What would happen to dogs if humans disappeared?

As an owner, you must have had the experience of looking at your fussy or somewhat clumsy dog and thinking, "He wouldn't survive a day without me...". But is that really true, or do we just like to think we're irreplaceable?

If humans suddenly disappeared, would dogs be able to live and survive as independent, wild animals? But, perhaps even more interestingly, how would nature replace artificial selection and breeding in this dystopian world? What would such dogs look and behave like? It’s terribly strange to think of them without us being part of their lives, but perhaps this speculative biological line can help us understand them even better.

Most dogs are already self-sufficient

If humans disappeared from the Earth tomorrow, around 1 billion dogs would be left on their own. In Hungary there are about 3 million. Most people, when asked to imagine a dog, think of a four-legged companion curled up on the sofa or running around in the garden, but in a controlled environment.

But only 20% of the world’s dogs are pets, 80% of them are free-roaming. So, most dogs on the planet are already largely self-sustaining anyway. It’s also true that the vast majority of these dogs still rely to some extent on the human presence for food. Whether they get it through feeding or waste. The elimination of this would be a huge challenge for them.

After a few rough years they would surely reinvent themselves… or would they?

If we were gone and the food we had left behind had run out, the dogs would probably find a way out quickly thanks to their resilient behaviour. They would start to make use of the wide variety of edibles around them. From plants to berries to insects, birds and mammals large and small, they would probably consume anything. Exactly what their diet would consist of would depend on where they lived, their body type and their hunting ability.

However, it is also true that dogs who have grown up around humans lack the experience of being alone. They may not be able to adapt to other species or find sufficient food. It is likely that, unfortunately, significant numbers of these quadrupeds would die off. It is safe to say, however, that the extinction of the human species would in no way mean the end of the dog. But what would they become without us?

Nature would continue what we start

The timing and process of domestication is still a matter of debate, but we have been scouring the surface of planet Earth with quadrupeds for around 40 000-15 000 years. What is certain, however, is that this process has significantly altered their evolutionary trajectory. (And ours, of course.) Their morphology, physiology and behaviour have been shaped and perfected by conscious breeding. By deliberately selecting for certain traits, such as courage, we select for other, unintended traits. Examples include a white spotted coat or a curled tail.

In a future without humans, this process would continue, but the parameters would change. Dogs would begin to drift in the currents of natural selection, and where these currents would take them is, for the moment, almost a complete mystery. Nevertheless, there is some basis for our speculation.

For example, it is certain that with the disappearance of humans, they would not revert to wolves, they would simply go wild. We can also confidently predict that in the post-human future, dogs would largely become a new species. Indeed, domestication would no longer play a role in their evolution, especially several generations later. No longer providing them with food would also affect their anatomy and physique. The specific changes that would occur would depend on where the dog lives, its size and who it has to compete with for food.

Their reproductive strategies would also need to evolve rapidly. Dogs need to find mates, court and successfully raise their puppies. The mating and breeding strategies of utopian dogs would probably not change dramatically, but the courtship process would be more ritualistic and longer, and more family members would be involved in the rearing process. Many forms of social organisation could emerge and function in a world without humans, including bonded pairs, small groups and larger packs. Alternatively, some dogs could lead solitary lives.

The end of the furry nose and the patchy coat

It’s interesting to think that the dog is already one of the most diverse species in the world. There are many scenarios for how this might change in the future. Researchers say it is also possible that they could split into several different subspecies. And natural selection would quickly weed out maladaptive physical traits. Such as short limbs or flat noses. But it is also likely that droopy ears, curly tails and patchy fur would disappear, as they would inhibit communication between conspecifics, the latter serving no functional purpose.

However, it is difficult to say what fate would befall the traits and behaviours that would result from domestication. Whether the ability to interpret human gestures, the use of facial muscles for giant dog eyes or hypersociability would benefit them in some way is still a mystery.

The painful question: would they be better off without us?

We’ve asked ourselves this countless times and it’s interesting how panicky we feel at the thought. We have only gotten good things from them, if they have made mistakes, in the vast majority of cases it was due to someone’s irresponsibility (failure to socialize, abuse, reckless breeding, breeding in the worst cases.)

Although we try to give them everything we can, we have the feeling that sometimes we forget that they are creatures too. We breed them to please us, not thinking about the health risks of doing so. Or we keep them and raise them in the way that is most comfortable for us, without thinking about what is best for them.

We have made and can continue to make each other’s lives better if we always remind ourselves that they are sentient beings and their well-being should never be put before our momentary desires. We are responsible for them.