Really Old Dogs

You've heard of the movie Old Dogs?  Well, researchers in Switzerland have found what could be really old dogs: a dog's skull and other bones that are over 14,000 years old.  The fossils were first discovered in 1873 in the Kesslerloch Cave, but researchers recently re-examined the findings and determined that they had evidence of the oldest known example of a domesticated dog. 

"The Kesslerloch dog jaw and its remaining teeth are considerably smaller than those of wolves recovered from the same site, the scientists say. A space between two of the fossil dog's teeth indicates that domestication must have reached an advanced phase at that time, they argue. During initial stages of domestication, jaws shrink in size faster than teeth..."

And while some researchers claim to have dog fossils that are over 30,000 years old, other scientists claim that those "dogs" are actually wolves.

Still, it turns out that man's best friend is also his oldest friend.  No wonder they seem so comfortable sleeping on our couches!

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