As a species, dogs (i.e. Canis familiaris) emerged from wolves, but not in the usual evolutionary sense. They were selectively bred from a now extinct population of wolves by humans and ‘transformed’ into domestic dogs over the course of several generations.
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There are many theories as to how wolves were tamed and exactly when this event took place, but it’s widely agreed that by 14,200 years ago, humans were hunting alongside domesticated canine companions.
A few thousand years later, roughly 9,500 years ago, a band of humans travelled to Star Carr, a small area just five miles south of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, and brought some furry friends with them.
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This site has yielded many different archaeological artifacts, including the thigh bones of several domestic dogs - perhaps the first to set foot in the UK. These prehistoric pooches were a lot more wolf-like than today’s dogs, but by this point several distinct breeds may have already started to emerge.
Since then, more than 60 recognised dog breeds have originated in the UK, from traditional working dogs breeds like the border collie to fashionable toy breeds like the King Charles spaniel. The Welsh terrier and the English toy terrier are two of the oldest dog breeds native to the UK, with records of both dating back to the times of Henry VIII and perhaps even earlier to the 13th century.