| For years, scientists theorize that dogs might not | | | | mixed breed dog. They are hybrid dogs that |
| have descended from wolves at all. Then there | | | | come from two different purebred dogs even if |
| are many who believe they did. Many people | | | | both parents are a Goldendoodle. All |
| also believe wolves are scavengers living amongst | | | | Goldendoodles originate from the Poodle and the |
| human societies. Perhaps it was the animals | | | | Golden Retriever, when all is said and done. |
| who were able to get closer to humans, who | | | | The Goldendoodle dog has been evolving since |
| had better access to their food supply and that | | | | early 1997. With the first known mixes coming |
| is why they were the ones to survive the | | | | out of Australia, it is hotly debated whether the |
| best. Dogs, centuries ago, were not hybrids, | | | | first known Goldendoodle mix came from Canada |
| mixed breeds or purebred. They were simply | | | | or Australia. But there is no need for |
| wild canid that probably descended from some | | | | argument. I am very positive Golden |
| original proto-canid that is an ancestor to every | | | | Retrievers have bred to Poodles since both |
| dog we know of, today. | | | | purebred dogs have been in existence. They |
| Sometimes a mixed breed dog will resemble a | | | | just didn't have a cutesy "doodle" name attached |
| wolf and sometimes your dog may remind you | | | | to them. Dogs themselves have been evolving |
| of a wolf with the way they behave or act. It | | | | for thousands of years. Why purebred fanatics |
| has been largely debunked, the notion that | | | | become so angry over the idea of the |
| humans plucked wolf cubs out of a den and | | | | Goldendoodle dog, is beyond me. Every |
| domesticated them. It is much more likely that | | | | purebred dog known today began as a mixed |
| the first dog types decided to start living around | | | | breed dog. |
| humans because their food supply was easier to | | | | They had been perpetuating themselves based |
| obtain. It is also doubtful that our ancestors | | | | on survival, but dogs of mixed heritage are |
| took the time to socialize wolves and put so | | | | actually closer to the original dog than |
| much effort into raising dogs as we do in today's | | | | purebreds. In the wild, dogs and wolves do |
| society. More than likely dogs of yesterday | | | | not chose to breed to each other on their own. |
| were tolerated and played with. Some may | | | | They are, after all, a different species. While I |
| have even run away after they grew up. People | | | | am not sure why many people believe the wolf |
| back in the day did not put so much emphasis on | | | | came first, I am sure all dogs can eventually be |
| their canine pets as they do today. | | | | found to come from a common ancestor. |
| In the 1950s, a Russian geneticist by the name | | | | Whom that ancestor is…well, that's a big |
| of Dmitri Belyaev, proved that within 20 | | | | question isn't it? We will never know for sure |
| generations, Russian silver foxes that were kept | | | | which came first. We will never know for sure |
| in captivity on a fox farm, developed traits that | | | | who that original common ancestor is. |
| very closely resembled dogs. They had floppy | | | | Over 10,000 years ago, small wolf like canine |
| ears; Piebald coats and had a tendency to bark | | | | ranged far and wide. Some scientists have |
| entirely more than wild canine. | | | | named these small wolf like creatures "Canis |
| The history of dogs is a hotly debated topic. So | | | | Lupus". According to Janice Koler-Matznick, |
| much so that there are literally forums where | | | | she says the only reason they were named |
| people do nothing but argue in circles. Sort of | | | | "Canis Lupus" is because no one thought the dog |
| like which came first? The chicken or the | | | | could be that old. Fossils from early canine are |
| egg? Although your Goldendoodle may not | | | | approx. 25,000 to 100,000 years old and they are |
| realize what all the commotion is about, he or | | | | entirely smaller than wolves. Koler-Matznick |
| she has come quite a long way since the early | | | | believes one or some of these fossils may even |
| 1990s. "Designer mutt" isn't really the correct | | | | belong to a domestic dog. She believes that |
| way to think about the Goldendoodle. They | | | | there are a lot of ancestor candidates out there |
| aren't designer dogs. They certainly are not a | | | | that we have yet to investigate. |