Dogs are the most bizarre species on Earth, and these photos prove it

Mountain Dogs
LeuchtenderHund/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Dogs are one of the most diverse species on the planet. We've bred them small enough to fit in purses and large enough to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a pony.

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But despite all this variety, dogs all belong to the same species — Canis familiaris — and have retained a unifying dog-ness. With a few exceptions all dogs bark, wag their tails, and thrive in the company of people and other dogs.

Canis familiaris was the first life form humans domesticated, even before any plants. And in the roughly 30,000 to 100,000 years since the origin of dogs, we've sculpted a remarkably weird creature. We've compiled a list of images that show just how crazy dogs have become.

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Domesticated dogs are an incredibly varied species, from the graceful White Shepherd to the waddling Dachshund.

Big Dog Little Dog
Ahmed Mateo/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Yet on the genetic level, they're all remarkably similar.

Oreo
Dave Mosher
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Barring certain physical limitations, they can all reproduce with each other. The offspring may look funny (see: Corgis) but typically end up healthy and fertile.

corgi puppies dogs
Flickr / Daniel Stockman

That's because almost all dog DNA is nearly identical, even in the case of the Great Dane and Chihuahua.

Great Dane
Therese Banström
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It turns out that that only a handful of known genes affect the size and appearance of dogs.

Rottweiler
Daniel Marín/Flickr

Source: Genome Research

Back in 2007, scientists identified a gene that controls growth hormone in canines.

French Bulldog
A_Peach/Flickr
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The expression of that gene, IGF1, is part of what makes a dog weigh 5 pounds and fit in the palm of your hand, like the diminutive Chihuahua...

chihuahua dog reuters
Reuters

Source: Scientific American

...Or grow into a slobbery giant, like a Mastiff.

mastiff dog breed largest audrey_sel flickr ccbysa2
audrey_sel/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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Through selective breeding of one species, we have developed breeds like the quick, graceful Greyhound — a sight hound that uses fast speed and strong vision to keep speedy prey in sight...

Greyhound
A.CroxtonSmith

...and the Basset Hound, a scent hound that relies on endurance and an insanely powerful sense of smell.

Basset Hound
Eda/Wikimedia Commons
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The Shar-Pei is another wild example of just how much we've tweaked Canis familiaris, with its loose, wrinkled skin and blue-black tongue.

Shar-pei
Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez

Fur is another huge variant in domestic canines. The Puli is an irrefutably weird breed in that department.

Puli
Puli1989/Wikimedia Commons
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Some, like the Weimaraner, have short, smooth coats that are quick-drying and low-maintenance. This makes the dogs excellent hunters in and out of the water.

Weimaraner
Томасина

Contrast that with the heavy, multi-layered fur of the Newfoundland, whose waterproof coat allows it to swim in frigid Canadian ocean waters.

Newfoundland
Peter Ludes
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Selective breeding by humans has also morphed the dog's face, leading to the long-snouted Borzoi, another aerodynamic sight hound built for speed.

Borzoi
Karen Fasciano

But there are consequences to our selectivity. For example, the Bulldog — one of the most heavily modified breeds — has a nose that's shortened into a distinctive under bite. This gives it a powerful grip, as well as serious breathing issues.

Bulldog
SheltieBoy/Flickr
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Still, people continue to sculpt dogs into new breeds every year, like the goldendoodle — a mix of a golden retriever and a poodle...

goldendoodle golden retriever poodle dog getty
Getty Images

...Or the miniature labradoodle — a pint-size version of a Labrador-poodle mix.

labradoodle labrador poodle mix reuters
Reuters
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Who knows what sort of weird breed of best friend that humans will come up with next.

spider dog costume french bulldog mariana bazo reuters
Mariana Bazo/Reuters
Dogs Biology
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