[quote1326808273=Astibus] ...appearing grossly turned off... [/quote1326808273] I think such statements require too much assumption and personification that a canine is not truly capable of. [quote] Your overly detail obsessed responses sometimes... [/quote] It takes two...and your not immune to this either. Besides...let's stay on topic instead of resorting to stuff that could be taken as potentially personally attacks...especially when such statements go both ways. Deal? :) Besides, isn't that what a good scientist should do...consider everything? The truth can sustain such scrutiny. [quote] Yeah, but these guys aren't anyones! They're on top of their field. [/quote] So is Steven Hawkin...a scientist that stated he came up with his theory because it was no theory on the subject existed and being a theoretical field no one could prove him wrong. My point is titles don't quantify legitimacy. The subject and data does. This is why I stated science is a method...and objective science looks a the WHOLE PICTURE. [quote] Mhm, now go ahead and try the same with say cats. And suddenly our genius and world domination won't help us crap to repeat the "artificial selection" in creating the same diversity that we apparently performed on dogs.The reason? It's called genetic plasticity with unusually high levels in canine genomes. Now was it US who designed their genomes in such ways that they allowed for dramatic alteration of dog phenotypes? [/quote] I would say we have modified cats considerably. [u]CONSIDERING[/u]...they have been domesticated for LESS time and by LESS cultures...and with far LESS purpose. Again...you have to keep the whole picture in perspective. Now, that said, the plasticity of the genome certainly plays a role, but it doesn't solely cause a species to be influenced or not by artificial selection. Also, WHY is the canine so placid? Is that a normal phenomenon, or is that a product of us ISOLATING various types over time? Are wolves as placid as a line bred domesticated breed? How many cats do you see like this in nature? I could go on...but the point is while less variation is seen among cats than is seen in canines...distorted forms via artificial selection can't be denied. [quote] Or did we just somehow stumble on it, because canines "offered" themselves for a symbiotic relationship with humans? What do you think?! (rhetorical question as this has been already conclusively answered by scientists) [/quote] Dog's certainly offered their relationship with humans to some degree...but that really has nothing to do SPECIFICALLY with the LGD alone...NOR does it have much to do with how we have artificially selected them to distort their traits to our liking.