I was never a dog fan but my son got a dog, and we love him
Ain't nothin like a hound dog, at least according to the song by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller recorded in 1962
There are so many varieties of dogs, is that your favorite?
I personally like collies, since they are directly attuned to my behavior.
Collies are wonderful, we had one growing up, they are hard to find now
I had one and he wanted to herd every other dog he met.  They have a very strong herding instinct.
Yes they were used years ago a lot for just that purpose
Most likely, they evolved the trait much as we evolved ours:  a gradual development over eons, like language and walking upright.