Credit to my fiance with a special interest in evolutionary biology and the history of human domestication of other species (and who is also currently HIGH AS HELL).
Credit to my fiance with a special interest in evolutionary biology and the history of human domestication of other species (and who is also currently HIGH AS HELL).
No, dogs do not bring back balls and sticks because of any ancient hunting instincts related to spears or slingshots. Instead, dogs have a natural instinct to retrieve objects, which is a behavior that has been selectively bred over thousands of years for specific purposes such as hunting, herding, and retrieving game.
In modern times, the instinct to retrieve has been channeled into games such as fetch, where dogs are trained to retrieve objects such as balls or sticks and bring them back to their owners. This behavior is often reinforced through positive reinforcement, where the dog is rewarded with praise or treats for bringing back the object
Young puppies naturally play fetch without much prompting. A lot of trainers use it as part of an assessment to figure out how trainable the puppy will be.
Just adding to your very reasonable comment. Cheers
More than one thing can be true. Wolves became domesticated because they developed mutually beneficial relationships with people.