It’s no secret that it’s dogs that hold the title of man’s best friend, and they have for quite some time now. But before they became the lazy, unbearably cute and seemingly always snackish creatures we now share our sofas with, they were animals confidently roaming the wild. (Yes, that’s probably difficult to imagine looking at your dog trying to break free of yet anotherweird positionor place it found itself stuck in.)

Below you will also findBored Panda’sinterviews with the creator of the Instagram account, as well as the professor and chair of Florida Gulf Coast University’s department of Biological Sciences,Charles Gunnels, who was kind enough to answer a few of our questions about domesticated animals.

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This Is The Official Nasa Portrait For Now Retired Astronaut Leland Melvin

An Award Winning Photographer, Piccoli Is A Master At Capturing Dogs In Motion

A Caribou Inuit Girl Holds Her Canadian Eskimo Puppy

Created roughly five years ago, ‘A History Of Dogs’ has already amassed close to 140k followers on Instagram, who enjoy seeing fun dog pictures from different time periods pop up in their feed. If you’re curious to learn how it all started, the reason was pretty simple—the mastermind behind the account simply put together the two things they love most.“I’m a dog lover and history buff so combining the two was fun for me,” they toldBored Pandain a recent interview. “I enjoy the storytelling and research involved in each post. I wish I had more time to do it.”

Created roughly five years ago, ‘A History Of Dogs’ has already amassed close to 140k followers on Instagram, who enjoy seeing fun dog pictures from different time periods pop up in their feed. If you’re curious to learn how it all started, the reason was pretty simple—the mastermind behind the account simply put together the two things they love most.

“I’m a dog lover and history buff so combining the two was fun for me,” they toldBored Pandain a recent interview. “I enjoy the storytelling and research involved in each post. I wish I had more time to do it.”

The Final Exam For German Police Service Dogs To Remain Calm In Front Of A Cat, 1987

The TV Reporter Gerd Ruge Interviews Bastian, The English Basset Belonging To West German Chancellor Willy Brandt, In Front Of The West German Parliament In Bonn, Germany, On June 4, 1972

Discussing the possible reasons why people seem to enjoy browsing historical pictures of dogs, the creator of the Instagram account suggested that netizens like learningsomething new. “Many didn’t know there were dogs on the Titanic, or that there’s a dog mummy at the Egyptian Museum, or that Reykjavík banned dogs for 60 years,” they pointed out.

“Kitten And Foster Mother”⁣ Photo Postcard C. 1915

“All Ears.” NYC, 1980

Tatler Magazine, London, May 16, 1928

It will likely come as no surprise, but the dog enthusiast creator of the Instagram account is a dog owner themselves. “Dogs are the best,” they said, adding one of their favorite stories about their pet:“I used to have a terrible boss. When I brought my well-trained, fully potty-trained dog to my boss’s studio for the first time, he walked in and immediately took a piss on my boss’s personal bag. I was apologetic, but I know why my dog did it. Who else would do that? No one. Definitely not my cat, even though I love him a lot too.”

It will likely come as no surprise, but the dog enthusiast creator of the Instagram account is a dog owner themselves. “Dogs are the best,” they said, adding one of their favorite stories about their pet:

“I used to have a terrible boss. When I brought my well-trained, fully potty-trained dog to my boss’s studio for the first time, he walked in and immediately took a piss on my boss’s personal bag. I was apologetic, but I know why my dog did it. Who else would do that? No one. Definitely not my cat, even though I love him a lot too.”

Knife Grinders In France In The Early 1900s.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ The Workers Laid Face Down To Save Their Backs From Being Hunched Over All Day. They Brought Their Dogs To Lay On Their Legs For Warmth

Fully-Packed Londoners Leave Town, Carrying Golf Clubs And A Happy Dog, For An Easter Holiday Break In 1930

Betty White At Home With Her Dog, 1957

Any dog owner would likely agree that even when their critter finds themself in some sort of a pickle or does something they shouldn’t have done (like peeing on their boss’s bag, for instance), they can look awfully cute. According to the biology professor Dr. Charles Gunnels, we often find animals’ goofy behavior to be quite adorable because we have co-evolved to domestic animals the same way domestic animals have evolved to us.“Much of the research has focused on domestic animals having evolved to us. For example, a recentstudyfound that dogs—and not wolves—evolved a muscle above their eyes that allows them to raise their ‘eyebrows’ in a similar fashion to human facial expression. The follow-up study has not been completed yet, but I would expect that people show a strong preference for dogs that can produce this signal.”

Any dog owner would likely agree that even when their critter finds themself in some sort of a pickle or does something they shouldn’t have done (like peeing on their boss’s bag, for instance), they can look awfully cute. According to the biology professor Dr. Charles Gunnels, we often find animals’ goofy behavior to be quite adorable because we have co-evolved to domestic animals the same way domestic animals have evolved to us.

“Much of the research has focused on domestic animals having evolved to us. For example, a recentstudyfound that dogs—and not wolves—evolved a muscle above their eyes that allows them to raise their ‘eyebrows’ in a similar fashion to human facial expression. The follow-up study has not been completed yet, but I would expect that people show a strong preference for dogs that can produce this signal.”

In 1968, The Beatles Released The White Album, And With It, A Song Called “Martha My Dear.”⁣⁣ It Was Inspired By And Written About Martha, Mccartney’s Dog

Dog School, California, Ca. 1929

Manchester Terrier With Cape, 1905

It’s difficult to say when exactly dogs started drifting away from their predecessors,wolves, but some sourcessuggestthat it’s a process that likely started roughly 40,000 years ago.“Humans and the willingness to associate with humans is the most important difference between wild animals and their domestic counterparts. Animals that were willing to associate and interact with humans made the first steps towards domestication,” Dr. Gunnels suggested, pointing out that those which avoided humans remained wild.“The domestication process and the willingness to associate or avoid humans is the first—and I would argue—the most important piece in the domestication process. You cannot domesticate animals that actively avoid humans. This final statement may be overly simplistic, but it is true.”

It’s difficult to say when exactly dogs started drifting away from their predecessors,wolves, but some sourcessuggestthat it’s a process that likely started roughly 40,000 years ago.

“Humans and the willingness to associate with humans is the most important difference between wild animals and their domestic counterparts. Animals that were willing to associate and interact with humans made the first steps towards domestication,” Dr. Gunnels suggested, pointing out that those which avoided humans remained wild.

“The domestication process and the willingness to associate or avoid humans is the first—and I would argue—the most important piece in the domestication process. You cannot domesticate animals that actively avoid humans. This final statement may be overly simplistic, but it is true.”

Dog Eating Ice Cream Cone Hidden Behind Boy’s Back. New York, 1949

The Concierge’s Dog. Paris, 1929.⁣⁣ Photo By André Kertész

Charging Thunder, A Sioux Native American From Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show

“Honestly, I think that humans have co-evolved preferences for animals that are important in their lives, such as pets and other domestic animals,” Dr. Gunnels said, suggesting that people clearly benefit from their presence.“There is tons of evidence that shows a positive effect of pets on people; pets are associated with physiological, mental, and behavioral improvements in people. This does not mean that pets benefit everyone, but pets have clear positive effects on many,” the expert added.

“Honestly, I think that humans have co-evolved preferences for animals that are important in their lives, such as pets and other domestic animals,” Dr. Gunnels said, suggesting that people clearly benefit from their presence.

“There is tons of evidence that shows a positive effect of pets on people; pets are associated with physiological, mental, and behavioral improvements in people. This does not mean that pets benefit everyone, but pets have clear positive effects on many,” the expert added.

Henri Matisse, His Dog, And His Monstera

A Dalmatian With A Disney Artist At The Walt Disney Studio In Burbank

Dog Of Randall The Jeweler, Ca. 1875

The positive influence pets have on us is likely why so many people enjoy browsing animal-related content. “It would make sense that humans have strong preferences for something that they have benefited from throughout recent (10,000+ year) history.”Discussing what affects the well-being of the animal itself, the professor of biology suggested that three main factors tend to influence animal behavior the most, which are health and well-being, social environment, and genetics and how genes interact with the environment.

The positive influence pets have on us is likely why so many people enjoy browsing animal-related content. “It would make sense that humans have strong preferences for something that they have benefited from throughout recent (10,000+ year) history.”

Discussing what affects the well-being of the animal itself, the professor of biology suggested that three main factors tend to influence animal behavior the most, which are health and well-being, social environment, and genetics and how genes interact with the environment.

A Woman And Her Dog In Harlem, NY. 1943

Portrait Of Harold Lloyd Sitting And Holding His Dog Specks In His Lap. The Dog And Harold Are Wearing Matching Eyeglasses. Date Unknown

18-Year-Old Alice Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s Eldest Daughter, In 1902 With Her Dog, Leo, A Long-Haired Chihuahua

Happy scrolling!

4th Century Bce Greek Mug. Located At The National Etruscan Museum Of Villa Giulia

Jackie Robinson, His Dog, And His Wife Rachel At Their Home In Stamford, Connecticut, Shortly After He Was Voted Into The Baseball Hall Of Fame In 1962

Photos Of Chilean Riot Dog Rucio Capucha. Rucio, A Stray Dog, Frequently Joined Protests, And Became A Target Of Deliberate Police Violence. After Being Injured By A Police Water Cannon During A Protest In Santiago, He Was Adopted By A Family

People And Their Dog In Nebraska

Writer Kurt Vonnegut And His Dog Pumpkin

On June 19, 1944, W.n. Ely`s American Foxhound, Lena, Of Ambler, Pa., Gave Birth To 23 Healthy Puppies. It Was Her First Litter, And It Gave Her The World Record For The Largest Litter Of Puppies To Survive

Konrad The Dachshund Sits On Some Of His Winnings From The Gaines Dog Food “Lucky Dog” Contest, 1949

In 1966, Life Magazine Featured A Photo Essay About Bellybutton, A 3-Year-Old Shorthaired Pointer With Amazing Underwater Abilities. He Could Go As Deep As 20 Feet And Would Remain Submerged For Up To 15 Seconds

This Photograph Was Probably Taken By Either William E. Baker Or James Larry Johnson, Photographers Who Operated A Photographic Studio At 116 1/2 Dexter Avenue In Montgomery, Alabama, From The 1910s To The 1930s

Johnny Lunchbucket And Friend - “A” Train To Brooklyn, New York, 1940s

On March 16, 1938, Hyde Park’s Own Shepherd LED His Sheep Along The Serpentine Pathway To New Grazing Grounds Elsewhere In The London Park. His Dog Has Taken To The Water To Prevent The Sheep From Swimming Away

A Bronze Statue Of A Dog Named Rex, Lying On A Stone Platform Engraved With His Name. Rex Was The Faithful Companion Of John E. Stow, One Of The City’s Longest Practicing Fruit Merchants, Who Died In 1884

In 1942, Pepito Von Zalez Became The First Chihuahua To Climb Mount Everest

A “Dog’s Bar” In Paris, Maintained At Claridge’s Hotel In The Champs Élysées

The Year Was 1962, The Mets Played Terribly, And Their Original Official Mascot Was A Floppy-Eared Beagle Named Homer

As Ashley Grew, Stein Realized The Precocious Pup’s Talents For Catching Flying Discs

Steven Tyler, His Mother, And His Dog

At The Dawn Of Sound In Motion Pictures, A New Genre Of Short Films With Synchronized Sound Called “Talkies” Became Popular.“ In Response, Mgm Studios Came Up With “Barkies.”

Bluey Was A Female Australian Cattle Dog Born On June 7, 1910. She Herded Cattle And Sheep For 20 Years

Family Portrait

Woman Hailing A Cab In New York City, 1956

An Afghan Hound In A Saab, 1960s

Dog On The Cover Of Life Magazine

Humphrey Bogart And His Third Wife, Mayo Methot, With Their Dog, 1944

Children Pose On The Front Lawn Of The White House For A Picture With Laddie Boy, The Harding Family Pet Airedale Terrier

The Greyhound Bus Company Might Have Been Founded In 1914, But It Didn’t Adopt The Greyhound Name Until 1929

A Grave At The Pet Memorial Park In Wantagh, New York

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One Stray Dog Was A Constant During Protests In Chile, And Spotted Joining Protestors Against The Police. His Name Is El Vaquita, Meaning “Little Cow"

Irish Wolfhounds Were Documented In Rome As Early As 391 A.d

Wally Atkenson, 6 Years Old Of Palos Park, Ill. Sits Between Dogs Members Of The Chicagoland Dalmatian Club, Watching The Movie “One Hundred And One Dalmatians” In The 7th Fl. Screening Room Of The Chicago Theater. Feb. 7, 1961

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Kato, Nicole Brown Simpson’s Akita In Laguna Beach. February 18, 1995

Cabinet Card Terrier C. 1890.⁣ Photo By W. Humphries

Rin Tin Tin Celebrating Christmas In 1927

“Poodle On A Writing Desk” By Jacques-Barthélemy Delamarreby. Oil On Canvas.⁣ Late 18th Century

The Mummy Of A Hunting Dog, Displayed In The Egyptian Museum In Tahrir

A Dog Named Messi Took Home His Own Unofficial Prize — The Palm Dog At The Cannes Film Festival

Marlene Linteau, 17, With Pancho, 6, Showing Off Dog Trailer, La Crescenta, California, 1951

Joan Bradshaw Photographed By Earl Leaf Walking Down Hollywood And Vine, 1957

The Salish Wool Dog Is A Prehistoric North American Dog Breed That Lived With Indigenous Peoples In What Is Now Washington State And British Columbia. They Were Valued For Their Thick Coats, Which Were Used To Make Textiles And Blankets

“A Very Small Dog”, Jamie Wyeth, 1980, Oil On Canvas

15 Years Old Stevie Wonder, 1965

In 1963, Lady Greyhound Attended The New York World’s Fair Where She Had Her Own Fashion Show And Handed Out Paw-Tographs

A Dog At The Funeral Of Martin Luther King Jr, Wearing A Sign That Reads “I Had A Dream, Amen, Amen.” April 9, 1968

Burt Reynolds Polishing His Star After It Was Unveiled On The Hollywood Walk Of Fame In Los Angeles, 1978

The Coronation Of Pope Pius III, 1509

Gary Mead, Age 5, Rides His Pyrenean Mountain Dog The Half Mile To School Each Morning In Plumstead, London. 1960s

In The Summer Of 1939, The British Government Began Preparing For The Outbreak Of World War II. Part Of That Preparation Involved The Formation Of The National Air Raid Precautions Animals Committee

Countess Phyllis Della Faille De Leverghem, Photographed In 1950 By Jack Bims, Is Shown In The Bedroom Of Her Villa In Morocco, Reclining Amidst Her Numerous Chihuahuas, An Afghan Dog, And Her Parrots

Rembrandt’s Baroque-Style Self-Portrait With A Poodle, Circa 1631

During The Victorian Era, A Style Of Photo Called “Hidden Mother” Photography Became Popular. In The Images, Mothers Hide Themselves Under A Piece Of Fabric Strategically Draped Over Their Bodies While Holding Up Their Baby

Brittany Murphy For New York Times Magazine. September 1, 2002

Liberace Poses Alongside His Beloved Dogs At His Palm Springs Estate In September 1980

The Colisée Café On The Champs-Elysees, 1951. After Watching A Saturday Afternoon Hollywood Movie, Seven American Girls Stop For Some Cokes

Happy Halloween

A Young Lady And Her Baby, Spring Fair, Long Beach, 1951

Anyone Who’s Ever Stayed With Their Dog At The Plaza Hotel Has A Little Dog Named Pinky Panky Poo To Thank

Femme Au Chien, 1962. By Pablo Picasso.⁣ ⁣ The Painting Features Picasso’s Afghan Hound Kaboul, Named After The Afghan Capital, And Jacqueline Roque, His Second Wife

Happy Easter

David Hasselhoff And Dogs

Portrait Of Ivan Drašković Found In Trakošća Castle, Located In Northern Croatia

Elvis Presley And Duke The Poodle, December 20, 1957

C.1880s Cabinet Card Of A White Poodle

Mamie Van Doren And Dog, 1955

College Football Dog Mascot Uga, University Of Georgia⁣

Madonna Photographed By Steven Meisel For Versace, 1995

Ju Ju And Her Dog Coppelia. Oil On Canvas Board. Painting By Philip Evergood, 1958

A Dog Featured In “La Visitación” By The Maestro Of Miraflores, 1490

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Justinas Keturka

Indrė Lukošiūtė

Animals