Dogs’ changes in size and shape began at least 11,000 years ago

Ivana Karlic Ban, accompanied by her dogs, shows off a truffle after finding it in the woods near Buzet, Croatia. — Photos: Reuters

Dogs today come in a mind- blowing array of shapes and sizes, from the diminutive pug, Pekingese and Pomeranian to the grand Irish Wolfhound, Great Dane and Saint Bernard.

But when did this diversity in canine forms begin? New research shows it dates back many millennia, long before modern breeding practices.