User:MattAnthStudent/Human–animal communication

Origins of Communication with Canines
It has been widely theorized that human-animal communication began with the domestication of dogs. Humans began communicating with wolves before the end of the late pleistocene, and the two species eventually created a wide scale symbiotic relationship with one another. Modern biologists and anthropologists believe that humans and wolves met near hunting grounds, and as the Homo sapien diet began relying more and more on meat for development, they would often encounter and compete with wolves.

Humans' relationship with wolves garnered a mutual benefit, obtaining food and protection. Humans likely began attempting to cooperate with wolves through commands, which eventually led to a more familiar species of dogs that we know today. These commands were likely the first instances of obedience training upon canines, as dogs maintained a pack mentality that humans fit into as the alpha.

Neolithic humans developed, seemingly unintentionally, a system of artificial selection with both livestock and animal companions, ushering in a widespread sustenance based foundation of humans communicating with animals. New theories within academic discussion of scientific data refer to this as both prezygotic and postzygotic “strong” artificial selection. Humans began controlling the offspring of livestock during the agricultural revolution through the mating of high yielding animals.

Theories from anthropologists suggest that humans began differing relationships with canines during the neolithic age. This is possibly when humans began keeping dogs as pets, creating a new form of communication with domesticated animals, pet talk.

Felines
Human-Feline communication is dated to at least 9,500-10,000 B.C. according to archeological evidence from the Neolithic village of Shillourokambos on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Human and cat remains were found buried together along with ceremonial seashells, polished stones, and other decorative artifacts. This burial between a human and feline companion suggests that the two species had begun building a relationship with one another. Feline companions began with the establishment of organized wide-scale agriculture, as humans needed a way to exterminate vermin which inhabited food stores.

Evidence of the regular domestication of felines started around 5,000 B.C. in Ancient Egypt with cats becoming a tool which humans kept near food surpluses as agriculture became more widespread and regulated. Cats are known to possess a commensal relationship with humans, and are treated as regular housepets. Modern felines often perform no real duties and are housetrained. Human owners communicate with these felines through pet talk, yet there is little to no evidence that felines can understand humans or are capable of consistent training, most cases are individual and replication can be very difficult.