Dogs are not only humans’ best friend, but also the oldest, a study has revealed.
A DNA analysis has shown that dog domestication can be traced back to the end of the last Ice Age, more than 11,000 years ago.
This shows dogs were domesticated before any other known species.
According to the research – which sequenced 27 ancient dog genomes – all dogs derive from a single extinct wolf population.
Cats, on the other hand, became our pets some 6,000 years ago when humans settled in a farm.
You can read the full study here.