There are times when we all look at the behaviour of our dogs and shake our heads wondering "Why do they do that!".  Often it is due to the close genetic relationship that all domesticated dogs and wolves share.  Here is a list of some amazing facts about the wolf in your living room: 

1. Common Ancestry

Dogs and wolves split from a common ancestor roughly 35,000 years ago.  They are so close that they share the same digestive system and 99.8% of DNA.

2. Reverting to Hunting

Pet dogs in the wild, if left to their own devices, will form packs and hunt other animals, behaving just like wolves.

3. Making Somewhere Nice to Sleep

Dogs spin around before they lie down because like their wolf ancestors, they are preparing the ground to be as comfortable a nest as possible.

4. You're home!  You're home!

Dogs jump up on us when we return home, just like wolf pups greet adult wolves returning from the hunt.  In the wild, this would trigger the adult wolf to regurgitate food.

5. Close Relations

Dogs are so close to wolves that they are now considered a subspecies of the Grey Wolf, Canis Lupus, and are called Canis Lupus Familiaris.