The conclusion of J. Michael Shell's Preacher Porter's Cure.

The Doggies are the oldest race in the galaxy. At least that we know of. The light beings are almost assuredly older, but like I said, my people pretty much pretend they don't exist. To those of us who do admit it they're an embarrassment, because they are probably what we should have evolved into. They're what you would be if it wasn't for The Lucies.