Two new studies shed light on the fascinating world of canine behavior and evolution. One study suggests that dogs may have played an active role in their own domestication, with wolves choosing to coexist with humans for consistent food sources. Researchers used a statistical model to demonstrate that natural selection could drive self-domestication over 15,000 years if wolves preferred human settlements and selected mates with similar temperaments. This challenges the notion that human intervention was the sole driver of early dog domestication.
Another study, focusing on street dogs in India, reveals a surprising color preference. Researchers found that these dogs disproportionately chose yellow bowls over blue or gray ones, even when the bowls contained food. This preference remained even when the dogs were offered a food reward in the less-preferred bowls. While the exact reason for this preference is unknown, researchers speculate it could be linked to the color's association with human food waste or spices commonly found in the dogs' scavenging environment.