1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:04,700 Cats and dogs. 2 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:08,900 Across the UK, we own around 18 million of them. 3 00:00:08,900 --> 00:00:13,000 That's one for every two households in the country. 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:17,200 No other animals come close in our affections. 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,400 In this series, we'll reveal how these four-legged furballs 6 00:00:20,400 --> 00:00:23,240 became the nation's best-loved pets. 7 00:00:23,240 --> 00:00:27,400 Are they living with us because we feed them or because they love us? 8 00:00:28,440 --> 00:00:32,000 We'll see how the latest scientific discoveries are shedding new light 9 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:35,400 on our obsession with these extraordinary creatures. 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:40,440 DOG BARKS 11 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:46,640 This time, we're investigating humanity's most loyal companion. 12 00:00:47,600 --> 00:00:49,320 The dog. 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:51,680 Sit. 14 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:55,360 I love my dog more than words can say. 15 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:57,560 I would dive in front of traffic for her. 16 00:00:57,560 --> 00:00:59,320 I would do anything for her. 17 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,080 Today, dog science is undergoing a revolution. 18 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:08,760 Genetics is revealing the evolutionary tricks 19 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:11,400 that transformed wild beasts... WOLF GROWLS 20 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:13,240 ..into perfect pets. 21 00:01:20,640 --> 00:01:23,320 COMPUTER BEEPS 22 00:01:23,320 --> 00:01:26,120 Ground-breaking experiments are getting to the roots 23 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:27,920 of a dog's intelligence. 24 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:29,840 He's actually reading. 25 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:32,720 And technology is quite literally making it possible 26 00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:34,560 to read their minds. 27 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,400 Many now think we're on the cusp of answering the biggest questions 28 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,520 about the relationship between humans and dogs. 29 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,120 I feel that we've cracked the puzzle of domestication. 30 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,960 In America, a four-legged friend is providing a new pathway 31 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:02,920 for human rehabilitation. 32 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:07,920 Meet Max. 33 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,240 He's part of a ground-breaking programme. 34 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:15,240 It uses dogs to try and transform the behaviour 35 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:17,920 of antisocial and violent individuals. 36 00:02:28,000 --> 00:02:30,080 Are you ready to go in? 37 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:32,920 Max will ultimately be a service dog... 38 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:37,000 ..but much of his training takes place behind bars 39 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:39,480 at this prison facility in California. 40 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,240 He'll be in the care of long-term inmates 41 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,120 convicted of serious crime, from armed robbery to murder. 42 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:54,720 Many are repeat offenders, resistant to reform. 43 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,880 Some, like Gerry Castillo, 44 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:02,360 arrived in prison facing deep-rooted psychological challenges. 45 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:04,920 Hi. How are you? Good. How are you? 46 00:03:04,920 --> 00:03:06,360 Good. 47 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:08,960 I was spending a lot of time by myself. 48 00:03:08,960 --> 00:03:11,920 I had issues of, say... 49 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:16,320 ..low self-esteem, you know, low confidence. 50 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:19,280 I was antisocial. 51 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:23,240 The prison environment only seems to make these problems worse. 52 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:27,000 It's a place where you don't have feelings. Everything is shut off. 53 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,600 People don't talk about emotions unless it's anger. 54 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,360 Statistically, over half of all prisoners in the US 55 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,360 will reoffend on release. 56 00:03:42,240 --> 00:03:45,720 So some prisons seek ways to reverse that trend. 57 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,480 In this facility, that means dogs. 58 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,480 One wing has been transformed into a virtual kennel club. 59 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,920 The prisoners here are each responsible for a dog. 60 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,960 Man and animal live together 24/7. 61 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:09,360 I've got to get up in the mornings and feed him and train him 62 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:13,200 and take him out to potty and just care for him the whole day. 63 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,440 Even if I'm having a bad day. 64 00:04:21,240 --> 00:04:25,400 Max's time inside will transform him into an elite service dog. 65 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:27,600 Dave, watch the position. 66 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,600 Just keep going. Circle. 67 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,160 But it's the transformation in the inmates 68 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:35,240 that seasoned prison staff find most remarkable. 69 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:38,440 Leave your dog on a sit, stay. 70 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,600 It's amazing. 71 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,680 Max, here. 72 00:04:42,680 --> 00:04:45,480 It has changed so many of them. 73 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:47,080 Good boy. 74 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:51,000 It's wonderful to see the caring attitude that goes to it, 75 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,480 the gentleness that's put forth for the dogs. 76 00:04:56,000 --> 00:04:58,600 You wouldn't expect to see that on the streets. 77 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,440 I see it here first-hand and it's amazing. 78 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:05,840 You know, he makes my day. 79 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:09,720 We bonded. He knows me better than me. 80 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,160 I want you guys to sit down first 81 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,280 and lure them over your legs. 82 00:05:16,280 --> 00:05:21,520 By getting a dog, it's like I'm back with a family member. 83 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:24,080 I can actually interact with somebody 84 00:05:24,080 --> 00:05:26,280 and share my feelings with somebody. 85 00:05:26,280 --> 00:05:28,920 You can hug your dog. 86 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:33,200 Max has lifted my self-esteem, 87 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,480 given me a purpose 88 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:38,680 to...to do things... 89 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,640 ..for someone else. 90 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:42,920 They should be nice and calm. 91 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:48,000 There is now mounting evidence that, even with these hardened convicts, 92 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,960 a relationship with a dog can change their whole outlook on life. 93 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:53,240 Good. 94 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,200 Since this programme has started, I've had six inmates 95 00:05:56,200 --> 00:05:59,200 who have left on parole and they have not come back, 96 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,440 they have not hurt anybody else, 97 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:05,120 they're still maintaining their lives on the outside. 98 00:06:05,120 --> 00:06:07,200 Let's do another nice little jog. 99 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,160 This programme taught them that there's more to life 100 00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:13,000 than just themselves and being selfish. 101 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,920 These programmes are demonstrating the power of connection 102 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:21,160 between humans and dogs. 103 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,520 Our relationship from a species to species level 104 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,880 just seems to be so amazing and enmeshed. 105 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,960 Some may ask, how did humans ever come to find an animal 106 00:06:34,960 --> 00:06:37,200 that seems perfectly fit for us? 107 00:06:37,200 --> 00:06:39,480 How did they ever come to exist? 108 00:06:41,960 --> 00:06:46,520 The answer to this canine mystery lies in the distant past 109 00:06:46,520 --> 00:06:49,960 with an animal not famed for its friendliness. 110 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:51,920 WOLVES HOWL 111 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:56,320 The wolf. 112 00:06:57,560 --> 00:06:59,320 WOLF HOWLS 113 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,360 Folklore is filled with tales of these intimidating predators. 114 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,120 Even today, a wolf's eerie howl can freeze the blood. 115 00:07:08,120 --> 00:07:10,000 WOLF HOWLS 116 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,160 Yet genetic research has revealed that all dogs 117 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:15,920 originally evolved from the grey wolf. 118 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:21,880 An animal that has roamed across the northern hemisphere 119 00:07:21,880 --> 00:07:24,520 for at least 300,000 years. 120 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,720 The grey wolf may look like a modern dog, 121 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:32,960 but it's a very different creature. 122 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:36,040 An apex predator... 123 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:37,480 WOLF GROWLS 124 00:07:38,520 --> 00:07:40,680 ..with a bone-splintering bite. 125 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,160 So how did that... 126 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:49,720 TOY SQUEAKS 127 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:51,680 ..turn into this? 128 00:08:02,520 --> 00:08:05,520 At the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, 129 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:09,200 palaeoarchaeologist Mietje Germonpre oversees a collection 130 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,160 of Ice Age wolf bones. 131 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:16,520 So I have here a skull of a typical wild wolf. 132 00:08:16,520 --> 00:08:20,040 So it's a big skull, it's from a big animal, 133 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:25,480 and what is very special is this long elongated snout. 134 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,960 Now I will show you a skull of a modern dog. 135 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:38,200 So you see immediately that the snout is much shorter and wider. 136 00:08:40,760 --> 00:08:44,160 The relative proportions of the skulls of wolves and dogs 137 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,200 are markedly different. 138 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:57,720 But, in 2008, Mietje made an intriguing discovery. 139 00:09:00,760 --> 00:09:04,000 She was studying a 30,000-year-old wolf skull, 140 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:06,600 named after the Goyet Cave in Belgium 141 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,240 from where it had been excavated in the 19th century. 142 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:15,280 And, at that time, the discoverers thought it was the skull of a wolf, 143 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:20,480 but I was not very happy with that because it looked different to me. 144 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,160 Mietje's careful measurements backed up her hunch. 145 00:09:27,960 --> 00:09:30,200 This was no ordinary wolf. 146 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:38,320 The skull is clearly smaller than the skull of wild wolves, 147 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:41,760 the snout is wider and shorter - 148 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:46,120 more comparable to the skull of modern dogs. 149 00:09:48,560 --> 00:09:51,560 The shape of the skull seemed halfway between a wolf 150 00:09:51,560 --> 00:09:53,160 and a modern dog. 151 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:56,160 A kind of proto dog. 152 00:09:57,200 --> 00:09:59,720 The Goyet skull was not unique. 153 00:10:02,200 --> 00:10:05,000 Hunting through other European collections, 154 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,160 Mietje uncovered other dog-like wolf skulls, 155 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:11,120 also around 30,000 years old. 156 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:16,800 Could these strange-shaped European wolves 157 00:10:16,800 --> 00:10:19,200 be the ancestors of modern dogs? 158 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:27,760 Bones alone can't answer that question. 159 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:31,160 Scientists would need a much more precise tool. 160 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,440 Oxford University is home to the Palaeo-Barn DNA Laboratory. 161 00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:43,200 Greger Larson is the lead researcher. 162 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:48,400 We are trying to establish a pattern through time and space 163 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:51,840 of the different genetic signatures that dog populations 164 00:10:51,840 --> 00:10:54,440 and wolf populations have had across the world 165 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:56,440 over the last 20 to 30,000 years. 166 00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:02,000 Thanks to recent advances in ancient DNA technology, 167 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:05,720 examinations can now be conducted on prehistoric bone... 168 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:12,440 ..allowing them to compare Mietje's 30,000-year-old specimens 169 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,280 to modern dog DNA. 170 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:21,760 If dog domestication took place 30,000 years ago 171 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:24,880 and there was an unbroken line between those dogs and the dogs 172 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:28,160 that we currently have sleeping on our sofas, then you would expect 173 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:30,720 that the genetics of those dogs 30,000 years ago 174 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:32,760 would match the modern populations, 175 00:11:32,760 --> 00:11:35,400 but the limited genetic information that we have 176 00:11:35,400 --> 00:11:39,040 from the canids that would be dogs from 30,000 years ago 177 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:41,160 doesn't match modern dogs at all. 178 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:46,080 Mietje's potential 30,000-year-old European proto dogs 179 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,440 appear to have left no descendants. 180 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:55,520 But Gregor's team also tested samples from nearly a hundred 181 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,680 other prehistoric canids... 182 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,240 ..and in this data, they have found the earliest known ancestors 183 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:03,920 of the modern dog. 184 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,760 Between 12 and 15 or 16,000 years ago, 185 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:11,600 we do find specimens that are starting to possess 186 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:15,160 genetic signatures that match those that we find in modern populations. 187 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,480 But it isn't as simple as a single ancestral line. 188 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:23,160 They found several spread across Eurasia. 189 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,400 So it looks like, within dogs, 190 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:30,440 we have three geographically partitioned populations 191 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:34,360 that are differentiated genetically and geographically. 192 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:40,520 The three ancestral dog populations and Mietje's extinct proto dog 193 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,440 do, however, share one thing in common. 194 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:48,960 Something that gives a clue to how dogs appeared in the first place. 195 00:12:50,200 --> 00:12:53,920 They were all found at sites associated with another creature. 196 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:57,120 Humans. 197 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,960 Archaeological evidence shows that, 40,000 years ago, 198 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,440 modern humans began moving into northern Eurasia. 199 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:10,800 And, apparently, initiating a transformation 200 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:12,920 in the wolves they encountered. 201 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:16,760 Really, something was going on there. 202 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:19,760 Once modern humans arrived in Europe, 203 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:23,280 we see that the wolf remains start to change. 204 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:24,680 WOLVES HOWL 205 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:29,000 The evidence suggests dog-like wolves may have appeared 206 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:33,200 several times over the thousands of years since people arrived, 207 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:38,520 always in places where wolves and humans shared hunting grounds. 208 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:41,560 The formation of a close relationship between people 209 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:44,400 and wolves led to dogs, because that's what dogs are - 210 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,440 they are an emergent property of a very close relationship 211 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,000 between wolf populations and human populations. 212 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:56,800 But how did it happen? 213 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,920 How does a wild animal become a domesticated pet? 214 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,160 The answer may be found not with lifeless bones, but with the help 215 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:09,720 of one of the wolf's distant living canid relatives. 216 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:13,440 The fox. 217 00:14:16,680 --> 00:14:19,480 Almost 2,000 miles east of Moscow... 218 00:14:21,080 --> 00:14:24,000 ..lies the location of one of the longest-running 219 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:27,200 and most well-known genetics experiments in the world. 220 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:31,720 Russian scientists have been breeding foxes here 221 00:14:31,720 --> 00:14:33,720 for more than 60 years. 222 00:14:34,760 --> 00:14:37,400 Their aim has been to better understand 223 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:40,400 the effect of human contact on wild animals. 224 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:47,960 The foxes are caged, but enjoy international standards of care. 225 00:14:51,560 --> 00:14:55,440 Today, they're being inspected by scientists Anastasiya Kharlamova 226 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,520 and Daria Shepeleva. 227 00:15:01,000 --> 00:15:04,680 The experiment is based around a simple measure of human toleration. 228 00:15:06,240 --> 00:15:09,560 Each untamed silver fox undergoes the same test. 229 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:26,800 The test reveals the strength 230 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,920 of each fox's adrenal fight or flight response. 231 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:40,680 The level of reaction depends on the size 232 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:43,200 of the individual animal's adrenal gland. 233 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:50,440 Within a population, there is always a range of responses. 234 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,720 Once a year, those foxes with the most extreme personalities 235 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,440 are bred to seed new populations. 236 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:17,480 FOX SNARLS 237 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,160 The Russians found that, within just ten generations, 238 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:27,920 they could induce dramatic changes. 239 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:33,480 This shed contains foxes bred for intolerance to humans. 240 00:16:33,480 --> 00:16:35,640 FOX GROWLS 241 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,680 FOX SNARLS 242 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:57,080 The experimenters have discovered they can create animals 243 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:59,480 that are extremely antisocial. 244 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,960 But they have also discovered that if you breed foxes 245 00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:11,720 for tolerance to humans, something quite remarkable happens. 246 00:17:42,480 --> 00:17:45,160 Antisocial reactions are largely absent. 247 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:52,200 They have become as relaxed in human company as a household pet. 248 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:01,760 They even wag their tails. 249 00:18:01,760 --> 00:18:04,880 Something no wild fox would naturally do. 250 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:16,280 The experiment suggests that, by selecting for human toleration, 251 00:18:16,280 --> 00:18:19,800 in just a few generations, a wild animal can be made to behave 252 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:21,680 just like a domestic pet. 253 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,680 But there have been other surprising changes. 254 00:18:54,480 --> 00:18:57,200 Some foxes even develop curly tails. 255 00:19:00,040 --> 00:19:03,120 Curly tails and white patches are both often seen 256 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:05,440 in other domesticated animals. 257 00:19:08,200 --> 00:19:11,760 What's great about that experiment is that what it demonstrates 258 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:16,520 is that, by a continued very strong selection for a behavioural trait, 259 00:19:16,520 --> 00:19:21,240 that you can then get an increase in frequency of a wide range 260 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,560 of other traits that were not being selected for at all. 261 00:19:24,560 --> 00:19:28,000 What that suggests is that there's a lot of linkages between 262 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:32,600 the overall shape and size and way in which the animal is put together 263 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,920 from an anatomical perspective and the way that it behaves. 264 00:19:38,240 --> 00:19:41,800 Some scientists believe genetic data from the fox experiment 265 00:19:41,800 --> 00:19:46,240 indicates that this combination of behavioural and physical changes 266 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:48,960 are part of a domestication syndrome... 267 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:53,000 ..probably caused by a genetic mutation 268 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:56,480 that reduces the effect of special neural crest cells. 269 00:19:58,000 --> 00:20:00,760 During development, these multi-purpose cells 270 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,480 control the ultimate size of the adrenal gland, 271 00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:06,680 determining how friendly the animal will tend to be. 272 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,720 But the same cells also affect the size of the face and legs, 273 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,240 rigidity of the ears and tail 274 00:20:14,240 --> 00:20:16,960 and the extent of colour in the coat. 275 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:20,240 Select for friendliness, 276 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,440 and it appears many other qualities may be affected as well. 277 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,800 The methodology of the Russian experiment 278 00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:30,680 has been challenged recently. 279 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:35,000 However, it remains widely accepted that selection for behaviour 280 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,960 can rapidly domesticate a wild animal. 281 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,200 But in the journey from wolf to dog, who made that selection? 282 00:20:46,240 --> 00:20:50,160 Most scientists now believe it was the wolves themselves. 283 00:20:57,040 --> 00:20:59,400 Wolves are extraordinarily adaptable. 284 00:20:59,400 --> 00:21:03,160 Different packs specialise in hunting different types of prey. 285 00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:09,840 It's thought that when humans first arrived in Eurasia, 286 00:21:09,840 --> 00:21:13,160 some packs may have adopted a novel survival strategy. 287 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:18,120 It's not crazy to think that there may have been a population of wolves 288 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:22,040 that found themselves attracted to people and started following people 289 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,280 in the same way that other wolf populations 290 00:21:24,280 --> 00:21:26,160 have started following caribou. 291 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:29,800 Rather than hunting, these wolves would thrive 292 00:21:29,800 --> 00:21:32,440 by scavenging close to human encampments. 293 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:36,720 But only the boldest would hang around for long. 294 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,120 These adventurous wolves would breed with each other 295 00:21:41,120 --> 00:21:42,560 and, over generations, 296 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:46,160 evolve into an increasingly human-tolerant subspecies - 297 00:21:46,160 --> 00:21:47,920 the domestic dog. 298 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:51,120 Survival of the fittest 299 00:21:51,120 --> 00:21:54,120 turned out to be survival of the friendliest. 300 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:01,680 Over the last 15,000 years, 301 00:22:01,680 --> 00:22:04,520 dogs have turned up in all shapes and sizes. 302 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:10,920 At this show in North Carolina, there are dogs of every sort. 303 00:22:10,920 --> 00:22:13,520 My favourite breed would be the French Bulldogs. 304 00:22:13,520 --> 00:22:16,920 They're just super funny, different than other breeds. 305 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:19,960 My favourite breed of dog is the Anatolian Shepherd dog. 306 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,600 She's killed three coyotes, numerous fox and bobcats. 307 00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:26,240 She wants to get that fly over there at the moment. 308 00:22:27,360 --> 00:22:31,000 Chacha's got a great personality but it also is the poodle. 309 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,440 They're very... They feel what you feel. 310 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,520 What I like about the Rottweiler is their brain. 311 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:41,840 They are very motivated to work, to do whatever I ask. 312 00:22:41,840 --> 00:22:43,440 How beautiful. 313 00:22:43,440 --> 00:22:45,520 Wow. 314 00:22:45,520 --> 00:22:49,720 Veterinarian Debbye Turner is fascinated by this variety. 315 00:22:50,680 --> 00:22:52,320 Look at that! 316 00:22:53,520 --> 00:22:56,640 That's the occupational hazard. Yeah. 317 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:00,760 Domesticated dogs have been around for thousands of years 318 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,480 and they all come from their wolf ancestor. 319 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:08,160 And, when you think about that, that's just absolutely incredible 320 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,200 that a big old, erm, Irish Wolfhound 321 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,760 comes from the same ancestor 322 00:23:14,760 --> 00:23:18,120 that a little tiny Maltese comes from. 323 00:23:20,200 --> 00:23:24,400 So what was the first dog, the ancestor of all these animals, like? 324 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,200 To find out, geneticists have been decoding the dog family tree. 325 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,480 Their results show that some lineages split away 326 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:38,560 more than 5,000 years ago, 327 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:41,440 creating descendants who, today, may reflect 328 00:23:41,440 --> 00:23:43,800 the appearance of the original dogs. 329 00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:50,200 The Japanese Akita is one of these ancient breeds. 330 00:23:52,200 --> 00:23:56,920 These dogs separated from the genetic line very early on. 331 00:23:56,920 --> 00:24:00,040 They're called a Spitz type dog, 332 00:24:00,040 --> 00:24:03,520 which means they retain many of the characteristics, 333 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,480 the physical characteristics, of their wolf ancestors, 334 00:24:06,480 --> 00:24:08,520 so they have a wedge-shaped head, 335 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:11,160 they've got these pointy pricked ears, 336 00:24:11,160 --> 00:24:13,720 they have a double coat 337 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,760 and the curled tail over their backs. 338 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:22,760 Sharing the same curly tail trait is the African Basenji. 339 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,360 Basenji is the grandad of ancient dogs. 340 00:24:28,360 --> 00:24:30,840 However, they're not that trainable. 341 00:24:30,840 --> 00:24:33,920 They will not do obedience tricks like other breeds. 342 00:24:33,920 --> 00:24:35,560 Come back here. 343 00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:38,840 And here's an example! He wants the cookie on the table. 344 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,880 There's something else very wolf-like about a Basenji. 345 00:24:43,880 --> 00:24:45,920 BASENJIS HOWL 346 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,440 Its yodel. 347 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:56,680 These breeds reveal much about how dogs may have appeared and acted 348 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,200 after their first transition from pack hunters to scavengers... 349 00:25:00,200 --> 00:25:02,000 BASENJI HOWLS 350 00:25:02,000 --> 00:25:06,480 ..and provide clues as to why they first appealed to humans. 351 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:11,200 You won't see Basenjies doing tricks, 352 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:15,520 but, because of their closeness to their wolf ancestors, 353 00:25:15,520 --> 00:25:19,720 they are considered very adept hunters. 354 00:25:21,000 --> 00:25:26,440 As dogs were evolving from wolves into truly domesticated dogs, 355 00:25:26,440 --> 00:25:28,480 their traits begin to change. 356 00:25:29,520 --> 00:25:32,520 They were smaller, their snout length changed, 357 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,760 the strength of the muscles that support the jaw changed, 358 00:25:35,760 --> 00:25:38,760 even the strength and size of their teeth, 359 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:41,760 so they lost the ability to take down big prey. 360 00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:45,760 But they didn't lose everything. Dogs are still the standard bearers 361 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:48,480 when it comes to detecting things with their nose. 362 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,960 A dog's nose contains 50 times as many olfactory sensors 363 00:25:55,960 --> 00:25:57,720 as a human nose... 364 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:02,960 ..giving them a sense of smell 100,000 times more acute. 365 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:07,240 Combined with sharp sight and hearing, 366 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:09,760 superb stamina and a docile temperament... 367 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:15,160 ..for humans, they were a ready-built hunting companion. 368 00:26:18,160 --> 00:26:21,000 The reason why the relationship between dogs and humans 369 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:23,160 in a hunting situation is so perfect 370 00:26:23,160 --> 00:26:25,520 is because they complement one another. 371 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,560 The dogs are the chasers, the humans are the finishers. 372 00:26:31,520 --> 00:26:35,680 15,000 years ago, the first working partnerships were formed. 373 00:26:40,520 --> 00:26:43,560 Over the following millennia, humans would breed dogs 374 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,680 to take advantage of their useful wolf-like abilities. 375 00:26:48,520 --> 00:26:51,720 But there are signs that, even early on, humans were starting 376 00:26:51,720 --> 00:26:54,760 to influence the appearance of the dogs around them. 377 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:02,480 Animal behaviourist Juliane Kominski recently made a comparative study 378 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,920 of the faces of dogs and wolves. 379 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:09,520 We were interested to see whether there's anything 380 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:13,240 about dogs' expressions or communication that is in some ways 381 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:16,520 unique and specially adapted to life with humans. 382 00:27:18,040 --> 00:27:20,800 To their surprise, they discovered that dogs possessed 383 00:27:20,800 --> 00:27:24,200 a whole new muscle grouping not present in wolves. 384 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,680 So, the muscle that we are so interested in and excited about 385 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,000 is somewhere here above the eye, 386 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:34,960 and what it does is it pulls the inner eyebrow upwards. 387 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:38,680 What's so advantageous about this movement? 388 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:45,480 The answer could be that it attracted human attention. 389 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,760 So it makes the eyes of a dog appear larger, 390 00:27:51,760 --> 00:27:56,520 potentially more infant-like, so more appealing to humans. 391 00:27:57,600 --> 00:28:00,960 We have a natural tendency to look after anything 392 00:28:00,960 --> 00:28:02,800 that looks infant-like. 393 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,560 But it also resembles a movement 394 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:09,360 that humans produce when we are sad. 395 00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:13,000 So, again, potentially appealing to humans 396 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:16,440 in that it makes us feel sorry for the dog 397 00:28:16,440 --> 00:28:18,720 and we want to attend to the dog 398 00:28:18,720 --> 00:28:21,920 and kind of triggers this nurturing response. 399 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:26,000 This eyebrow muscle evolution implies that a good relationship 400 00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:28,960 with humans may have played a key role in survival 401 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:30,680 for prehistoric dogs. 402 00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,160 Dogs that produce that movement more 403 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,120 must have had a selection advantage over other dogs. 404 00:28:39,200 --> 00:28:42,200 And that's how you now see the trait - 405 00:28:42,200 --> 00:28:45,720 this phenomenon in the dog population. 406 00:28:49,000 --> 00:28:51,680 Expressive eyebrows are a rare early example 407 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:53,800 of human selection for looks. 408 00:28:55,560 --> 00:28:59,480 But despite our long shared history, evidence reveals that it was not 409 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:03,960 until very recently that a dog's looks truly began to matter to us. 410 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,000 Genetic studies indicate that a sudden explosion of diversity 411 00:29:12,000 --> 00:29:15,200 in shape and size can be traced to a breeding craze 412 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:18,480 that began in Europe just a few hundred years ago. 413 00:29:19,520 --> 00:29:24,280 The very first kennel club was established in 1873 in England 414 00:29:24,280 --> 00:29:28,480 and it is from there that we get the vast majority of the varieties 415 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,160 and the breeds that we see today. 416 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:33,800 Kennel clubs were breeding organisations 417 00:29:33,800 --> 00:29:37,480 originally meant to preserve local dog characteristics. 418 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:44,080 But members began to select and share dogs with extreme traits 419 00:29:44,080 --> 00:29:46,680 to an extent never attempted before. 420 00:29:54,040 --> 00:29:58,200 Geneticists have discovered that, as a result of this intensive breeding, 421 00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:01,040 the look of Western dogs has become controlled 422 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:04,160 by just a handful of extremely potent genes. 423 00:30:06,960 --> 00:30:11,000 In a human, over 100 genes will determine a few inches' difference 424 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:12,760 in a person's height. 425 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:18,760 But, in a dog, just seven super-selected genes now control 426 00:30:18,760 --> 00:30:23,240 the size difference between the smallest and the largest. 427 00:30:25,240 --> 00:30:29,680 In nearly all breeds, just one gene is responsible for short legs... 428 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,240 ..and mutations in just three genes are responsible 429 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:40,040 for the majority of coat types, from smooth 430 00:30:40,040 --> 00:30:42,160 to long-haired... 431 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,120 ..to whatever this is. 432 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:47,760 DOG BARKS 433 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:53,920 So, most dogs today look the way they do 434 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:56,880 because of intensive human breeding for novelty. 435 00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:03,920 But people still value dogs for far more than just their looks... 436 00:31:05,240 --> 00:31:08,480 ..and that's because of what humans can do with them. 437 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:20,280 For thousands of years, the dog's natural instincts were exploited 438 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:22,720 to help humans hunt, herd and protect. 439 00:31:22,720 --> 00:31:24,760 DOGS BARK 440 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,680 But, in the last century, their roles have multiplied. 441 00:31:31,760 --> 00:31:35,280 Dogs are amazing. We can train them to do a variety of tasks. 442 00:31:37,000 --> 00:31:39,920 So, from very simple ones that amuse us 443 00:31:39,920 --> 00:31:42,160 to very useful things. 444 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,920 Trained dogs are already a huge benefit to society. 445 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,680 But, in Atlanta, some researchers are now taking them 446 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:01,520 to the next level. 447 00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:02,960 All right. 448 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:06,560 In a lab at Georgia Tech University, a team is combining dogs 449 00:32:06,560 --> 00:32:09,720 with technology to create the perfect service dog. 450 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:11,240 He does love it. 451 00:32:12,280 --> 00:32:14,000 Wait a minute. 452 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,440 Melody Jackson runs the FIDO Project. 453 00:32:19,160 --> 00:32:20,960 FIDO stands for 454 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:23,560 facilitating interactions for dogs with occupations 455 00:32:23,560 --> 00:32:25,720 and our entire mission is to help dogs 456 00:32:25,720 --> 00:32:28,640 communicate more clearly with their handlers. 457 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:32,960 Sit. 458 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:37,960 Wait. Good boy. 459 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,920 The FIDO team are experimenting with how well dogs 460 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:43,960 can operate technology. 461 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:49,680 OK. 462 00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:51,480 All right. 463 00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:59,640 There you go. Good boy. Good job. 464 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:02,800 The thing we're testing here is, can he understand the correlation 465 00:33:02,800 --> 00:33:04,680 between something he's doing here 466 00:33:04,680 --> 00:33:06,920 and something that's happening over there? 467 00:33:06,920 --> 00:33:09,640 So, we kind of started this as a fun little project to see, 468 00:33:09,640 --> 00:33:11,480 can a dog drive a robot? 469 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:13,920 All right. 470 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:16,960 Clearly they can. 471 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,280 I'm sorry, this is hilarious. He's just putting his foot on there. 472 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,360 He's learned that if he just holds it down, it keeps the robot going. 473 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:32,000 LAUGHTER 474 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:34,320 He just loves it. "Did I do it? Did I do it?" 475 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:36,280 He's just having a great time. 476 00:33:36,280 --> 00:33:38,480 OK, you ready to do a little training? 477 00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:40,640 By training them to be tech savvy, 478 00:33:40,640 --> 00:33:43,480 they're hoping to open a route to better communication 479 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:45,160 between dog an owner. 480 00:33:46,160 --> 00:33:48,560 Good girl. That's it. Yes. 481 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:51,800 What if that dog could actually call emergency services? 482 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:54,520 Could call 911 with your GPS location 483 00:33:54,520 --> 00:33:58,520 to let someone know you're having a seizure and you need medical help? 484 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,120 Go get help. 485 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:03,480 Yes. Very good. 486 00:34:04,760 --> 00:34:08,280 They're pinning their hopes on wearable technologies. 487 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:12,480 These have signalling systems operated by the dogs themselves. 488 00:34:14,000 --> 00:34:16,800 So what can dogs naturally do as puppies? 489 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:19,960 They can tug on things, they can touch things with their noses, 490 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:21,760 they can bite things, 491 00:34:21,760 --> 00:34:25,000 and so we based our sensors on those abilities. 492 00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:28,560 So, we've taken natural behaviours and we've turned them 493 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,200 into something that's useful to humans. 494 00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:35,480 This is a vest that was made specifically for Laser 495 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:37,520 because he has giant ears. 496 00:34:37,520 --> 00:34:40,760 So, it has a sensor on it called a capacitive sensor, 497 00:34:40,760 --> 00:34:44,240 and this works just like the cellphone does. 498 00:34:44,240 --> 00:34:47,040 Whenever you touch it with something that has water in it, 499 00:34:47,040 --> 00:34:49,280 like your finger or a dog's nose, 500 00:34:49,280 --> 00:34:51,520 it activates this little sensor here. 501 00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:55,440 So, this vest is programmed 502 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,040 to have a speaker speak a phrase. 503 00:34:59,040 --> 00:35:02,280 So, this would be, if I was unconscious, he would go and find 504 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,000 the nearest person and then speak this phrase 505 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,320 and then have the person come back to help me. 506 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:11,000 Go. Get help. 507 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:14,040 Laser, go get help. There. Get help, buddy. Get help. 508 00:35:19,480 --> 00:35:21,120 Come on, buddy. 509 00:35:21,120 --> 00:35:23,400 Good job, bud. Good job. 510 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:27,600 You are the best boy. You are the best boy, helping your momma. 511 00:35:29,480 --> 00:35:32,960 Ultimately, the vests will allow owners to offer choices 512 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:34,960 or express opinions. 513 00:35:36,480 --> 00:35:38,960 So this is called a discrimination vest 514 00:35:38,960 --> 00:35:40,920 because it has two sensors on it. 515 00:35:40,920 --> 00:35:44,120 This could represent two different sounds, two different phrases 516 00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:47,520 that we want the dog to speak, and it allows the dog to select 517 00:35:47,520 --> 00:35:50,640 the appropriate phrase for whatever the situation is 518 00:35:50,640 --> 00:35:53,080 that the dog is trying to help in. 519 00:35:53,080 --> 00:35:54,520 Get it. 520 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:04,000 Beautiful. 521 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:05,440 Get it. 522 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:14,720 Good job, buddy. 523 00:36:14,720 --> 00:36:18,200 None of this would work without the dog's amazing brain. 524 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:21,200 Let's work on shaping that left one more. It seems to be easier. 525 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:24,240 Well, we have been thrilled 526 00:36:24,240 --> 00:36:27,560 with our experiments with wearable technology 527 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,440 because they learned it much faster than we expected. 528 00:36:30,440 --> 00:36:31,960 Get it. 529 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:33,520 Yes. 530 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:35,960 The longest it took for any of the dogs 531 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:39,160 to learn any of the sensors was 27 minutes. 532 00:36:41,480 --> 00:36:44,400 You're not going to have a cat at an airport sniffing out drugs 533 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,160 or a horse telling you that you're about to have a seizure, 534 00:36:47,160 --> 00:36:49,920 but dogs are able to do this in a way that vastly supersedes 535 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:52,760 any other animal, and I think that's what makes them special. 536 00:36:55,240 --> 00:36:58,680 So, what is the source of a dog's amazing ability to learn? 537 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:12,720 Animal behaviourist Clive Wynne 538 00:37:12,720 --> 00:37:16,200 is obsessed with understanding what's going on in a dog's head. 539 00:37:17,560 --> 00:37:20,160 Most psychologists study the minds of people, 540 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:23,480 I became fascinated in the minds of everything except people, 541 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:26,280 and so I became very interested with dogs 542 00:37:26,280 --> 00:37:28,720 and very, very quickly 543 00:37:28,720 --> 00:37:32,200 I became totally, totally grabbed 544 00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:34,480 by this amazing animal. 545 00:37:35,680 --> 00:37:38,520 They're absolutely fascinating. 546 00:37:38,520 --> 00:37:42,120 Their minds, their intellect, their cognition. 547 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:45,680 Zaph. 548 00:37:46,960 --> 00:37:48,440 Go. 549 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:50,000 Good girl. 550 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,000 For many years, scientists have believed that dogs are great 551 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:56,200 learners because they possess an almost unique intelligence. 552 00:37:57,760 --> 00:38:01,440 One key proof was their skill at the pointing test. 553 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:02,920 OK, Zaph. 554 00:38:06,880 --> 00:38:08,440 Oh, what a clever doggy. 555 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:10,480 What a clever doggy. Well done. 556 00:38:10,480 --> 00:38:14,000 Most pet dogs, most of the time, will follow a human point. 557 00:38:14,000 --> 00:38:17,520 It seems quite undramatic to ask, because we're used to it, 558 00:38:17,520 --> 00:38:23,320 but, actually, it turns out that not very many animals will do this. 559 00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:28,480 Even our closest primate cousin, the chimpanzee, 560 00:38:28,480 --> 00:38:30,320 struggles with this test. 561 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:39,720 But is exceptional brain power really what makes a dog so special? 562 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:46,160 Maybe the answer lies in the minds of their ancestors. 563 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:51,360 WOLVES HOWL 564 00:39:02,760 --> 00:39:05,160 In the woods outside Vienna, Austria, 565 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:08,480 Friederike Range is taking her wolf for a walk. 566 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:14,000 Here at the Wolf Science Centre, 567 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,440 they're carrying out cutting edge research on wolf cognition. 568 00:39:17,440 --> 00:39:18,920 Sit. 569 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:22,480 We're ready to go. 570 00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:30,600 All of Friederike's wolves have been brought up by humans. 571 00:39:31,800 --> 00:39:35,400 I've known Argon 11 years and three months. 572 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:40,600 So, I hand-raised him and his other pack mates. 573 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:48,000 Alongside its wolves, the centre raises a group of dogs, 574 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:52,200 giving both sets of animals an identical amount of human contact. 575 00:39:53,520 --> 00:39:56,240 We bring up the wolves and the dogs in the same way 576 00:39:56,240 --> 00:39:59,040 so they have the same experience, and this is really crucial 577 00:39:59,040 --> 00:40:00,720 if you want to compare them 578 00:40:00,720 --> 00:40:02,760 and compare their behaviour or cognition. 579 00:40:07,840 --> 00:40:11,120 Friederike's team conduct identical intelligence tests 580 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:13,080 on their dogs and wolves. 581 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:16,120 Just get it there. 582 00:40:17,120 --> 00:40:21,800 So, what we are doing here is testing co-operative abilities 583 00:40:21,800 --> 00:40:25,280 in our dogs and wolves. For this, we have this table. 584 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:28,680 The food on the table can only be reached 585 00:40:28,680 --> 00:40:31,680 if both ends of the rope are pulled at the same time... 586 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:41,480 ..so the animal must understand that it has to co-operate 587 00:40:41,480 --> 00:40:43,320 with a human partner. 588 00:40:51,200 --> 00:40:53,320 This dog shows how it's done. 589 00:40:54,680 --> 00:40:58,440 Waiting for the human, he executes the task perfectly. 590 00:40:59,480 --> 00:41:01,000 That was nice. 591 00:41:09,160 --> 00:41:11,120 But what about a wolf? 592 00:41:29,440 --> 00:41:31,360 He's actually waiting. 593 00:41:38,440 --> 00:41:39,960 Perfect. 594 00:41:42,240 --> 00:41:45,360 For years, it was thought wolves were incapable of making 595 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:48,480 the cognitive leap necessary to work with humans. 596 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,480 But these experiments are proving the opposite. 597 00:41:57,240 --> 00:41:59,200 And this result is not unique. 598 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:03,160 The team's work is showing wolves can be highly intelligent 599 00:42:03,160 --> 00:42:04,760 in multiple ways. 600 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:07,880 I don't think that the dog is smarter than a wolf. 601 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,360 I think most of our studies show that actually 602 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:13,160 the wolves are much smarter. 603 00:42:17,000 --> 00:42:20,960 Wolves have even been shown to match dogs at the pointing test. 604 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:28,960 So, despite appearances, hanging out with humans 605 00:42:28,960 --> 00:42:31,680 did not improve the dogs' natural intelligence. 606 00:42:33,240 --> 00:42:37,080 This ability is not something that developed in dogs 607 00:42:37,080 --> 00:42:39,320 during the process of domestication. 608 00:42:39,320 --> 00:42:41,760 It was already latent in the wolves 609 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:44,200 from which all of our dogs are descended. 610 00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:45,560 Good boy. 611 00:42:48,760 --> 00:42:51,480 If dogs are no more intelligent than wolves, 612 00:42:51,480 --> 00:42:53,920 then why is a dog more trainable? 613 00:42:59,520 --> 00:43:02,120 Some think it may be down to attitude. 614 00:43:03,480 --> 00:43:07,760 For Clive, the mind-set of his pet dog Zaphos, holds a clue. 615 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:11,440 I could tell straight away that Zaphos wasn't smart. 616 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,040 She's not a super intelligent dog. 617 00:43:14,040 --> 00:43:17,840 But there was something remarkable about her 618 00:43:17,840 --> 00:43:22,200 and that was so obvious once I saw it, 619 00:43:22,200 --> 00:43:25,440 this ability, this capacity, this desire, 620 00:43:25,440 --> 00:43:28,040 to form strong emotional bonds. 621 00:43:28,040 --> 00:43:30,720 That she's always trying to make friends, 622 00:43:30,720 --> 00:43:32,760 that she's extremely loving. 623 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:35,560 And, erm, I began to wonder, 624 00:43:35,560 --> 00:43:41,480 could this be the crux ability that has made dogs so successful? 625 00:43:46,000 --> 00:43:49,960 To demonstrate his theory, Clive uses a simple experiment... 626 00:43:51,960 --> 00:43:53,880 ..called the Circle Test. 627 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,120 It quantifies how socially engaged an animal is. 628 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:06,280 The animal is placed in a room with a human for two minutes. 629 00:44:06,280 --> 00:44:09,440 An observer totals the amount of time the animal spends 630 00:44:09,440 --> 00:44:11,920 inside the circle near the person. 631 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:18,200 Paired with their owners, dogs spend more than 60% of their time 632 00:44:18,200 --> 00:44:19,960 inside the circle. 633 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:27,960 Even with a stranger, dogs stay close for over half the time. 634 00:44:32,160 --> 00:44:34,400 Dogs just seem to like people. 635 00:44:36,160 --> 00:44:38,200 But wolves behave differently. 636 00:44:39,160 --> 00:44:41,160 This is not a lab environment. 637 00:44:41,160 --> 00:44:44,480 but the results from this Circle Test are still compelling. 638 00:44:45,520 --> 00:44:48,280 This young woman was involved in raising this wolf, 639 00:44:48,280 --> 00:44:50,960 they've known each other all the wolf's life, 640 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,280 and, um, nonetheless, 641 00:44:53,280 --> 00:44:57,760 the wolf doesn't spend so much time inside this circle 642 00:44:57,760 --> 00:44:59,680 as a dog would do. 643 00:45:04,240 --> 00:45:06,880 The wolf spends even less time with its handler 644 00:45:06,880 --> 00:45:09,080 than a dog would with a stranger. 645 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:13,520 The fact that the wolf doesn't want to spend as much time 646 00:45:13,520 --> 00:45:16,960 inside the circle with the person shows us that the wolf 647 00:45:16,960 --> 00:45:22,120 doesn't have that same intense level of social connection with people 648 00:45:22,120 --> 00:45:24,280 as a dog can have. 649 00:45:26,240 --> 00:45:29,960 To those who know wolves well, this is no surprise. 650 00:45:31,760 --> 00:45:35,000 A dog, it can usually always get you to do what he wants. 651 00:45:35,000 --> 00:45:37,120 The wolves couldn't care less. 652 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:39,960 They do it if they want to do it 653 00:45:39,960 --> 00:45:43,200 and you can work very hard to convince them, 654 00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:45,200 and sometimes you're successful, 655 00:45:45,200 --> 00:45:48,240 but, if they don't want to, there's nothing you can do. 656 00:45:50,240 --> 00:45:54,120 Dogs inherited their intelligence from their wolf ancestors. 657 00:45:55,160 --> 00:45:58,800 But they have also evolved a strong desire to bond with humans 658 00:45:58,800 --> 00:46:01,440 that makes them uniquely trainable. 659 00:46:01,440 --> 00:46:03,240 Yes! Good girl. 660 00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:07,440 Often in working dogs, what makes them good is the partnership. 661 00:46:07,440 --> 00:46:08,800 Good girl. 662 00:46:08,800 --> 00:46:12,440 That dog and that human that it cares about - 663 00:46:12,440 --> 00:46:14,160 they're the unit. 664 00:46:14,160 --> 00:46:17,000 The unit is the person and the dog together. 665 00:46:17,000 --> 00:46:18,480 Come here. 666 00:46:19,480 --> 00:46:22,200 That's my girl. I love you, too. 667 00:46:26,760 --> 00:46:30,920 A dog's attraction to humans clearly evolved during domestication. 668 00:46:34,360 --> 00:46:36,440 But is this genuine affection? 669 00:46:37,400 --> 00:46:39,760 Or are they just in it for the food? 670 00:46:40,840 --> 00:46:42,160 High five. 671 00:46:43,240 --> 00:46:46,240 I think Skye cares for me like I do for him, 672 00:46:46,240 --> 00:46:48,720 but I do worry that he just thinks I'm some guy 673 00:46:48,720 --> 00:46:52,200 who's obsessed with him that makes him...drags him around the park. 674 00:46:52,200 --> 00:46:54,440 Do you love me, Bee? Bee? 675 00:46:54,440 --> 00:46:56,400 I think she does love me. 676 00:46:56,400 --> 00:46:59,120 Well, I love her enough for the both of us. 677 00:47:02,200 --> 00:47:05,160 Gauging a dog's true emotions is a challenge. 678 00:47:07,080 --> 00:47:08,880 We can't ask them. 679 00:47:10,520 --> 00:47:12,720 But could we read their minds? 680 00:47:17,000 --> 00:47:20,440 Back in Atlanta, another experiment is under way. 681 00:47:24,480 --> 00:47:27,400 Cailin is visiting Emory University. 682 00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:30,920 Come on. Good girl. All right. 683 00:47:30,920 --> 00:47:33,040 Good morning. Hey. 684 00:47:34,200 --> 00:47:36,920 Hey, Cailin. Good to see you. 685 00:47:36,920 --> 00:47:40,680 She's part of a special project run by Dr Gregory Berns. 686 00:47:40,680 --> 00:47:42,240 I know. OK. 687 00:47:42,240 --> 00:47:44,520 Are we going to do some work today? 688 00:47:44,520 --> 00:47:48,200 He's attempting to resolve the biggest question about dogs. 689 00:47:49,160 --> 00:47:50,920 Ear plugs in. 690 00:47:50,920 --> 00:47:55,200 The party line would say that dogs, in some way, are scam artists. 691 00:47:55,200 --> 00:47:58,560 That, in fact, the only reason that they live with us 692 00:47:58,560 --> 00:48:01,600 is because we feed them and because we provide shelter. 693 00:48:02,960 --> 00:48:04,680 She is ready. 694 00:48:04,680 --> 00:48:08,560 So, at the core of this project are the questions 695 00:48:08,560 --> 00:48:11,760 are dogs living with us because we feed them 696 00:48:11,760 --> 00:48:15,120 or are they living with us because they love us? 697 00:48:16,120 --> 00:48:19,160 And, to me, that's all the difference in the world. 698 00:48:21,800 --> 00:48:24,240 To understand just what a dog is thinking, 699 00:48:24,240 --> 00:48:27,520 Berns has trained dogs to lie in a brain-imaging MRI machine. 700 00:48:28,480 --> 00:48:30,240 Good girl. All right. 701 00:48:30,240 --> 00:48:33,760 You know, the traditional ways to understand what dogs are thinking 702 00:48:33,760 --> 00:48:36,200 is to look at their behaviour, 703 00:48:36,200 --> 00:48:39,480 but the problem with that is that dogs will often 704 00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:41,480 do things we don't expect. 705 00:48:41,480 --> 00:48:44,720 Brain imaging gets around these problems by going directly 706 00:48:44,720 --> 00:48:47,760 to the brain and, in essence, bypassing behaviour 707 00:48:47,760 --> 00:48:51,840 and go directly to the organ that causes everything to happen. 708 00:48:54,440 --> 00:48:56,960 Come around and stand here. 709 00:48:56,960 --> 00:48:59,920 The dogs in the study are trained to relate toys 710 00:48:59,920 --> 00:49:01,640 to different outcomes. 711 00:49:05,120 --> 00:49:08,920 When it sees a red car, the dog learns to expect praise. 712 00:49:10,440 --> 00:49:11,920 Good girl. 713 00:49:14,520 --> 00:49:18,200 When it sees a blue knight, it learns to expect some sausage. 714 00:49:23,720 --> 00:49:26,560 By comparing those two conditions, 715 00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:30,320 the anticipation, in particular, to food versus human, 716 00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:33,200 we can go in and look at the reward system of the brain 717 00:49:33,200 --> 00:49:35,480 and see which one is higher or not. 718 00:49:35,480 --> 00:49:37,640 Or are they equal, perhaps? 719 00:49:39,240 --> 00:49:41,520 The level of pleasure the dog experiences 720 00:49:41,520 --> 00:49:44,680 is determined by the amount of the neurotransmitter dopamine 721 00:49:44,680 --> 00:49:46,520 the brain releases. 722 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:49,480 This is revealed on the scan by increased blood flow 723 00:49:49,480 --> 00:49:51,240 to specific regions. 724 00:49:54,440 --> 00:49:56,440 Good girl. Stay. 725 00:49:58,440 --> 00:50:02,720 So, Lori, if you want to fade out of view and then we'll do the toys. 726 00:50:05,520 --> 00:50:09,160 Gregory has conducted this experiment on numerous dogs... 727 00:50:12,160 --> 00:50:14,480 ..and the scans are a revelation. 728 00:50:16,760 --> 00:50:19,840 So, these coloured areas represent what dog's brains do 729 00:50:19,840 --> 00:50:23,120 when they're anticipating food and, actually, it isn't showing 730 00:50:23,120 --> 00:50:26,080 very much happening, which means that, on average, the dogs 731 00:50:26,080 --> 00:50:28,920 probably didn't care as much about the food as we thought. 732 00:50:30,400 --> 00:50:32,400 But when expecting praise... 733 00:50:35,720 --> 00:50:38,480 ..the dopamine levels regularly go higher. 734 00:50:39,720 --> 00:50:42,760 Now we actually do see quite a bit of activity. 735 00:50:42,760 --> 00:50:45,360 What that speaks to is the fact that praise 736 00:50:45,360 --> 00:50:47,600 is very interesting to the dogs. 737 00:50:48,600 --> 00:50:50,560 That was a good job. 738 00:50:52,240 --> 00:50:56,240 The brain scans show unambiguously that most dogs love praise 739 00:50:56,240 --> 00:51:00,440 just as much as food, and some dogs love praise even more. 740 00:51:01,440 --> 00:51:03,200 Good girl. 741 00:51:03,200 --> 00:51:05,760 A dog's uniquely strong desire to bond 742 00:51:05,760 --> 00:51:08,760 may be particularly beneficial to humans. 743 00:51:08,760 --> 00:51:10,760 Who's a good girl? 744 00:51:10,760 --> 00:51:13,800 These results show that the social bond 745 00:51:13,800 --> 00:51:17,520 is as strong as the food that we're providing to dogs 746 00:51:17,520 --> 00:51:20,760 and that it's intrinsically rewarding in and of itself. 747 00:51:20,760 --> 00:51:25,680 And, to me, that's about as close as you can say that a dog loves you. 748 00:51:28,240 --> 00:51:31,880 And dogs seem quite happy to spread the love beyond humans. 749 00:51:33,960 --> 00:51:36,440 What makes dogs special 750 00:51:36,440 --> 00:51:40,960 is dogs can form very strong, loving connections 751 00:51:40,960 --> 00:51:43,240 to members of any other species, 752 00:51:43,240 --> 00:51:46,920 never mind other members of their own species. Any other species. 753 00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:53,480 Dogs appear to be not just loving, 754 00:51:53,480 --> 00:51:56,480 but almost indiscriminately affectionate. 755 00:51:58,240 --> 00:52:01,400 What could explain this extraordinarily powerful 756 00:52:01,400 --> 00:52:03,200 emotional trait? 757 00:52:12,040 --> 00:52:15,440 The answer may lie with some very special genes. 758 00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:18,480 Hi. 759 00:52:18,480 --> 00:52:21,480 How are you? Nice to finally meet you. 760 00:52:21,480 --> 00:52:23,720 Come on in to our humble home. 761 00:52:24,920 --> 00:52:26,880 Hi. Welcome. 762 00:52:26,880 --> 00:52:29,640 OK, you ready to make some doughnuts? 763 00:52:29,640 --> 00:52:33,480 Let's cook her up, sister. All right. You got it, girl. 764 00:52:33,480 --> 00:52:37,520 16-year-old Callie Truelove lives with Williams syndrome. 765 00:52:37,520 --> 00:52:39,920 It's a debilitating genetic condition 766 00:52:39,920 --> 00:52:42,280 affecting one in 10,000 people. 767 00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:46,200 Two-thirds cups of water. 768 00:52:46,200 --> 00:52:48,640 This is gorgeous water. 769 00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:50,960 We're going to whisk it, whisk... 770 00:52:50,960 --> 00:52:54,000 It's caused by alterations in around 30 genes 771 00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:58,160 generating multiple developmental and learning challenges. 772 00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:00,240 I'm going to put them in the oven. 773 00:53:00,240 --> 00:53:03,480 There ain't nothing like southern style cooking. 774 00:53:03,480 --> 00:53:05,240 Hopefully we can... 775 00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:08,400 But through it all, Callie radiates an incredible warmth 776 00:53:08,400 --> 00:53:10,640 towards the people around her. 777 00:53:11,960 --> 00:53:14,040 She just loves people. 778 00:53:14,040 --> 00:53:16,720 From the time she was able to go to somebody by herself, 779 00:53:16,720 --> 00:53:18,400 she's always been very friendly. 780 00:53:18,400 --> 00:53:20,000 Yes, let's do it. 781 00:53:20,000 --> 00:53:22,040 Ah, they're so gorgeous. 782 00:53:22,040 --> 00:53:24,960 And I love each and every single human being 783 00:53:24,960 --> 00:53:27,520 on this whole entire world. 784 00:53:27,520 --> 00:53:30,120 If I could just hug all of them at once, I would, 785 00:53:30,120 --> 00:53:32,120 cos I love them so much. 786 00:53:32,120 --> 00:53:35,440 Here's what you're going to do. You're going to take a doughnut... 787 00:53:35,440 --> 00:53:39,480 She absolutely does love every single person that she meets. 788 00:53:39,480 --> 00:53:42,520 I've pastored a church for 20 years 789 00:53:42,520 --> 00:53:47,720 and Callie has reached more people just with her everyday life 790 00:53:47,720 --> 00:53:50,240 than I possibly could in a lifetime. 791 00:53:51,200 --> 00:53:53,520 I think you should have this guy. 792 00:53:53,520 --> 00:53:57,320 Callie's hyper-sociability is a side effect of her condition. 793 00:53:57,320 --> 00:54:00,680 It's related to alterations in just three genes 794 00:54:00,680 --> 00:54:02,800 that can affect personality. 795 00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:04,360 Mmm. Mm-mm. 796 00:54:04,360 --> 00:54:06,720 We've got a pet down here. 797 00:54:07,760 --> 00:54:10,400 Surprisingly, people with Williams syndrome 798 00:54:10,400 --> 00:54:13,920 may not be the only ones affected by these altered genes. 799 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:16,240 Oh, Doodle. 800 00:54:20,240 --> 00:54:23,160 This is my service dog, Doodle Dandy. 801 00:54:25,760 --> 00:54:28,960 And he's my heartbeat, he's my sunshine, 802 00:54:28,960 --> 00:54:31,920 and I can't imagine my life without him. 803 00:54:31,920 --> 00:54:33,640 Good boy. 804 00:54:33,640 --> 00:54:36,520 He's helped me through a whole lot 805 00:54:36,520 --> 00:54:40,440 and he's just the best dog in the whole wide world. 806 00:54:40,440 --> 00:54:42,680 And I ain't ashamed to say it. 807 00:54:46,000 --> 00:54:48,920 New research suggests that Callie and Doodle Dandy 808 00:54:48,920 --> 00:54:51,200 share more than just a friendship. 809 00:54:51,200 --> 00:54:53,080 Oh, you're so sweet. 810 00:54:55,520 --> 00:54:58,360 Geneticists working with Clive have recently discovered 811 00:54:58,360 --> 00:55:02,160 the same rare mutations that cause Callie's hyper-sociability 812 00:55:02,160 --> 00:55:04,720 are present in the dog genome. 813 00:55:05,680 --> 00:55:07,960 But they are not found in wolves... 814 00:55:09,000 --> 00:55:12,200 ..suggesting these rare mutations were acquired by dogs 815 00:55:12,200 --> 00:55:14,120 during domestication. 816 00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:19,480 What causes dogs to be so much more sociable, 817 00:55:19,480 --> 00:55:24,720 so much more socially engaged and desiring loving relationships 818 00:55:24,720 --> 00:55:28,360 than are wolves are due to three of the genes 819 00:55:28,360 --> 00:55:30,600 that are involved in Williams syndrome. 820 00:55:31,640 --> 00:55:35,040 I feel that we've cracked the puzzle of domestication. 821 00:55:35,040 --> 00:55:38,520 We've identified in the genetic material what it is 822 00:55:38,520 --> 00:55:43,080 that makes dogs so unique, makes them so special and so successful. 823 00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:48,520 More research is still needed, but these rare mutations 824 00:55:48,520 --> 00:55:52,160 may prove to be the secret source of the unshakeable bond 825 00:55:52,160 --> 00:55:54,480 between our two species. 826 00:55:55,760 --> 00:55:59,480 I think that's brilliant because I knew, when he was little, 827 00:55:59,480 --> 00:56:01,320 he had my personality, 828 00:56:01,320 --> 00:56:04,520 but I didn't know he shared the same gene almost, 829 00:56:04,520 --> 00:56:07,320 so that...that is so cool. 830 00:56:07,320 --> 00:56:11,480 I promise that I'm always going to be here for you no matter what, 831 00:56:11,480 --> 00:56:13,680 through thick and thin. 832 00:56:20,440 --> 00:56:22,920 Dogs have been on quite a journey. 833 00:56:22,920 --> 00:56:25,000 WOLVES HOWL 834 00:56:26,480 --> 00:56:30,000 A natural instinct to exploit their new human neighbours 835 00:56:30,000 --> 00:56:32,960 led some wolves to evolve from dominant predators 836 00:56:32,960 --> 00:56:35,120 to docile companions. 837 00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:40,520 Humans have tinkered with them through selective breeding, 838 00:56:40,520 --> 00:56:45,480 perfecting useful instinctual traits and playing with their looks. 839 00:56:48,760 --> 00:56:51,480 And it seems like, somewhere along the way, 840 00:56:51,480 --> 00:56:56,720 we bred in an extreme motivation to learn extraordinary skills 841 00:56:56,720 --> 00:57:00,720 because we bred in the most important trait of all. 842 00:57:01,720 --> 00:57:03,440 You can hug your dog. 843 00:57:04,520 --> 00:57:09,440 The discovery that dogs experience love, that's why they're so perfect. 844 00:57:11,000 --> 00:57:14,480 That's the thing that explains not only how dogs became 845 00:57:14,480 --> 00:57:18,680 so domesticated, but it explains why they're man's best friend, 846 00:57:18,680 --> 00:57:21,720 and why we've been together for 15,000 years. 847 00:57:22,800 --> 00:57:27,480 We're the best duo in all of evolutionary history. 848 00:57:28,760 --> 00:57:31,440 Who knows you better than your best friend? 849 00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:33,360 SHE LAUGHS 850 00:57:42,680 --> 00:57:44,760 Who's a good kitty? 851 00:57:45,760 --> 00:57:48,920 Next time, we'll be exploring the world of cats. 852 00:57:48,920 --> 00:57:50,560 Cats are brilliant. 853 00:57:50,560 --> 00:57:53,520 People really underestimate the brilliance of a cat. 854 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:57,040 We'll be getting under their skin to expose the roots 855 00:57:57,040 --> 00:57:58,920 of our ancient partnership... 856 00:57:58,920 --> 00:58:01,760 We can really drill down and say definitively 857 00:58:01,760 --> 00:58:03,760 where domestic cats come from. 858 00:58:03,760 --> 00:58:06,560 ..reveal details of our troubled relationship... 859 00:58:06,560 --> 00:58:09,000 Their mummified cat, they gave it away, 860 00:58:09,000 --> 00:58:11,440 and then their house burned down. Gosh. 861 00:58:11,440 --> 00:58:14,760 ..and explore the source of their uncanny powers. 862 00:58:14,760 --> 00:58:17,760 These sounds are plugging straight into our emotions. 863 00:58:19,000 --> 00:58:22,680 We pretend to know what they're thinking. Are we right? 864 00:58:22,680 --> 00:58:24,240 Maybe not.