Interestingly, scientists have discovered dogs were likely domesticated twice and modern dogs are a “genetic mix of their Asian and European ancestors”. A study published in 2016 in the journal Science, states dogs were domesticated during the European Ice Age, about 17,000 to 32,000 years ago. These researchers used “ancient DNA evidence and the archaeological record” to make these determinations.
They now believe the dogs were attracted to hunter-gatherer camp sites where they could eat leftover meat and they were eventually tamed. Other research suggest dogs were domesticated in Central Asia or China about 12,500 years ago.
