One of the tallest dog breeds is the Great Dane, which stands over a meter tall. One of the shortest is the Pomeranian, which stands about 20 centimeters tall. Based on what you have learned about artificial selection, how were these two breeds developed?
Both the Great Dane and the Pomeranian were developed through artificial selection, which is the process of humans selectively breeding animals with desired traits over many generations.
The Great Dane was originally bred in Germany for hunting large game such as wild boar. Through careful breeding, larger dogs were selected for their size, strength, and hunting abilities, resulting in the Great Dane we see today, which is one of the tallest dog breeds in the world.
On the other hand, the Pomeranian was originally bred in the Pomerania region of Europe as a small companion dog. Breeders selected smaller dogs with thick fur and a friendly demeanor to create the Pomeranian breed, which is one of the smallest dog breeds in the world.
In both cases, artificial selection played a crucial role in shaping these breeds to have the specific characteristics and sizes that we see today. Breeders carefully selected and bred dogs with desirable traits, resulting in the diverse range of dog breeds we have today.