Question

The earliest animal to have been domesticated by man was most likely the
(a) Horse
(b) Pig
(c) Dog
(d) Cow

Answer 1

Hint: Domestication involves the adaptation of a particular organism over time from a wild or a natural straight to benefit the humans in a way. This animal is said to be the most loyal animal to mankind. The total lifespan of this animal is 10 - 13 years and their gestation period is about 58 - 68 days. Canis lupus familiaris is the scientific name of this animal. Some of its famous breeds are German Shepherd, Bulldog, Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, etc.

Complete answer:
The dog is the earliest animal to have been domesticated by man. It is a domestic carnivore that is considered a subspecies of wolves. They vary in shape, size, and color. They influence human society and are known as the man's best friend. They perform various roles such as hunting, protection, assisting police, military companionship, therapeutic roles, and pulling loads. They can perceive information and retain their knowledge to apply in solving problems and learn by inference and having advanced memory skills. They acquire an ability to understand and communicate with humans and other species which are uniquely attuned to human behaviors. They communicate through gazing at their eyes, facial expression, body posture which includes movement of bodies and limbs, vocalization, and gustatory communication such as taste and pheromones.

Additional information:
-Two-thirds of the dog population lives in the developing world as feral, pet dogs, and community dogs. They are consumed by some people in Korea, China, and Vietnam, and it is estimated around 13 to 16 million dogs are killed every year for their consumption.
-Horse: A horse is an odd-toed ungulate mammal that has evolved over 45 to 55 million years. They are adapted to quickly escape from the predators and causes and possess an excellent sense of balance and flight response. They can sleep in both ways standing up and lying down. They interact with humans in a wide variety of sports competitions and recreational pursuits.
-Pig: It is an even-toed ungulate that is a highly social and intelligent animal. The largest mammals in the world are the domestic pig which is omnivorous and can consume a wide range of food. They are similar to humans biologically and consist of a large head with a long snout. This snout is used to dig into the soil to find food which is a very acute sense organ.
-Cow: They are the most common type of domestic ungulates that are commonly raised as livestock for meat and milk. Their dung is used as manure or fuel. They have significant religious meaning in some regions of India and are domesticated as few as 80 progenitors.

So, the correct answer is 'Dog'.
Note:
-The nose of a dog is wet to absorb scent chemicals. They constitute a 10000 times stronger sense of smell than humans.
 -During the sinking of the Titanic ship 3 dogs survived.
-One female dog (bitch) and her mate with their puppies can produce 67000 puppies in 6 years.
-From an ancient extinct wolf, the dog descended with the modern wolf being the dog’s nearest living relative.