I feel like bears is the most obvious answer. In this scenario it would have started thousands of years ago. We’d have dozens/hundreds of breeds with different shapes,sizes and characteristics. What do you think would be the most interesting/cool?

  • pasdechance@jlai.lu
    29·
    4 days ago

    There was a video being shared by someone who studies raccoons.

    The tl;dr was they are too smart and tend to hold grudges to become domestic.

    Still, they would be cool pets.

    • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
      241·
      4 days ago

      This argument is always so silly. Domestication is the process of changing animals so they become more suitable to living with humans. The fact that wild animals aren’t domesticated and therefore have traits that are problematic for that is tautological.

      • Paragone@lemmy.worldEnglish
        22·
        4 days ago

        2 points:

        1. Quolls, in Australia, are apparently about the same smarts as raccoons: you have to childproof EVERYTHING in a house they’re living-in. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quoll ( the article I’d read pointed-out that they’re endangered BECAUSE people can’t have them as pets, whereas cats aren’t endangered & are pets )

        2. grudge-holding may not be amendable, through breeding-program.

        _ /\ _

        • LibertyLizard@slrpnk.net
          8·
          4 days ago

          Pretty much any behavioral trait is changeable through natural or artificial selection. That includes intelligence. Actually it’s pretty clear that part of domestication for dogs was making them less intelligent.

          Some species may take longer, and it’s generally a slow process. I doubt these animals will be domesticated during our lifetimes but in the future who knows?

          • OwOarchist@pawb.socialEnglish
            14·
            4 days ago

            Actually it’s pretty clear that part of domestication for dogs was making them less intelligent.

            There was a scientific study run in the US comparing the behavior of wolves and dogs.

            Within 2 days, the scientists had to add a lock to the door of the wolf enclosure because the wolves had learned by watching them how to open the door and escaped. The dogs kept the same simple door latch throughout the entire experiment and never escaped.

              • OwOarchist@pawb.socialEnglish
                6·
                4 days ago

                Kind of…

                The domestication of dogs brought out a lot of neoteny traits – juvenile traits retained into adulthood. Our beloved man’s best friend are derived from wolves that never fully grew up and instead remained puppy-like for their entire lives. This makes them smaller, friendlier, more submissive, and easier to train (among other things) … but it also does make them a bit stupider.

          • Hemingways_Shotgun@lemmy.caEnglish
            2·
            3 days ago

            Actually it’s pretty clear that part of domestication for dogs was making them less intelligent.

            Had a Mastiff. Can confirm.

    • TheV2@programming.dev
      0·
      4 days ago

      Even better, if after their domestication they were still smart and resistant enough to not fall into the hands of owners that treat them like toys.