 Basic Dog History
Molecular systematics indicate that the domestic dog is descended from a wolf-like ancestor, and dogs and wolves can still interbreed. The domestication of the dog probably occurred at least 14,000 years ago, and perhaps long before that. There is archaeological evidence of dog remains, showing the characteristic morphological differences from wolves, from at least 14,000 years ago, while wolf remains have been found in association with hominid remains that are at least 400,000 years old.
The molecular genetic data suggest that the domestic lineage separated from modern wolves around 150,000 years ago. In the early 2000s, some research indicated that domestication in fact had already begun to occur as early as 100,000 years ago. Dogs were, and are, valued for their aid in hunting. Dog burials at the Mesolithic cemetery of Svaerdborg in Denmark indicate that, in ancient Europe, dogs were valued companions. | 
Linear Mode
