Stephen what is evolution?

I read about evolution on the Internet, but it doesn't make any sense to me. If I, or my children evolve we will not meet the AKC conformity tests, then we won't be Rottweilers any more. That doesn't sound good. Stephen, "Is evolution real"?

Stephen replied, "Well Yogi, if you ever read that I am the product of evolving from pond scum four billion years ago, no".

I thought to myself, four billion years ago, twenty eight billion in dog years and infinity in puppy years. That is a long time.

Stephen continued, "but you have to believe in natural selection, in fact you are a product of natural selection.". Remember Mora from the last two play times? She is an American Cocker Spaniel. She is in a class of dogs known as the sporting group. Her breed was recognized by the AKC in 1878. When and if she breeds, if no other dog can clear the fence in her yard, she will mate with another healthy American Cocker Spaniel. Her offspring will be American Cocker Spaniel's. If they are not, if they are different than they should be they should not be allowed to breed.

Stephen, "It is always that way"? "Heck no Yogi. Remember Moto from Petco Puppy Playtime yesterday? He is the product of mating a Boston Terrier with a Labrador Retriever. Some people call that result a Boston Labrador or Boston Lab."

"So Rottweilers have always existed?" "No Yogi. Your distant forefathers included Mastiffs. Your breed was developed as a herding dog, or drover and you came into existence about the time Jesus Christ walked the earth. You can also be an excellent search and rescue dog."

Hmmm, these are really deep thoughts for a 13 week old puppy. Even harder than doing four commands yesterday at Puppygarten.

"OK, OK, Stephen. If Rottweilers were selected to be herding dogs at some point in history. Where did dogs come from?"

"From wolves", Stephen relied. "But wolves and humans do not necessarily make good pack mates. Nobody knows when, nobody knows where, but somehow mankind became dogs' best friends. Here in North America, they have found people and dogs buried together."

"I still don't understand Stephen, do you believe in evolution"?

"Yogi, when I repeat myself it is not because I am senile, if you mean that I am the product of evolving from pond scum four billion years ago, no". If you mean a virus or bacteria can adapt to changing conditions including life saving drugs for humans and canines, yes. One of your ancestors had the gene for "long coat". Long coat means you cannot pass the conformity test for Rottweilers. They can't be bred. What you are talking about is a breed that is a variation on Rottweilers and variations happen all the time and not just in canines. Let's listen to two variations of the same song. Tiger Rag is one of the jazz standards, the equivalent of a Labrador Retriever in the Jazz music world. One of the most famous jazz musicians, Pete Fountain, played it on the Lawrence Welk show?"

Lawrence Welk?

Yeah, Yogi, like Geritol.

Geritol?

Nevermind Yogi, here is a variation on Tiger Rag by Charlie Parker, another famous musician.

Stephen, I like that one better.

Me too Yogi, it has a bit of bee bop mixed in to the variation.

I still don't understand evolution though.

I don't understand evolution either Yogi.