Final answer:
Ancient wolves began to evolve into proto dogs as they adapted to human society, becoming early ancestors of modern dogs, and contributed to diverse roles like guarding and protection. Subspecies Canis lupus pallipes and Canis lupus lupus were among these early ancestors, and the domestication process selected for specific traits that facilitated this partnership.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is believed that ancient wolves first began to evolve into proto dogs around the time that humans also started to form more organized societies. This transition from wild wolves to domesticated dogs occurred through processes such as natural selection and selective breeding. Significant evidence points out that the subspecies Canis lupus pallipes (Indian wolf) and Canis lupus lupus (Eurasian wolf) were among the early ancestors of modern dogs. Due to domestication, humans were able to develop dogs into versatile companions, capable of fulfilling roles such as guarding and protection, hunting helpers, and even a source of meat in some cultures, as exhibited by the finds at Hinds Cave, where remains of dogs were found in human coprolites dating back to at least 9260 BP.
Throughout history and across various cultures, dogs have been shaped into a wide variety of breeds, each with its unique traits but still sharing a genetic closeness of only about 0.2 percent difference from some of their wolf ancestors. This genetic diversity indicates that other wolf subspecies also contributed to the current domestic dog gene pool, making them animal hybrids. Dogs have naturally adapted to work alongside humans because of their territorial instincts, social nature, and hierarchical social structure, which predisposed them to human direction.