Dogs helped man out-compete with Neanderthals

[Still Waters]

Dogs could have been the deciding factor which enabled modern humans to out-compete with Neanderthals and colonise Europe, researchers claim.

Man's relationship with his best friend has lasted 32,000 years, with cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers using dogs to carry supplies so that they could save their energy for hunting.

The bond between man and dog arose at around the time Neanderthals began to surrender their dominance over Europe, which had lasted for the previous 250,000 years.

Now experts have suggested the domestication of dogs, and the benefit it gave to their masters, could have played a key rule in the demise of the Neanderthals and supremacy of humans.

http://www.telegraph...anderthals.html

[hoplite]

A dog really is a mans best friend.

[Doctor manhattan]

true dat.

[Starflower]

More than just helping carry food and supplies, dogs likely helped with hunting, protected us from predators, were natural alarms to danger, and kept us warm at night. I think the relationship we have with dogs is quite amazing.

[Ealdwita]

Are you trying to tell me that dogs perform tasks other than snoring in front of the fire, eating, passing wind and dribbling on the carpet? I'd better have a word with my two!!!

[Sakari]

More than just helping carry food and supplies, dogs likely helped with hunting, protected us from predators, were natural alarms to danger, and kept us warm at night. I think the relationship we have with dogs is quite amazing.

I prefer " the relationship dogs have with us "......

They have un conditional love, we do not.....They make the relationship what it is, we do not.

Are you trying to tell me that dogs perform tasks other than snoring in front of the fire, eating, passing wind and dribbling on the carpet? I'd better have a word with my two!!!

[TheSpoonyOne]

These days it would have been considered 'speciesism' and demonstrations would be popping up to demand an end to 'Neanderthal Genocide'.

[marcos anthony toledo]

Wouldnot the Neanderthal have not done the same a domescated canines themselves they had the time to do it.

[TheSpoonyOne]

Why didn't Africans domesticate hyenas or cape hunting dogs? Why did they never domesticate Zebras for use in riding or battle? Some things just don't happen despite having the time to do so I guess.

[csspwns]

arent neanderthals the same as humans? except like more ancient?

[BaneSilvermoon]

Neanderthals existed along side of what became modern man, sharing a common ancestor further back in the chain. But I know there are a couple people around here who can explain this in far more accurate detail than I can so I'll leave it at that for now.

[Drakester]

Why didn't Africans domesticate hyenas or cape hunting dogs? Why did they never domesticate Zebras for use in riding or battle? Some things just don't happen despite having the time to do so I guess.

I think the ancient Egyptians (or maybe the Nubian?) did try to domesticate hyenas and zebras but they never succeeded. I guess sosome animals are just more suited for domestication than others. Both zebras and hyenas are quite dangerous and much stronger than say, horses and wolves...

[Sakari]

arent neanderthals the same as humans? except like more ancient?

Kind of, they all live in New York.

[Corbinrow]

I watched a documentary about our early relationship with dogs. Friends over a garbage pile. Their first job was to guard our kids. That right there is a great survival advantage.

[ceanes]

Here an example of hyenas domesticated http://www.hemmy.net/2007/12/03/hyena-pet/

[Sakari]

Here an example of hyenas domesticated http://www.hemmy.net...2/03/hyena-pet/

But.....a hyena is not a dog, closer relation to a cat actually......

[Eldorado]

Aye.. hyenas helping you hunt always ends up with everyone rolling about laughing.

[+DieChecker]

I always thought the Neanderthals died out due to poor fertility. Experts say they had few children and barely managed to get to 50,000 individuals after that 250,000 years. Modern humans just out-procreated them, in my opinion. Probably shorter generations, with more children per female.

Dogs probably didn't hurt either. They could help in lots of ways, as was already mentioned.

[psyche101]

I prefer " the relationship dogs have with us "......

They have un conditional love, we do not.....They make the relationship what it is, we do not.

Ohh I do not know, I have come home many times to a happy puppy that has just torn open a garbage bag and had a feast on my bed. Or put my socks on to keep my feet warm on a cold morning only to walk into my home office and straight into a cold puddle of pee or near slip on a poo.

I still pick her up and give her a cuddle, I just cannot get mad at her. My love for our puppy is pretty unconditional I think.