# DNA study hints aailability of grains key to evolution of wolves to dogs



## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

*another article*

Another article...similar but with a few more tid bits




> Diet Shaped Dog Domestication
> 
> Fido may prefer steak, but his digestive system is also geared up for rice and potatoes. That's the conclusion of a new study, which finds that dogs have evolved to eat a more varied diet than their wolf ancestors. The shift parallels genetic changes seen in people and bolsters the idea that dogs and humans share similar evolutionary stories.
> 
> ...


http://news.sciencemag.org/plants-a...7500-6510-11e2-85f5-a8a9228e55e7_story_1.html


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## janet6567 (Mar 11, 2014)

Very interesting articles. I have always been interested in wolf behavior. A bit off the subject, but Jodi Picoult's book _Lone Wolf_ is quite interesting. Part of the plot centers around a man who spent years studying wolf pack behaviors and was even accepted into several packs as a member. It is fiction, but quite interesting.


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## Countryboy (May 16, 2011)

The theory that Canids and humans got close thru Wolves 'raiding the middens' for scraps always made good sense to me. So this is really interesting new evidence. Co-evolution. I like that!


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

janet6567 said:


> Very interesting articles. I have always been interested in wolf behavior. A bit off the subject, but Jodi Picoult's book _Lone Wolf_ is quite interesting. Part of the plot centers around a man who spent years studying wolf pack behaviors and was even accepted into several packs as a member. It is fiction, but quite interesting.


That sounds like a neat book to read. 

Have you read any David Mech? He's considered the world expert on wolves...some good reading...

Wolf: The Ecology and Behavior of an Endangered Species: David Mech: 9780816610266: Amazon.com: Books

Books - L. David Mech


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## Poodlebeguiled (May 27, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> The theory that Canids and humans got close thru Wolves 'raiding the middens' for scraps always made good sense to me. So this is really interesting new evidence. Co-evolution. I like that!


It is extremely fascinating stuff to me. I've been researching evolution of the domestic dog off and on for about the last 10-12 years, some of it for my book. And this theory is explained beautifully in a book I read, although there is controversy with the theory...lots of ideas out there circulating around. Anyhow, take a look at this thread. http://www.poodleforum.com/5-poodle-talk/99041-dogs-startling-new-understanding.html#post1135081


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## Luce (Mar 4, 2013)

It sounds very credible. The number of genes a particular dog has for digesting starch most likely explains why some dogs tolerate grains better then others. More genes for digesting grains = better digestion of grains, less genes for digesting grains = poorer digesting of grains or "allergies".


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