Dogs were travelling the world with humans over 10,000 years ago, with surprisingly diverse forms

Long before modern breeds like huskies, pugs or German shepherds existed, dogs were already journeying across continents with groups of humans. New research published in Science shows that dogs were not only living alongside people more than 10,000 years ago, but they were also far more varied in shape and size than we once imagined. These animals weren’t just companions — they were travellers, workers and cultural partners, sharing the adventures and struggles of early human societies. One team of researchers, led by Allowen Evin from the University of Montpellier, examined more than 600 skulls of ancient dogs and wolves, some dating as far back as 50,000 years. By comparing these skull shapes, they hoped to understand when dogs started looking like dogs rather than wolves. The r