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Was dog domestication a single event or a process over thousands of years?

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A Labradoodle dog runs energetically through grass with a stick in its mouth, ears flopping and tail raised. — dog A Labradoodle is a cross between a Labrador Retriever and a Poodle, a mix intended to incorporate the Poodle's intelligence and low-shedding coat with a Lab's energy and determination.

Most scientific studies agree that the domestication of the dog was not a single, discrete event. Instead, it was a complex process that unfolded over thousands of years.1

This evolutionary transition likely involved dog populations appearing in different parts of Eurasia at various times. During this period, early dog populations were likely replaced by later ones, and there was ongoing interbreeding between these early dogs and wild wolves. While the exact timing remains a subject of debate, genetic evidence suggests that the first domestication events occurred in northern Eurasia between 14,000 and 29,000 years ago.1

It is believed that wolves may have facilitated this process by trailing nomadic human groups and consuming the remains of game animals left behind by hunters. Over time, this interaction led to the development of the close bond between humans and dogs that persists today.12