.
Health
Main article:  Dog health
Some breeds of dogs are prone to specific genetic ailments such
as elbow and hip dysplasia, blindness, deafness, pulmonic stenosis, cleft palate,
and trick knees. Two severe medical conditions significantly affecting dogs
are pyometra, affecting unspayed females of all breeds and ages, and Gastric
dilatation volvulus (bloat), which affects larger breeds or deep-chested dogs.
Both of these are acute conditions and can kill rapidly. Dogs are also susceptible
to parasites such as fleas, ticks, mites, hookworms, tapeworms, roundworms,
and heartworms, which is a roundworm species that lives in the hearts of dogs.
Several human foods and household ingestibles are toxic to dogs,
including chocolate solids, causing theobromine poisoning, onions and garlic,
causing thiosulphate, sulfoxide or disulfide poisoning, grapes and raisins, macad
amia nuts, and xylitol.[33] The nicotine in tobacco can also be dangerous to dogs.
Signs of ingestion can include copious vomiting (e.g., from eating cigar butts)
or diarrhea. Some other symptoms are abdominal pain, loss of coordination,
collapse, or death.[34][page  needed]
Dogs are also vulnerable to some of the same health conditions as humans,
including diabetes, dental and heart disease, epilepsy, cancer, hypothyroidism,
and arthritis.[citation needed]
Lifespan
Further information: Aging in dogs
The typical lifespan of dogs varies widely among breeds, but for most, the
median longevity (the age at which half the dogs in a population have died and
half are still alive) ranges from 10 to 13 years.[35][36] The median longevity
of mixed-breed dogs, taken as an average of all sizes, is one or more years
longer than that of purebred dogs when all breeds are averaged.[35][36][37] For dogs
in England, increased body weight has been found to be negatively correlated
with longevity (i.e., the heavier the dog, the shorter its lifespan), and mixed-
breed dogs live on average 1.2 years longer than purebred dogs.[38]