Study Suggests That Dogs’ Faces Evolved To Better Connect With Humans
Fast-twitch fibers dominate the muscles of human faces. This allows us to express our thoughts quickly, but not for very long. However, the muscles of our backs are dominated in part by slow-twitch fibers which can withstand loads longer.
Burrows stated that if you grab a 10-pound weight you can hold it for one minute. You can’t smile for more than a minute in the mirror if you don’t try. Because your face is dominated by fast-twitch fibers, it can cause fatigue.
Burroughs’ and Omstead’s research suggests that dogs have a higher proportion of fast-twitch fibers than wolves.
Burrows suggested that this could be due to the domestication of dogs, which involves selecting dogs who are most responsive to humans. Dog faces become “faster” as a result.
She said that Upper Paleolithic European and Asian peoples domesticated the first dogs around 40,000 years ago. They chose dogs with fast faces.
Prehistoric people preferred dogs who barked, which uses fast-twitch muscle fibers, to dogs that howled like wolves. This may have also influenced the facial muscles of dogs.
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