Their behavioral characteristics have been studied and observed for many decades by researchers, and much has been published about their social dynamics, hunting behavior and territorial nature. Governed by their instincts, wolves, both in the wild and in captivity, exhibit behavior that is relatively consistent. The genes they express, have been altered to varying degrees from their wild counterpart and help them live that domestic life well (Addams, and Miller 2012). In essence, the selective breeding process has put a different set of pressures on dogs, shaping them so that they are more dependent on humans for their survival and make them flexible to our way of living. Through this process, a dog’s behavior, life cycle and physiology have become permanently altered from that of a wolf. Dogs evolved from a common ancestor with the wolf through a centuries-long process of domestication. The genetics that they express in the environments that they live in allow them to survive, without the help of humans.ĭomestication is the process by which a wild animal adapts to living with humans by being selectively bred by humans over thousands of years. Wolves are wild animals, and they are shaped by evolutionary pressures that allow them to find food, keep themselves safe, and produce offspring. WolfLink Virtual Learning for adults & groupsĭespite their shared ancestry and ability to interbreed, these two species are very different.