Dog Variation (April 22)

It has been widely repeated, “Dogs are man’s best friend.” This has proven to be true for thousands of years as dogs have benefited mankind with hunting, herding, transportation, protection, and companionship. There are over 300 dog breeds in the world – from Chihuahuas to Great Danes. Most have been bred over the last century! Why is there so much variety within the dog kind?

Part of the key is that most dogs have 78 chromosomes – there are only 48 chromosomes in chimpanzees. Having so many more chromosomes allows dogs to produce many variations within a short amount of time. No new information has been added; existing information has just rearranged in countless ways to produce the breeds we see today. Dog variation can be compared to a kaleidoscope – each turn produces a new pattern, yet the same number of beads remains within the kaleidoscope. Evolution requires new information to be added, but that has never been observed – just variation within the dog kind. And that is exactly what God’s Word says.

Genesis 1:24

KJV: And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.

NIV: And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so.

Reference

Sherwin, Frank. 2013. Guide to Animals. Institute of Creation Research: Dallas, Texas. p.50-51.

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