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http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62G4AQ20100318
According to this, "Although agriculture and animal husbandry go hand in hand, the first people to domesticate dogs from wild wolves probably were nomadic hunter-gatherers, who were followed at a distance by canine interlopers in search of scraps.
That relationship likely matured over thousands of years "to the point where these proto-dogs were living in close proximity with humans," and were often more of a nuisance than they were companions, Wayne said.
"Eventually dogs provided protection, an early warning system, maybe even helped out with the hunt, and then eventually, even closer in, provided companionship," he said." dogs domesticated themselves.
This doesn't surprise me. Dogs are pushy critters when it comes to getting their needs satisfied. Xoco, our brain damaged Chihuahua, is a very good example of that. With lots and lots of patience, I've been able to housebreak her and teach her her name and to (almost) come when called and to wait her turn on treats only by appealing to her feral nature.
On the other hand, when it comes to supplying what she considers her basic needs (food, toys, warmth), she can be cunning and patient. She lays traps to get toys away from Rhapsody and the cats that take several steps and lots of patience, but she always gets her toy.
I can see how her need for food, toys, and warmth would have led her ancestors to ingratiate themselve with humans in order to get those needs fulfilled with minimal effort. And so a relationship begins where the dogs get what they want and the humans create a place for dogs in their lives and convince themselves it was their idea. Over the centuries, people came up with more ways for dogs to help out and dogs, eager for the easy life they get living with humans, comply. Now, it's hard to imagine life without dogs as helpers and companions.
I didn't mark it, but there was an article yesterday about the possibility of cats doing the same thing in domesticating themselves.